Request for research proposals
Group-based inequalities: patterns and trends within and across countries

Background

UNU-WIDER has started a project 'Disadvantaged Groups and Social Mobility' that includes a component addressing the measurement of horizontal inequalities in developing countries. Addressing inequality, both vertical and horizontal, is a core topic of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet, further work is needed to understand horizontal or group-based inequalities in particular, including how they compare across countries, within countries, and over time. This research initiative focuses on inequalities among ethnic, racial, religious, and communal groups. It is an integral part of a larger research effort on the politics of group-based inequalities, which considers causes, correlates, and possibilities for change.

Offer and expectations

The specific initiative, of which this call for research proposals is part, has two core aims:

1. Building a more comprehensive picture of variation in such group-based inequalities sub-nationally and diachronically for a selected set of developing countries. As described in the attached overview note, a core set of countries has been selected on the basis of various criteria. There is ongoing work on several of these countries, and thus the core countries that UNU-WIDER targets in this request for research proposals (RFRP) are: India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mexico, the Philippines, Iran, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Africa. Studies on additional countries will be considered provided researchers justify the importance for this initiative of new analysis of group-based inequalities in these countries.
2. Encourage research by early-career scholars from these countries and regions. Proposals from individuals or groups of individuals are welcome. Applications from suitably qualified early-career, female, and developing country researchers are particularly encouraged.

For proposals which are successful, researchers will be required to sign a formal contract with UNU-WIDER that follows UNU conditions of service for Consultant Contracts (CTC). 

Successful applicants (one author per paper) will be asked to attend a 1-2 day contributors’ workshop (date and venue TBD) where work in progress will be presented to other contracted researchers and that will provide opportunities for exchange and collaboration. Costs of attending this workshop will be borne by UNU-WIDER in accordance with United Nations University travel policy.

Proposal submission

Submission of proposals is done electronically using appropriate form on the left column of this page. Deadline for proposal submission has been extended to 1 February 2016 23:59 EET.

Details (such as address, gender, nationality, date of birth) of all researchers involved are required to be entered into the form, and the proposal as well as brief CVs (five pages or less) of researcher/s uploaded. It is recommended to familiarize with the form in advance. See full request for research proposals for detailed proposal submission details.

Any questions on the proposal process should be sent to researchproposal8@wider.unu.edu by 8 January 2016. All queries and responses will be published on the RFRP announcement page after this date.

See full request for research proposals