Call for Applications
Workshop: Studying the Urban in the Arab Region: Concepts and Methods
July 2-6, 2018 | Amman, Jordan
Application Deadline: June 8, 2018
The Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS) is pleased to announce a five-day intensive workshop on “Studying the Urban in the Arab Region: Concepts and Methods,” co-organized with the Odum Institute, a research institute housed at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (USA). The workshop will be held on July 2-6, 2018 in Amman, Jordan.
The workshop is designed for graduate students in the social sciences (and allied fields) who are interested in studying urban spaces, structures and processes, and in methodological training in mixed methods for use in their thesis/dissertation research.
Workshop Format and Topics
The five-day workshop will be held in both Arabic and English and will cover a variety of topics including:
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An overview of the literature on urban studies in the Arab region
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Theories, concepts and multidisciplinary approaches to the study of urban phenomena
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Methodological training in mixed methods research, including data gathering and data analysis
Participants will arrive in Amman on July 1 before the start of the workshop for an orientation. Training will be from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm for five days (July 2-6, 2018) and participants are expected to fully participate in all sessions. Participants will be given an official ACSS-Odum Institute certificate upon successful completion of the workshop.
Eligibility Guidelines
Nationality and Residence
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Applicants must be citizens of an Arab League member state or nationals of an Arab country (defined as long-term residents, even if they do not hold citizenship as in the case of refugees or stateless residents).
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Applicants must reside in the Arab region. ACSS will not fund participants who study or reside outside the region.
Educational Degree and Language Ability
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Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate (Master’s or PhD) program in a social science or related field (including urban studies) at a university in the Arab region.
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Applicants should have foundational knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
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Applicants must have at least intermediate level proficiency in both Arabic and English, as the workshop will be conducted in both languages.
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Applicants must be working on a thesis/dissertation related to urban spaces, structures or processes.
Application Process
Applicants are required to complete a profile and submit the following materials (in English) via the ACSS Applications Platform:
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Proposal outlining their current or proposed project and its relation to the workshop (maximum 2 pages)
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Proof of enrollment at a university in the Arab region (this can be provided in Arabic)
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CV/Resume of applicant
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Copy of valid passport or identification card
Applications must be submitted by no later than Friday, June 8, 2018 at 5:00 PM (Beirut Time).
Selection Process
The Selection Committee is comprised of ACSS staff members and faculty of the Odum Institute who will review applications based on the following criteria:
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Academic qualifications and language proficiency
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Strength of proposal (relevance of training to research goals and project)
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Need for this training
By submitting the electronic application, applicants affirm that they agree, without any objections, to the evaluation and selection results as decided and announced by the Selection Committee and the ACSS. All decisions made by the Selection Committee are final.
Accepted Applicants
Accepted participants will be provided round-trip transportation from their home country, accommodation in Amman for the duration of the workshop (except for residents of Amman) and a per diem (daily allowance).
Applicants who are accepted are expected to:
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Provide their own laptop
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Provide their own data with which to work during the workshop
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Refine and incorporate new methodological and theoretical approaches into their proposals
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Participate fully and attend all sessions of the workshop
Please direct all queries to Issam Khoury via email at khoury@theacss.org.
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About the Odum Institute
Founded in 1924, the Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in the Social Sciences supports the social science teaching and research mission at UNC. The Institute provides a range of consulting services on quantitative and qualitative methods, GIS and spatial analysis, survey research, and data management. Odum offers workshops, summer courses, and a graduate certificate program.
About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
UNC-Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university founded in 1789, is a global higher education leader known for innovative teaching, research and public service. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, the University offers 78 bachelor’s, 112 master’s, 68 doctorate and seven professional degree programs.