Capturing forgotten voices: Syrian adolescents’ experiences of displacement and humanitarian action in Jordan and Lebanon (fully funded ESRC CASE Studentship with Plan International)

This studentship aims to capture the voices of young refugees and to help integrate them into humanitarian programming through collaboration with Plan International, a key international actor in child protection. Refugee adolescents are one of the most vulnerable age groups in situations of conflict and displacement. Yet, adolescents, especially female, are often overlooked in humanitarian programming and academic literature which traditionally focuses on younger children or adults. This project thus focuses on their experiences of displacement and aid. It contributes to a wider intellectual endeavour in the field of humanitarian studies to engage with the local context and the diverse experiences of vulnerable communities and incorporate them into effective humanitarian responses.

The project will take a comparative case study approach focusing on Syrian refugee adolescents in Jordan and Lebanon. It asks the following questions: 

• What are the key challenges faced by refugee adolescents during conflict-related displacement? 
• What specific provisions do national and international organisations offer to this age group, in particular with a view on protection, and how do they relate to their actual needs?
• How do adolescents experience the process of receiving assistance from the humanitarian community?
• How do services provided to adolescents change their lives and communities? 

To make an impact on humanitarian programming, the project will be undertaken in partnership with Plan International. The student will have the opportunity to work at their London headquarters and their Jordan and Lebanon offices.

Eligibility criteria

• Willingness and ability to conduct research abroad;
• Work and/or research experience in child protection;
• Academic knowledge of discourses in forced displacement and humanitarian aid;
• Experience in conducting interviews, focus group discussion, and participant observation or willingness to engage in additional research training if needed;
• Proficiency in Arabic is desirable.

Academic:

Applicants must have minimum qualifications of a good Upper Second-Class honours Bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant discipline, and a UK Master's degree with an overall average of 65% or higher, with a minimum of 65% in the dissertation and with no mark below 55% (or its international equivalent) in a related subject.

Due to variations in the grading structures of international institutions, higher results may be required than stated here. 

English language:

Applicants whose first language is not English require one of the following:

• IELTS test minimum scores - 7 overall, 7 writing, 6.5 other sections
• TOEFL (internet-based) test minimum scores - 103 overall, 28 writing, 25 other sections
• Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic/Academic UKVI) minimum scores - 76 overall, 76 writing, 70 other sections

Application procedure

The application deadline will be Midnight (BST) on 01/06/2023. All supporting documents must be received by the deadline and sent as a zip file to [Email Address Removed], using ‘ESRC CASE Capturing Forgotten Voices’ as the email subject.

The application must include:

• Full CV, including a breakdown of your grades to date.
• Supporting statement of maximum 700 words indicating why you would like to undertake this studentship and explaining how your focus, experience, and skills link to the research outlined above.
• A PhD proposal up to 5 pages showing how you would approach the CASE studentship topic.
• An example of a piece of academic writing of up to 5,000 words (applicants may consider submitting two shorter pieces if these deal separately with conceptual and empirical analyses). This may be an academic essay or chapter(s) from a dissertation, in which case, an abstract or introduction outlining the context/aims/research questions of the study must also be included
• Names and contact details of two academic referees who can comment on the applicant’s suitability for PhD study and to undertake the advertised project.

Further information

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please contact Dr Antoine Burgard ([Email Address Removed])