Research Internship with Femin Ijtihad
Research Internship with Femin Ijtihad
About Femin Ijtihad:
Femin Ijtihad (which translates as the “critical thinking of gender-related laws and notions”) is a literary and academic initiative designed to provide women’s rights organizations in Afghanistan the discursive and informational tools to articulate and pursue their own ideas of women's human rights and agency.
Our researchers identify scholarly articles on these issues and then write 1-2 page summaries on the articles and how their arguments can translate into implementable strategies for women's rights within a specific locality. We then assemble and tailor their summaries to create a
final set of summaries and recommendations for how to implement them within an organization’s specific programs.
1. Job Description:
FI research interns will be required to:
A. Identify scholarly articles/book chapters that look at 1 of the following research topics:
* Scholarship on interpretations of the Qur'an and other Islamic texts that make an argument for women's agency, independent thinking,
and basic human rights.
* Literary folktales within the Islamic religious tradition or within the cultural traditions of present-day Muslim majority countries (especially Afghanistan) that depict women as important social members and independent thinkers.
* Notions of masculinity in Muslim-majority countries, especially Afghanistan and surrounding areas
* Contemporary legal reforms that have taken place/are taking place in Muslim-majority jurisdictions
* Scholarship on successful forms/strategies of women's resistance (within or against patriarchal systems of power) in Muslim-majority
societies and in Afghanistan in particular and surrounding areas.
B. Compile thoughtful 2-4 page written summaries on each article/book chapter, an articulation of how the article's argument can benefit
women's organizations in Afghanistan, as well as a rating of each article's utility. This will be used in the final manuals FI produces for women's activist organizations in Afghanistan.
C. Engage in research team discussions about the content of identified articles through weekly skype conference calls.
2. Location of Internship/Volunteer Work with FI:
Interns will communicate with the FI Research Coordinator and Executive Director via both e-mail and phone, especially if they do not reside in the New York area. If interns reside in New York, they will be expected to meet in person with the FI Executive Director and Research Coordinator once per week to update them on their research progress in addition to regular e-mail and skype conference calls.
Though it would be preferable that potential interns are based in the New York area so that FI's Research Coordinator could speak and meet
with them, this is not a requirement. Most communication with the intern would be via e-mail and skype conference calls with FI’s
Research Coordinator.
3. Duration of Internship/Volunteer Work with FI:
Beginning of 3rd Research Cycle: June 20, 2010
End of 3rd Research Cycle: August 20, 2010
4. Preferred Skill Set for Researchers:
FI researchers come from a diverse array of academic backgrounds, but most have either an academic or activist interest/investment in researching. FI is focused on recruiting students who have either one or a combination of the following:
* Have formal academic training in one of the following disciplines: history, anthropology, sociology, textual exegesis, law, development studies, women's studies, religious studies, Middle East studies, South Asian studies, and Central Asian studies, among other disciplines.
* Though FI prefers graduate students for research, it will certainly consider undergraduate students who are able to conduct thoughtful, nuanced research and deconstruction of scholarly articles.
* Have experience in either legal, development, and activist work, especially that which focused on gender and women's issues
* Are able to articulate links between article theory and how it might translate into organization practice, and thus have strong writing skills.
* Demonstrate a dedication and enthusiasm for using academic scholarship to inform women's activist endeavors
5. Time Commitment:
Part Time (Unpaid):
Interns will be required to put in about 10-15 hours per week on identifying, thoughtfully reviewing and deconstructing articles, and compiling summaries of each article, over the course of 2-4 months.
Interns can also choose to take on a permanent role in FI and become a full-time FI Researcher & Adviser.
Interns, though not subject to the same type of monitoring that goes on in a normal non-profit work environment, will have to be prepared to have weekly conversations to update the Research Coordinator and Executive Director about their research in addition to also participating in the regular intra-team and inter-team discussions with other researchers.
6. Contact Information and Deadlines:
If students are interested in either having an internship with FI, they should submit their C.V. and a 1-2 paragraph cover letter along with a 3-5 page writing sample to FI's Research Coordinator, Helena Zeweri at: helenazeweri@feminijtihad.org, with subject heading “FI Research Internship.” The deadline to apply is June 10, 2010.
Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by phone before final selection.
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