The Brown University International Advanced Research Institutes (BIARI) at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, Providence, United States, and the State Capacity Initiative at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), New Delhi, invites applications for a week-long workshop in Delhi from January 8-14th, 2020.

BIARI 2020 is an interdisciplinary residential workshop for early-career participants and rising scholars. It features lectures, seminars, and workshops with distinguished international faculty from Brown University, CPR, and partner institutions in Argentina, Columbia, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States of America. For details of previous workshops, please visit here.

The State Capacity Initiative at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) is a new interdisciplinary research and practice programme focused on addressing the challenges of the 21st-century Indian state — its roles, federal structure, institutional design, organisational forms and culture, administrative reforms, the everyday life of local bureaucracies and frontline functionaries, knowledge resources, regulatory and fiscal capacity, and the complex and changing relations between society, politics, and state capacity.

BIARI 2020

BIARI 2020 will focus on contemporary challenges of state capacity in India and the broader methodological approaches to study the state, particularly at the frontline. Thematic focus areas will include:

Bureaucracy and administrative reforms
Federal structures with particular focus on local governments
Core welfare functions and emerging challenges facing the Indian state such as urbanisation, climate change/energy, and building regulatory institutions
Cultures, practices, and norms of the Indian state
Comparative exploration of state capacity in India is a key objective of BIARI 2020. The Watson Institute Global Partners will participate in the programme and on-going debates on state capacity in India will be explored within other country contexts. The program also aims to encourage a wider set of researchers to study the state collaboratively, and through this contribute to the currently thin body of empirical knowledge on how the Indian state works.

BIARI 2020 covers the full cost of tuition, meals, and accommodation for the duration of the programme. Travel expenses will be covered where needed.

Application Eligibility

Early career researchers who have completed their doctoral degrees in the last three years and are pursuing postdoctoral and teaching opportunities (including BIARI alumni). Preference will be given to those working with Indian institutions.
Advanced doctoral students undertaking research on state capacity related areas. All disciplines are welcome. Preference will be given to students at Indian Universities.
Researchers and practitioners with strong work experience and demonstrated research interest in state capacities and public system programmess in allied fields such as law, journalism, public policy, and development research and consulting. A minimum of a postgraduate degree and seven years of work experience on issues related to state capacities in India is required.
Application Requirements

Application form in the given template.
A one-page covering letter and a recent CV with a focus on academic and professional qualifications and experience relevant to state capacity in India.
A problem statement which systematically engages with a critical challenge related to state capacities in India (1000 words). This could be based on the applicant’s professional or academic work or a sustained area of interest. The applicant should explore the problem both conceptually and empirically.
Names and complete contact details of two referees. For doctoral candidates, one referee should be the doctoral supervisor.
Application Closing Date

Completed applications should be shared by November 8th, 2019 with Dr Priyadarshini Singh, Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, at statecapacity@cprindia.org. Shortlisted applicants will hear from us by November 30th, 2019.

Application Form Template

a. Full Name:

b. Gender:

c. DOB:

d. Address:

e. Phone Number:

f. Email ID:

g. Employer:

h. Years of work experience:

i. Summary of current job role (200 words):

Following questions only for PhD students:

j. Year of PhD:

k. Department (Within University):

l. Discipline(s):

m. Thesis title:

n. PhD research summary (200 words):