The Cross-Border Conflict, Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme is hiring a researcher/consultant to support XCEPT research leadership by drafting a series of rapid literature reviews to inform synthesis of key XCEPT programme findings and situate these within the broader academic literature on transnational conflict and borderlands.
The Task
Six years into the programme, and as it transitions into a new phase, XCEPT is working to draw out overarching findings from its significant body of research and capture its contributions to knowledge and practice among academic and policy and practitioner communities. Working closely with the XCEPT leadership team, the consultant will help identify where connections emerge between XCEPT research, and the wider academic literature and current debates focused on borderlands, cross-border conflicts, transnational flows and enablers of conflict and peace.
The process of reviewing the literature will be dynamic, rapid and iterative. The objective will be to quickly develop high-level understanding of the concepts, themes and critical debates to which XCEPT research speaks and contributes new insight. This task will provide rapid deep dives on emerging themes in support of XCEPT’s broader synthesis work activities, to demonstrate its legacy and conceptual impact among the wider borderlands literature.
To support this process, we are seeking an individual with extensive experience in conducting rapid literature reviews and evidence synthesis activities and who is familiar with the academic literature on borderlands and the transnational dimensions of conflict. The consultant will work in close dialogue with the XCEPT Leadership team to review and contextualise XCEPT research and to draw out its relevance to different thematic, conceptual and theoretical debates in the literature. The individual will help consolidate XCEPT’s research findings within existing theoretical debates while simultaneously demonstrating how our research contributes towards knowledge and provides policy impact.
Due to the programme’s geographic focus on the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and interest in better understanding how cross-cutting issues such as gender, ethnicity, geography and power relations operate in the context of conflict in borderlands, XCEPT will consider applicants with an array of geographic and thematic expertise.
Deliverables
The individual will produce a series of rapid, concise evidence and literature reviews (3-5 pages) linked to XCEPT core research themes, identified in collaboration with the XCEPT research leadership team.
Duration
XCEPT anticipates this consultancy may require up to 20 days in total, requiring a minimum of 20 hours per week. XCEPT seeks candidates who are available to begin work immediately.
Key Qualifications and Requirements
- PhD candidates and post-doctoral scholars in a relevant discipline such as international affairs, international development, or political science, with research experience in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Candidates with relevant MA/MSc qualifications may be considered depending on professional experience.
- Familiarity with research methods for conducting systematic literature reviews and evidence syntheses and demonstrated experience producing rapid reviews.
- Solid knowledge of academic literatures and current debates related to borderlands and/or transnational dimensions of conflict.
- Excellent analytic skills and English language writing skills, with an ability to write quickly, clearly and concisely, and strong interpersonal skills.
- Access to academic journal databases (e.g., JSTOR, Sage, Taylor & Francis etc.)
How to Apply
Interested individuals should submit a CV and cover later detailing their interests and consultancy rate to XCEPT-PMU@chemonics.com with subject XCEPT Literature Review STTA. Expressions of interest should be received by 1 September 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a view to contracting a suitable candidate as soon as possible (this may be before the application deadline).
Please direct any enquiries regarding this opportunity to the XCEPT programme management team at: XCEPT-PMU@chemonics.com.