If you are an African doctoral student enrolled in a South African Ph.D. program in the humanities or humanistic social sciences, the 2025 Ivan Karp Doctoral Research Awards are now open for applications. These awards aim to support dissertation research that delves into public culture, cultural institutions, and public scholarship in Africa. Everything you need to know in this article!
Ivan Karp Doctoral Research Awards Summary
Location: South Africa
Organized By: African Critical Inquiry Programme (ACIP)
Academic Level: Ph.D.
Target Group: African doctoral students
Fields of Study: Humanities and humanistic social sciences
Award Value: Up to ZAR 50,000
Award Duration: Duration of the doctoral research project
Application Deadline: Thursday, 1 May 2025
Eligible To: African postgraduate students currently registered in a Ph.D. program at a South African university
Ivan Karp Doctoral Research Awards Overview
The African Critical Inquiry Programme (ACIP) seeks to advance inquiry and debate about the roles and practices of public culture, public cultural institutions, and public scholarship in shaping identities and society in Africa.
ACIP is a partnership between the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape and the Laney Graduate School of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia (USA).
Research Focus
The Ivan Karp Doctoral Research Awards support doctoral research projects focused on topics such as:
Institutions of public culture
Museums and exhibitions
Forms and practices of public scholarship
Culture and communication
Theories, histories, and systems of thought that shape and illuminate public culture and public scholarship
Fellowship Benefits
Financial Support: Grants of up to ZAR 50,000 to assist with on-site dissertation research expenses.
Academic Engagement: Awardees are required to attend the African Critical Inquiry Workshop in the following year, providing opportunities to consult with scholars associated with the workshop.
Professional Development: Participation in ACIP workshops offers a platform for scholarly exchange and networking with professionals in the field.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be African postgraduate students (regardless of citizenship) currently registered in a Ph.D. program at a South African university.
Research topics should align with ACIP’s focus areas, including public culture institutions, museums, exhibitions, public scholarship practices, culture and communication, and related theoretical frameworks.
A dissertation proposal approved by the applicant's institution is required to confirm the award; this must be completed before beginning ACIP-supported on-site research or by December 2025, whichever comes first.
Application Procedure
Eligible applicants should submit the following as a single file attachment in the order listed:
Completed cover sheet (available here).
Abstract of the proposed research project (250 words maximum).
Research proposal outlining the project's goals, central questions, significance, and relevance to ACIP’s concerns (no longer than 1,800 words, double-spaced, with 2.5 cm margins and a font no smaller than 11 point).
Bibliography of up to two additional pages.
Project budget detailing research expenses to be supported by the award, with justifications.
Curriculum vitae.
Current academic transcript and proof of registration at the current institution.
Two referee letters; one must be from the applicant's supervisor. Referees should comment specifically on the proposed project, its quality and significance, and the applicant's qualifications for undertaking it.
Application Submission and further instructions
Applications and referees’ letters must be received on or before Thursday, 1 May 2025. Incomplete applications and those not conforming to format guidelines will not be considered. Submit materials as a single file attachment with documents in the order listed above by email with the heading “ACIP 2025 Research Award Application” to (acip.uwc@gmail.com).
ℹ️ For detailed information and application forms, visit the ACIP Opportunities page and download the Call for Applications: Ivan Karp Doctoral Research Award (PDF).
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