Call for Applications: Critical Thinking and Writing for Urban Studies Researchers in Nigeria

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The Urban Studies and Planning Department, University of Sheffield and the Centre for Housing and Sustainable development, University of Lagos invites applications from Nigerian researchers with research interests related to urban studies, based at a Nigerian university or research institution. The writing workshops are funded through the British Academy Writing Workshops 2020, and will be held at the University of Lagos in May 2020 and October 2020 respectively.

The workshops are designed to support early- and mid-career urban researchers to develop critical thinking and writing skills and ultimately develop a scholarly article for publication in a high impact journal. Furthermore, participants at the workshop will have the opportunity to become part of an emerging cohort of critical urban researchers in Nigeria and develop international networks with academics, editors and funding bodies. The resulting publications will work to enrich scholarship in African Urban Studies, bringing important empirical and theoretical contributions into global knowledge circulations.

Over two multi-day workshops, up to 12 Nigerian urban researchers will receive training and mentorship from leading academics and journal editors in the field of urban studies regarding critical
thinking, writing, the publication process and funding. Participants will develop a new or existing article to publishable standard with training and mentoring support that will extend beyond the workshops, up to publication.

The workshop is organised by Dr Taibat Lawanson, Associate Professor of Urban Planning and codirector of Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos and Dr Lindsay
Sawyer, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at Urban Studies and Planning, and Associate of the Urban Institute, University of Sheffield.

  • Workshop Facilitators and Contributors:
  • Dr Tom Goodfellow (Urban Studies and Planning, University of Sheffield)
  • Dr Michele Lancione (Urban Institute, University of Sheffield)
  • Prof Ayodeju Olukoju (History, University of Lagos)
  • Prof Timothy Nubi (CHSD, University of Lagos)
  • Prof AbdouMaliq Simone (Urban Institute, University of Sheffield)
  • Emeritus Professor Mick Dunford (Geography, University of Sussex)
  • Ms Leanne Jones (Science Innovation and Technology team, Department for International Development)
  • Prof Vanessa Watson (African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town)

Journals Represented: African Affairs; Area Development and Policy; City; International Journal of Urban and Regional Research; Radical Housing Journal; Urban Studies.

Participation in the workshops involves attendance at two multi-day workshops in Lagos and a commitment to developing a high quality journal article following the workshops. The date of the first workshop is 11-14 May 2020. The second workshop will be four days in October 2020, dates to be confirmed.
Costs related to the workshops including travel to Lagos, accommodation, breakfast and lunch, and transport will be covered by the British Academy Writing Workshop 2020 funding. The workshop is funded by the British Academy with support from: Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos; The University of Sheffield; and The Leverhulme Trust.

Eligibility:
To be considered for this workshop applicants need to be:
1. Research and academic staff working across disciplines on issues related to urbanisation and the urban context broadly defined; and should have received a PhD no more than ten years ago.
2. Employed as a lecturer or researcher at an institution of higher education or research institution in Nigeria.
3. Preference given to those with a clear research agenda, and evidence of publication.
4. Must commit to full attendance across all of the days of the two workshops in May and September/ October.
5. Once accepted, participants will be required to provide a letter of support from their institution.

Women are particularly encouraged to apply.

Application Process:
To apply please fill in the following online form: The deadline for all applications is 8th March 2020, 11.59pm GMT.

Application form: https://forms.gle/fJhr18VhkzQtjgw28

Once shortlisted, participants will be required to provide a letter of support from their institution and confirm their availability in full for both workshops as a pre-condition of their participation in the workshops. Participants must develop a working draft of an article in advance of the second workshop, and commit to developing it to publishable standard following the workshops; participants will receive ongoing mentoring support to achieve this.

For further information please email l.sawyer@sheffield.ac.uk

Full details here