The Center for the Study of Social Stratification and Inequality (CSSI) invites applications from excellent scholars for a few postdoctoral positions. (The number of the positions depends on the center’s budget for the next academic year.) The center pursues development of new theories and methodologies on social stratification and inequality with emphasis on studies of rational choice theory, minorities (including gender stratification and inequality), East Asia, transnational migration (especially focusing on “newcomers” in Japan), and fairness. Faculty members of the center are sociologists, social psychologists, cultural anthropologists, religious anthropologists, a historian, and economists, and they study social stratification and inequality from various viewpoints. In addition, the CSSI conducts comparative studies of absolute poverty with the Stanford Center for the Study of Poverty and Inequality.
Applicants should hold doctoral degrees or show academic performance equivalent to holders of doctoral degrees. They should have a good command of English. Postdoctoral fellows of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science are not eligible for this application.
The successful candidates will be expected to work under the supervision of the faculty members of the center from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012. (The starting date is negotiable.) Though the initial contract ends on March 31, 2012, the contract will be extended for one more year. The salary of a successful candidate will be 270,000 – 350,000 yen per month depending on his/her academic career. Travel and housing allowances will be paid to those who are eligible for them. Grants for excellent research projects proposed by the successful candidates will be provided. The center also academically and financially supports their presentations at international conferences.
Fellowship Application Deadline: January 31, 2011
Further Fellowship Information and Application
TWAS-CAS Fellowships for Visiting Scholars 2011, China: Natural Sciences
TWAS-CAS Visiting Scholar Fellowships in natural sciences are tenable for minimum period of one to a maximum of three months at the research institutions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Eligible CAS institutions: More than 80 CAS institutes in China participate in this Fellowship programme.
* The language of instruction is English.
* International travel (return economy class by the shortest route) and visa expenses will be covered by TWAS.
* CAS will provide a standard monthly allowance which should be used to cover living costs, such as accommodation, food and health insurance. Only emergency medical aid will be available, if necessary. The monthly stipend will not be convertible into foreign currency.
* Applicants must be affiliated with a university or research centre in their home country.
* Applicants already on site in the host country are not eligible.
* Applicants must provide evidence that they will return to their home country upon completion of their Fellowships.
* Applicants must submit an official Acceptance Letter from the host institution to TWAS and CAS when applying, or by the deadline at the latest. A sample of this letter can be found in the application form downloadable from the link at the bottom of this page.
* The Fellowships do not include provisions for accompanying family members.
* Incomplete/unsigned applications will not be accepted. This also applies to submissions by fax and electronic mail, which must include all enclosures and be signed (either digitally or by including a scanned signature).
* Successful applicants must not take up other assignments during the period of their Fellowships.
* Applications will be acknowledged once they have been processed.
* Successful candidates will be notified by February of the year following the application.
* TWAS shall be entitled to a repayment of all or part of any funds paid to an applicant hereunder, in the event that the applicant intentionally or negligently fails to fulfil any or all of the present conditions. The applicant agrees to pay any reasonable legal and/or collection costs incurred by TWAS to obtain the repayment.
Eligibility
Applicants for these Fellowships must meet the following criteria:
* be a maximum age of 55 years on 31 December of the application year;
* be nationals of a developing country (other than China);
* hold a PhD degree in a field of the natural sciences and a regular research assignment with at least five years of postdoctoral research experience;
* be accepted at a CAS-listed institution participating in the scheme and provide an official acceptance letter from the host institution (see sample Acceptance Letter, page 3) to this effect; and
* provide evidence of proficiency in English or Chinese.
Fellowship Application Deadline: 31 August 2011
