University for Peace

Call for Nomination: Research Capacity Building Workshop on “Developing Peace Research Skills in Africa”
Addis Ababa, 23 - 27 April 2007

*** Application deadline: 30 March 2007 ***

ORGANIZERS AND SPONSORS:

Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa, OSSREA

OSSREA is Eastern and Southern Africa s leading research institution based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. OSSREA was founded in 1980 by a group of social scientists from Eastern African countries. It eventually expanded its geographic coverage to the Southern African countries. OSSREA is a regional membership-based and donor-supported research and capacity-building organization whose mission is to promote dialogue and interaction between researchers and policy-makers in Eastern and Southern Africa with an objective of enhancing the impact of research on policy-making and development planning. OSSREA not only engages in interdisciplinary research but also provides research grants to junior and senior scholars based in the region. It also operates major research projects and offers capacity-building training programmes in the areas of social science research methodology and gender. OSSREA is also known for its reputable publications ranging from its bi-annual journal to monographs, books and research reports. OSSREA has been at the cutting edge of the major development of the social sciences in Africa. Its specialists are renowned in diverse fields. Pertaining to its role in this workshop, in addition to making experts available for substantive discussions and assistance in small-group sessions, OSSREA will act as the co-ordinating host institution and will hold a secondary responsibility for selection of participants.

United Nations Affiliated University for Peace, Africa Programme (UPEACE Africa Programme)

The mandate of UPEACE from the UN General Assembly is unique and constructive to promote peace and security world-wide through education, training and research on peace related issues, including human rights, gender equity, economic development and peace, environmental security, peace education, international law and settlement of disputes, disarmament and non-proliferation, and media and conflict. In its Africa Programme, two points out of the ten-point action plan for Education for Peace in Africa pertain to research. On chapter on research specifically identifies the building of research capacity for purposes of stimulating research for teaching purposes throughout Africa as a key purpose of the Africa Programme. Another chapter identifies the linkage of policy and research as a priority. The Africa Programme operates on several levels: targeted activities focus on the needs of universities, organizations, and countries; regional and sub-regional activities build collaboration in order to achieve a critical mass of expertise and resources; Africa-wide networks for research and teaching are being formed; and cooperative programmes between Africa and the rest of the world are beginning. Strengthening Africa research, its dissemination and use is thus a central purpose of the Africa Programme. Without sound and up-to-date analysis, research, and data policies will be inadequate and teaching becomes stale. Underpinning all aspects of the Africa Programme is the development of carefully calibrated research to shape academic excellence and refresh teaching, so that African institutions of higher learning reach their full stature and a new generation of leaders fully aware of present and future approaches and issues. Such collaborative research will be able to influence policy and improve international understanding of Africa.

BACKGROUND:

In parts of the African continent, universities are set in war-torn regions recovering from armed hostilities, where emphasis has justly been placed on re-establishing the core subjects and not necessarily peace studies. In the last two decades, African universities have been weakened by the socio-economic predicaments facing their respective countries. In most African countries, university lecturers often cannot afford to live on their wages and must seek additional employment a fact that inhibits their ability to research, publish, and generally to give full attention to their profession. Nonetheless, valuable teaching and research activities are in progress across the continent, although often in isolation, suffering from inadequate support and a lack of information and adequate teaching materials. Almost everywhere, a sense of urgency accompanies the perceived need to strengthen and support teaching and research. Yet few universities have the financial means to train faculties and provide opportunities for enhancing skills in research and publishing. African institutions of higher learning have been hampered in giving attention to linkages between education methods and curricula choices for practical developmental needs. In short, painful historical gaps sometime exist in the pursuit of educational institutions that can invigorate and embolden peace and policy-oriented research. While this is a serious problem in many parts of the world, it is nowhere more important to strengthen the capacity for peace and policy-oriented research than in Africa. This is in part due to the fact that a great deal of highly innovative work is going undocumented, and also because of the number of acute conflicts, development crises, and abuses of human rights found on the continent. As consensus builds across Africa on the need to nourish cultures of peace, the universities are critical to grounding this evolution with their studies and research. Since peace and conflict studies are a relatively new field in Africa, strong support is important for strengthening such a significant development.

PURPOSE OF THE WORKSHOP:

Critically needed in Africa is policy-related research that arises from and speaks to the contexts, needs, aspirations, and insights of persons working in Africa. This research workshop will bring together African academicians, academicians from the Diaspora, and civil society practitioners for an intensive four-day workshop to share and improve research methodologies for this broad purpose. As a problem-solving dimension is central, the participating instructors, researchers, and scholars are asked to bring with them examples of particular research quandaries or predicaments, and practical examples and stories of how they sought to resolve them. The research workshop is designed collectively to identify research- methodology challenges, and share lessons and recommendations for overcoming them. From its very outset, the envisaged training workshop is anticipated to be highly interactive and participative. An emphasis will be placed on building human and institutional collaborative research facilities among an incipient knowledge network. Topical research questions will be considered, for example, new developments in conducting research on root causes of acute conflict, gender and building peace, environmental degradation as a cause of civil strife, and non-violent transformation of conflict. Such themes will be viewed as indicative under the umbrella of policy-relevant and action oriented peace research in Africa.

OBJECTIVE:

The prime objective of the research workshop is to develop and in some instances upgrade the skills of participants in peace research so as to enhance teaching and research capacity of UPEACE Africa Programme partners in Africa.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

• Reintroduce researchers, practitioners and policy workers on the various methodologies of social science research in general and peace research in particular;
• Orientate researchers to contemporary computer research and data analytical skills;
• Acquaint researchers to relevant training methodology that is pertinent to conflict, peace, development, human rights, gender, environment and other policy-related issues.

1. Be exposed to methodologies for developing research skills and conceptual capacity for building peace and sustainable development;
2. Gain insight into new, cutting-edge developments in policy-relevant and action oriented peace research;
3. Learn how to tackle methodological challenges, such as developing interdisciplinary approaches and conducting rigorous interviews;
4. Be exposed to different epistemological orientations. They will be challenged to understand the role of values and judgements from different perspectives and how this applies to different methodologies;
5. Gain insight into the importance of linking research with policy and practice. They will be encouraged to consider how they can structure and sustain collaborative research facilities;
6. Learn the art of preparing articles for publication in refereed academic journals and how to handle the news media to communicate their findings with policy implications;
7. Return to their institutions able to strengthen their capacity in peace-oriented research as it is linked to sustainable development; and,
8. Become more aware of ethical issues that arise in peace research, for example, confidentiality and the need for professional research that strives for objectivity and promotes open debate of different perspectives.

• University staff
• Researchers in social sciences, particularly those engaged in peace and conflict related research engagements
• Practitioners, especially those in the civil societies and government institutions in charge of policy-making and policy-dialogue
• Peace/Conflict Experts

1. A minimum of an MA degree in the social science, law and related disciplines;
2. At least two years of experience and demonstration of seriousness and keen interest in conflict and peace related research and teaching pursuits;
3. An applicant must be nominated by her/his institution;
4. Purpose statements must be clear and unambiguous;
5. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in contributing publishable articles for the soon to be launched African Peace and Conflict Review journal.
   

1. Detailed curriculum vitae, indicating current title and position, responsibilities, organizational details including physical address, phone, fax and E-Mail;
2. Copies of degrees from an accredited university or equivalent institution;
3. Evidence of previous experience in peace and conflict-related research undertakings;
4. Endorsement letter from the applicant s employer that confirms the relevance of such training to the institution s peace research or training activities;
5. Current research and teaching responsibilities;
6. Research and teaching plans for the immediate future;
7. A proposed topic for the participant s future journal article and brief presentation during the workshop;
8. Indication of technical back-up needed for the presentation (i.e. LCD projector, A-V equipment etc.); and,
9. One paragraph description of proposed topic.