Fully Funded PhD Studentship on Water Security in Cape Town

Aug 14, 2018 | Durham University
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Durham University has established a new Global Challenges Research Fund Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) with fully funded PhD studentships beginning in February 2019. The CDT will support a cohort of around 20 students working on a specific challenge in one or more of the areas of the UN Sustainable Development Goals with all PhD students coming from a DAC nation. All PhD projects are interdisciplinary and will be supervised by academic staff from different departments in partnership with a university in an overseas DAC nation, and may include collaboration with other organisations. PhD candidates in the CDT will participate in a wide ranging and comprehensive training programme to equip them to make an effective contribution in their area of expertise following completion of their PhD.

The PhD will include a placement in The Global Risk Governance Programme at The University of Cape Town.

Available Project

The Politics and Ethics of Water Security in Cape Town

This project will be based in the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) or the Department of Geography with the principal supervisors: Dr Cameron Harrington (SGIA) and Dr Jeremy Schmidt (Geography). Email: cameron.harrington@durham.ac.uk or jeremy.schmidt@durham.ac.uk.

Summary of Project

This is a challenge-led, interdisciplinary project that will systematically explore urban water security in the midst of global environmental change. The scholarly aim of the project is to study how the security responses to water crisis in Cape Town extend across multiple domains as households, businesses, and government seek to maintain formal and informal economies. It will assess the normative aspects of the transition from response to crisis to sustained security. The project’s central questions are:

  1. How have the politics and ethics of security been conceptualized and contested during the Cape Town water crisis?
  2. How does global environmental change affect the conceptualization of water security in development efforts to link social inequality and ecological integrity?

Engaging local partners and networks in Cape Town, and South Africa more broadly, the project seeks an outstanding PhD applicant interested in combining scholarship with concrete empirical resources for decision-makers tasked with addressing the politics and ethics of water security.

The student undertaking this project will be expected to collect and analyse field data. Fieldwork will be undertaken in Cape Town, South Africa. During periods of fieldwork, the student will be based in the Global Risk Governance Programme, at the University of Cape Town.

Financial Support

PhD projects are fully funded for three years full-time beginning February 2019. The award covers:

  • Full payment of all fees
  • A tax-free maintenance grant set at the UK Research Council’s National Rate which is £14,777 per year for 2018/19
  • Return travel and visa costs for the applicant’s home nation
  • An allowance to cover research costs and research training

Support for an overseas placement during the PhD at the DAC nation partner university.

Eligibility and Other Requirements

  • This project is only available to an overseas candidate based in a DAC nation.
  • Applicants must meet the university’s academic PhD entry requirement which is a 2:1 honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.
  • Applicants may also hold a Masters degree in an area relevant to the project (e.g. Political Science, International Relations, Human Geography, Anthropology, Development Studies, Law, Criminology).
  • Applicants should also demonstrate research potential. Non-native English speakers require an English language qualification equivalent to IELTS 6.5 with no element less than 6.0.
  • Applicants must have the ability to work independently as well as communicate and collaborate with research colleagues.
  • Applicants may also have research experience in, and familiarity with the political/ecological context of, South Africa.
  • Applicants must be able to start their PhD on 1st February, 2019.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete the university online postgraduate application form at https://www.dur.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/. As part of the application process applicants will be required to provide:

  • A current CV
  • Two academic references
  • Official transcripts of previous qualifications
  • Evidence of English Language proficiency
  • Upon shortlisting, applicants may be requested to submit one or more academic writing examples (e.g. MA thesis)

Applicants must state on the application form the title of the project they are applying for and the name of the main supervisor. Applications will be considered by the department hosting the PhD project.

The deadline for applications is 31st August, 2018.