Funding Opportunities in Kazakhstan

Students from Middlebury and from other colleges and universities will be eligible to apply. The students selected will receive a $1,200 stipend awarded to them throughout the semester in Astana. This stipend is given in order to support students in their research project related to Conflict Transformation.

Under the supervision of Dr. Caress Schenk, Associate Professor of Political Science, and other members of the Political Science and International Relations Department at Nazarbayev University, students will become assistants in a project that looks at identity politics in Kazakhstan. Identity cleavages in Kazakhstan are one of the major conflict lines in current social relations, exacerbated by geopolitical factors such as Russia’s war on Ukraine. The aim of the project is to highlight the diversity in society against official and traditional rhetoric that insists on flattened categories of ethnicity, language repertoire, religion, and sexuality/gender identity etc. Research assistantships will allow students to gain a better understanding of identity politics in Kazakhstan and actively contribute to solutions for transforming these cleavages.

During the research assistantship, activities will include:

• Participating in regular team meetings that include faculty and students from Nazarbayev University
• Researching literature on indigenous methodologies, conflict transformation, and identity politics
• Supplementary desk research
• Providing logistical support for field research
• Participating in (conducting or observing) focus groups and interviews
• Participating in meetings with government and civil society stakeholders
• Transcription of focus groups
• Providing written reflections on the outcomes of the research with a focus on conflict transformation

Application Instructions and Requirements

For consideration in Dr. Schenk’s research project, we are looking for evidence of a strong background in the social sciences and the Russian language. We encourage you to apply if you have:

• Above average grades (B+ and higher)
• Research or project-based experience
• An advanced level in Russian
• Familiarity of a subject within the social sciences such as political science, international studies, or sociolinguistics

For the International Programs Conflict Transformation committee’s consideration, please submit a brief (1 page maximum) essay in English addressing:

• How you define conflict transformation
• How the topic of identity politics resonates with your studies or experiences
• Your experience with and interest in research
• What opportunities this assistantship might offer

Please submit your application materials to pstinson@middlebury.edu subject line: “Application for Conflict Transformation Funding in Kazakhstan”. The deadline for submission is November 15.