Call for Application of Master Students for Field Research in Namibia
KICK HERE TO SEE THE PDF: Call for application MA thesis in Nambia
The Universities of Bonn and Cologne in Germany offer one or two stipends for field research and the writing of a Master’s thesis on the development of a green-hydrogen project in Namibia.
The collaborating partners are conducting a research project on “Energy Futures: Infrastructures and governance for renewable energies”. The project (C02) is part of a Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) initiated by the Universities of Bonn and Cologne called “Future Rural Africa: Future-making and social-ecological transformation” (CRC 228), funded by the German research association DFG (“Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft”). The project CO2 aims to generate findings about how energy projects are envisioned and implemented, both at the institutional level and on the ground.
What do we look for and what do we offer
We are looking for one or two master students in social or political sciences, human geography, social anthropology or related disciplines who are willing to do extensive fieldwork on the conditions and developments at the site of a green-hydrogen project in Namibia, concretely the Hyphen project in/near Lüderitz or the Daures Hydrogen Village near Uis/Brandberg Mountain.
In particular, Master’s students in relevant disciplines from Namibia, Botswana or South Africa are highly encouraged to apply.
The master thesis and associated empirical research should focus on as many of the following aspects as possible:
§ Local conditions and challenges for realizing the projects, both from investor and community perspectives (incl. social, economic and ecological dimensions)
§ Local expectations and acceptance of project by different local stakeholder groups (to be selected as result of the previous point)
§ Official or unofficial stakeholder engagement at local and regional level by investor and/or national government: who, how, goals and strategies, results in terms of local employment and other benefits (promises, contracts?)
§ Infrastructure developments planned and underway to make green-hydrogen project possible: what, by whom (public/private), financing (public/private), involvement of local actors
Requirements for applicants
1. Candidates must be enrolled in a Master‘s course programme in Namibia or Germany.
2. Education: Candidates must have a completed Bachelor degree in the social sciences or humanities, preferably with a focus in social or political sciences, human geography, social anthropology or related disciplines.
3. Language Skills: High level of fluency and experience with academic English is mandatory. Fluency in one or several of the local languages is an asset.
4. An outline of the planned research of the candidate (5 pages, maximum 3000 words), submitted in English (see below for details). The project description should include a general research question related to the state of the art on the topic, suggestions on the methodological approaches to be followed, sample questions for interviews as well as – in form of an annex – a time and budget plan (not part of the 5 pages).
More information & application
For more information, please read the attached PDF thoroughly. Applications should be submitted as soon as possible to
§ Prof. Britta Klagge, University of Bonn, klagge@uni-bonn.de and
§ Dr. Clemens Greiner, University of Cologne, clemens.greiner@uni-koeln.de
in one email, addressing/copying both abovementioned addresses.
Prof. Dr. Britta Klagge
Institute of Geography, University of Bonn Meckenheimer Allee 166
D-53115 Bonn