IRIS is offering five Research and Policy Internships during the Spring 2022 semester for select AUIS students. The internship is part of a specific research grant funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and conducted in partnership with the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi). The research project investigates efforts to influence the behavior of armed actors towards civilians in warzones. The internship is paid and will be piloted on campus and/or remotely (online sessions) based on the University’s guidelines – chosen candidates will be notified of the program’s start date upon their selection.
The five students will have the opportunity to participate in this semester-long training and mentorship program, which will also involve a part-time internship component as junior research assistants on the project. The training and mentorship program (see below) will equip the students with necessary research skills as well as a strong conceptual understanding of key concepts relevant to the project at hand (i.e., human rights and social science perspectives on civilian protection in warzones). The students will apply these concepts to a specific context in Iraq, eventually writing a research paper on civilian protection issues in a selected geographic area of Iraq. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate signed by the AUIS president.
Qualifications
- Demonstrate willingness to work in a professional environment and commit an average of 5 hours per week.
- Must be in good academic standing (2.7 minimum GPA) and must have completed ENG 203/213 (B- minimum grade).
- Possess professional-level English writing and reading skills and must be fluent in at least one of Iraq's local languages (Arabic, Kurdish, Turkmen, etc).
- Shows interest and ability in analyzing Iraq's security, political, and economic dynamics in relation to issues of human rights and security.
- Applicants that convey knowledge and experience in the research project topics (civilian protection, human rights, and security) will be given preference. ∙ AUIS International Studies students are encouraged to apply.
Training and Mentorship Program
The training and mentorship program will be composed of the following components: 8 workshops/training sessions per semester on research skills and human rights/legal perspectives with IRIS researcher Abdurrahman Wahab (see tentative description of the training sessions below). The program will also include guest lectures from civilian protection practitioners and researchers. These lectures will address civilian protection in the context of specific Iraq-oriented cases.
- Individualized mentorship with the program team to support and strengthen the interns' skill-set beyond the workshops' scope.
- The program will also invite guest speakers who have extensive experience in research and particular expertise in the field of civilian protection in Iraq. ∙ Five hours per week internship under the project's research staff.
- The total length of the program is 14 weeks – starting on 20 February and running until 31 May 2022.
- The internship is paid, and the rate is similar to that of AUIS student employment program ($4/hour). The total payment for the internship is $320.
- Final internship product will be in the form of a research paper on topics related to civilian protection in Iraq (1500 words).
Tentative Description of the Training Components
Each training component will be delivered through a series of in-person or online sessions structured as seminars. Interns will be expected to contribute to the discussion, follow up with questions, and complete the post-training assignments. Reading materials will be distributed before each session.
The sessions will have five major benchmarks:
- Contextualizing “Civilian Protection” in Iraq.
- Expanding the conceptual and historical understanding of civilian protection in regional and international arenas.
- Analyzing specific civilian protection cases in Iraq.
- Necessary technical and critical skills in research.
- Students’ journey through their research projects.
The final component of the program will be dedicated to consolidating the interns' final research paper through revisiting research questions and design, identifying information gaps, and identifying ways to acquire the necessary data. Interns will be given an adequate amount of time to develop their papers and work on it in coordination with program team.
How to Apply
Interested students can apply for the internship by sending their CVs (1-page maximum, 12 point Times New Roman font) and a cover letter (300 words maximum, 12 point Times New Roman font) and a research paper as a writing sample (it could be a paper submitted for their class) to [email protected] as PDF attachments by 15 February, 2022. The cover letter should specifically address the applicant’s qualifications and interests in the internship program. Google Drive/documents will not be accepted. Shortlisted candidates may be asked to attend an in-person interview.
Disclaimer
IRIS staff commits to providing the five interns with an enriching experience to develop their skills and build their research capacities. The program team will also support and guide the interns throughout the program and dedicate the necessary time to answer their questions and concerns outside the training sessions. Interns will be responsible for attending the training sessions, meeting the program's benchmarks, and producing quality assignments. Failure to attend one training session and meet the research assignments' quality standards without a reasonable excuse will potentially result in disqualification.