Position: Research Fellowship

Organization: Aajeevika Bureau

Location: Multiple

About the Fellowship:

The phenomenon and complexity of labour migration has been put in sharp focus by the COVID pandemic. Yet, its roots run deep in the history of India’s development shaped by rapid urbanisation, capitalist speculation of land, caste and tribal segregation and deregulation of labour.

Despite the recent focus on research on labour migration, there persist major gaps in our collective understanding of labour migration and the policy avenues for creating safe migration and working conditions. Against this background, the aim of the fellowship is two-fold:

1.Generating disaggregated and localised data drawn from focused study on specific concentrations of labour migration

2. Adopting a corridor approach to better understand either the source or the destination level dynamics of labour migration in any one of the following three migration corridors:

• West Bengal - Kerala
• Odisha- Kerala
• Uttar Pradesh – Maharashtra

Fellows are expected to write one high-quality research paper (8,000-10,000 words) and one popular/op-ed article (1000-1500 words) on the basis of their research findings.

Eligibility:

The Fellowship is open to MPhil/PhD students, recent Masters’ graduates, community activists or journalists with an existing advanced understanding of labour migration.

The applicants should have undergone basic research training and should have strong writing skills in English or any other officially recognised language.

The applicants must also have pre-existing local knowledge of any one of the labour migration corridors listed above. They should be highly motivated and have the ability to work independently.

Connecting research and praxis:

The fellow’s research would inform our ongoing work in providing services to migrants in Kerala and Maharashtra. During the course of the fellowship period, fellows would also be invited to contribute their insights to ongoing policy roundtables and legal literacy trainings, with the aim to create synergies between knowledge and practice-oriented work on labour migration.

Duration:

The fellowship would run to a maximum of four months (1 September – 31 December 2021).

Duration:

The fellowship would run to a maximum of four months (1 September – 31 December 2021).

Stipend

 Fellows will receive a monthly stipend of INR 40,000 per month for the duration of the Fellowship

How to apply?

Interested candidates may apply by sharing a combined PDF document of the following materials:

Cover letter: One page outlining your research experience and academic qualifications.

Concept Note: Applicants must send a 1500 – 2000 word note describing their research idea including its relevance to fellowship’s objectives stated above, their proposed methodology and the proposed time line.

CV - Maximum two pages

Writing sample: Maximum six pages

The above-listed material may be submitted in English or any other officially recognised language.