DANIDA PhD Scholarship At ACC 2025: Apply Now!

About DANIDA PhD Scholarship at ACC 2025

The African Centre for Cities (ACC) is offering an exciting opportunity for a PhD scholarship as part of the CLAIMS to Energy Citizenship project, which is funded by DANIDA and will run from 2024 to 2028.

This call is specifically for the PhD position that will align with Work Package 1 (WP1) of the project. The successful candidate will be co-supervised by Prof. Waltorp and Dr. Cirolia. While there is room for the scholar to formulate their own research question, it is important that the theme, focus, and methodology align with both WP1 and the broader project framework.

WP1 will delve into understanding electricity challenges from an ethnographic perspective, with a specific emphasis on everyday experiences and practices. The research will involve gaining insights into the electricity claims made by individuals, households, and collectives, as well as exploring how local communities experience experiments with small-scale renewable energy. The PhD project will focus particularly on households in Khayelitsha that have been involved in mini-grids and related energy experiments.

Applicants are expected to possess specific skills and experience, which can be found in the additional criteria for the role. This is a fantastic opportunity for a dedicated and talented individual to contribute to a crucial project at the intersection of energy, citizenship, and urban development.

Eligibility Criteria

The successful applicant will be required to:

Register for full-time study in the Department of Environment and Geographical Sciences (EGS)
Engage actively in the overall project, including attending project meetings, workshops and events.
Undertake research tasks related to the overall project.

Comply with the University’s approved policies, procedures and practices for the postgraduate sector.

Applicants must hold a Masters degree in anthropology, geography, sociology, urban studies, or related fields.
Applicants must have demonstrated experience in undertaking field-based ethnographic research in underserviced urban residential areas and they must have the willingness and capacity to conduct research in Khayelitsha. F

Applicants must be willing to participate in the project, including undertaking research in service of the wider project objectives and participating in workshops and events.
Applicants must be willing and able to travel to Europe to undertake exchanges and trainings.

Recommended (but not required):

Skills within visual or multimodal anthropology (documentary, podcast, arts practice)
Experience working on energy in the South African context
Fluency in isiXhosa

A committee made up of the project’s principal investigator, lead researcher, and two outside representatives will choose which recipient of the scholarship will receive the award. The scholarship recipients will be chosen for full-time study based on their academic standing.

Benefits of the DANIDA PhD Scholarship at ACC 2025

The value of this award is ZAR 315,000 per year. This award can be renewed for an additional three years, subject to the student’s annual progress. Funding support will be provided for fieldwork and travel expenses. While we prefer the student to commence in 2024, we are willing to consider a start date in 2025 if necessary. In order to be considered, applicants must meet specific academic criteria and demonstrate relevant experience.

How to Apply

Kindly send in one PDF file containing the following documents. Applications that are not properly formatted or are incomplete will not be accepted.

A maximum of two-page application letter that answers the following queries:
- Why did you decide to apply to the African Centre for Cities for a PhD program? What role do the project and this PhD play in your professional objectives?
- How do your qualifications and experience fit the advertisement’s minimal requirements? When possible, refer to your resume as well as the requirements as stated. Make sure to incorporate ethnographic techniques and pertinent experience with energy in South Africa.
- What are your main and distinctive contributions to the project team and the African Centre for Cities in terms of skills, experiences, methodologies, etc.?
- How would you approach this study, given your comprehension of the project (refer to the call for applications above)? a CV, no more than two pages, including the names and contact information of at least two academic references who have instructed, mentored, or collaborated with the applicant;
a CV, no more than two pages, including the names and contact information of at least two academic references who have instructed, mentored, or collaborated with the applicant;