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Call for Applications
Research Fellowships on Non-Traditional Security Challenges in Pakistan & South Asia

 

The Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) Pakistan and the School of Politics and International Relations (SPIR), Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad have embarked on a research cooperation in 2021, which includes five research grants for small scale research projects of QAU students (MPhil / BS final year students only) working on issues related to non-traditional security in Pakistan and South Asia. Those selected for funding will work under the supervision of the SPIR faculty team to conduct original theoretical and empirical research.

The research grant includes a monthly stipend from April 1 to September 30, 2021. The best research papers will be considered for publication and copy-editing / proof-reading support will be provided to selected authors after the completion of the research project.

Background

The burgeoning literature on security studies in International Relations is divided broadly into its traditional and non-traditional issue areas. The difference between traditional and non-traditional approaches exists at two levels: first, traditional security prioritises state-level dynamics while non-traditional security is heavily centred on societal actors and human collectivities. Second, traditional security is premised on military, territorial and sovereignty-related challenges and strategies with non-traditional security positing economic, ecological and humanitarian deprivations and necessities. Collectively, both traditional and non-traditional security dynamics conceptualise emergencies and threats to the survival of states and societies.

In South Asia, which is home to one-third of the world’s poorest people marked also by very low intra-regional trade, non-traditional security issues acquire prominence as regional states contend with poverty, unemployment, food security, economic underdevelopment, migration and refugees, novel diseases such as COVID-19 and gender discrimination. Faced with non-traditional existential threats, the question is how are individual South Asian states placed in addressing economic, ecological, and humanitarian deficiencies in the public domain? How can South Asian states improve upon socio-economic indicators to address non-traditional security challenges? How can the region respond collectively to such challenges in the face of traditional security imperatives? What is the relevance of the human security paradigm in South Asia and why is it important to address it?

The Research Projects of the 2021 HSF-SPIR research cooperation explore notions and practices of non-traditional security issues by examining them by way of case studies of individual South Asian states or via comparative analysis of two or more states with a prominent focus on non-traditional security challenges facing Pakistan. Fellowship applications are expected to highlight contemporary non-traditional security challenges and pressures that the South Asian region is contending with and also illuminate possible long-term approaches and gateways to manage the plight of South Asian states and societies.

Research Themes

Fellowship applications can explore, but are not limited to the following themes:

  1. Economic Security: critically evaluate the nexus of development, growth, deprivations and socio-economic inequalities with respect to satisfaction of basic needs
  2. Human security: people’s livelihoods, inclusivity, participation in political and public life, the dilemmas confronting minorities, refugees, migrants, IDPs and gender discrimination
  3. Cooperative Security: exploring the idea of a regional security community marked by functional cooperation, shared knowledge and regional-based solutions to political, social and economic complexities
  4. Environmental Security: sustaining the environment for contemporary and future generations including air, water, and land conservation relative to greenhouse gases, deforestation, and clean drinking water
  5. Public Health: COVID-19 as a non-traditional security challenge

Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicants have to be enrolled as students (MPhil / BS final year students only) of QAU for the entire period of the project year (i.e. until 30 September 2021)
  • For the period of funding, student applicants cannot take on any other work contracts

Scholarship holders are expected to:

  • have good proficiency of English and academic writing
  • demonstrate an interest and willingness to conduct original empirical research in the given timeframe
  • attend monthly supervision meetings
  • write and submit a monthly short report on their progress, challenges and intended activities
  • observe standard research ethics
  • submit a publishable paper at the end of the project

Application Procedure

The proposed research projects have to be focused on the topic, "Non-Traditional Security Challenges in South Asia" with either individual case studies involving one South Asian state or comparative projects including two or more South Asian states.

Please submit:

1. a short CV with contact details and grade point average (max. 1 page, Times New Roman 12 or similar font)

2. an abstract of the research proposal (maximum 350 words)

3. a research proposal (max. 3 pages, Times New Roman 12 or similar font) outlining (i) the topic and its relevance and focus, (ii) one central research question, (iii) the intended theoretical and methodological approach (with detailed info on research method(s) to be employed), (iv) and a tentative work plan for six months (April-September 2021).

 

Applications have to be submitted via e-mail to the SPIR Office and HSF

E-mail address: spir@qau.edu.pk

Also in copy: islamabad@hss.de

Application Deadline: 21 March 2021

 

Selection interviews will be conducted by the project coordination team in the following week before 1 April 2021.

 

We are looking forward to your application and wish you great success!