RESEARCHER: Conflict Transformation: Theory and Practice

The Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management, Berlin, is recruiting a third member for its core research team. This key appointment will complement the existing team, supplemented by short-term Research Fellows and by Associate Researchers, in fulfilling the ambitious Research Agenda of the Center.

The Center’s work focuses on the the analysis of practical conflict transformation, through the methodology of action research. Research output aims either to analyse such practice, or to develop tools from theory to support such practice. The Center is currently drafting its Research Agenda for the next two years, and topics for further study will include: the dynamics of societies in transition to peace, non-state armed groups, civil society groups in transition, reconciliation and the legacy of past violence, and more. The Center works in close partnership with its sister organisation, the Berghof Foundation for Peace Support, which currently manages practical interventions in Sri Lanka and in Georgia/Abkhazia, with further interventions contemplated for other conflict contexts. The post of Researcher will reflect this partnership, in that a significant amount of the workload will relate directly to analysis of, and support for, such specific initiatives in practical conflict transformation. The appointee will also be expected to share responsibilities for the Centre’s work in networking with academics and practitioners, and to contribute to the organisational life of the Center, including some supervision of students’ and associated researchers’ work.

More general information is available on the Research Center’s website (www.berghof-center.org), the Berghof Handbook website (www.berghof-handbook.net), and the website of the Berghof Foundation for Peace Support (www.berghof-peacesupport.org).

Applicants should hold a PhD in a relevant discipline (Peace Studies, Conflict Resolution, etc.) and a record of publication relevant to the areas indicated above. English-language skills to publication standard are essential. Also desirable are: experience of action-research methodologies, experience of practice projects in the field of conflict transformation, familiarity with the interface of theory and practice, and a working knowledge of the German language.

This full-time post is funded for three years, at the BAT IIa level of the German public service payscale. The starting date for the position is 1 July 2005, or as soon after as possible. Applicants should send a full CV and a covering letter of intention, preferably by email, to:

Dr David Bloomfield
Director
The Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management
Altensteinstr. 48a
14195 Berlin
Germany
david.bloomfield@berghof-center.org

All applications must be received by close of business on Friday 29 April 2005.