HDR Scholarship – A Transcultural Approach to Belonging and Engagement among Migrant Youth

One PhD scholarship is available to initiate and conduct social science research on migrant youth, multiculturalism and human mobility.

Research Topic
The PhD student will undertake research on migrant youth, multiculturalism and human mobility. This scholarship is part of an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery project titled ‘A Transcultural Approach to Belonging and Engagement among Migrant Youth’ led by Professor Fethi Mansouri in collaboration with colleagues in Canada and the UK. We are looking for an innovative PhD research project that creatively engages with the possibilities and opportunities embodied in young migrants’ identities and competencies (rather than the tensions or problems that are often associated with diversity). The position will suit a student with a background in sociology, politics and international relations, anthropology or a similar social science discipline. Empirically the PhD project will focus on Australia, although comparative research with Canada and the UK is also welcome. The successful applicant will be based at Deakin’s Melbourne Burwood Campus and will be supervised by Professor Fethi Mansouri.

Project Aim
While the PhD project will be undertaken independently, it will generate additional data to complement the empirical foundations of the larger ARC-funded project. This international project explores the comparative experiences of transcultural capital among migrant youth in three highly diverse cities across three continents: Melbourne (Australia), Toronto (Canada), and Birmingham (UK). Through primary research, we are investigating the skills, resources and knowledge that migrant youth access and develop from balancing, concurrently, the demands of their cultural identities and broader social belongings. In addition, we are examining how this balancing act affects the ability of migrant youth to instigate, negotiate and maintain socio-cultural connections at different scales and their contributions towards their communities and broader societies. The project’s expected outcomes will contribute to scholarly and policy discussions on migrant youth in the West and improve understanding of their overall social well-being. More information on the research team and the project’s background, aim and design is available on the project’s website.

Value and Duration
This scholarship is available over 3 years.

  • A stipend of $27,596 per annum tax exempt (2019 rate).
  • A relocation allowance from $500 to $1,500 awarded to students moving from interstate or overseas in order to study at Deakin.
  • For international students only: tuition fee and overseas health coverage for the duration of four years.

Important Dates
Applications close 5pm, Thursday 31 October 2019.

Eligibility Criteria
This scholarship is open to international and domestic candidates.

Applicants must meet Deakin’s PhD entry requirements, be enrolling full time and hold an Honours degree (First Class) or an equivalent standard Master’s degree with a substantial research component. Please refer to the entry pathways to higher degrees by research for further information.
Applicants must have a background in sociology, politics and international relations, anthropology or a similar social science discipline.

How to apply
Please refer to the how to apply for a research degree page for application information.

Further information
If you wish to discuss your research interests and project proposal before applying, please contact Dr Magdalena Arias Cubas via email (magdalena.ariascubas@deakin.edu.au) or phone +61 3 9244 8842.