The Bassma Kodmani Fellowship In Support of a Democratic Transition in Syria

Term: 1 year fellowship (with possibility of extension)
Compensation: Commensurate with experience & location. Stipend is meant to cover full time work
Location: Flexible, though person should be able and willing to travel and spend significant amount of time inside Syria (depending on how the security situation evolves).

Overview

The Arab Reform Initiative (ARI) invites researchers who are committed to political and social change in Syria to apply for the inaugural Bassma Kodmani Fellowship. We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Fellow to focus on the political transition in Syria. The ideal candidate will possess a strong research background and on the ground knowledge of Syria along with a commitment to human rights and good governance. The Fellow will conduct in-depth analysis, write reports, and provide policy recommendations related to Syria's political, security, economic and human rights developments. The candidate should be proficient in both English and Arabic, and possess strong research, analytical, and writing skills.

Key Responsibilities:

Conduct In-Depth Research:

  • Monitor and analyze political, military, and security developments in Syria, including local governance, conflict dynamics, and international involvement.
  • Assess the impact of the political transition and ongoing conflict dynamics on local populations, human rights, and humanitarian conditions.
  • Gather data from diverse sources, including first-hand interviews with relevant stakeholders, secondary reports, and open source data.

Report Writing and Analysis:

  • Produce high-quality research, policy briefs, and analytical papers on the political and security situation in Syria.
  • Provide clear, concise, and actionable recommendations to relevant stakeholders, including policymakers, humanitarian organizations, and international bodies.
  • Ensure all research is well-documented and credible.

Engagement and Collaboration:

  • Work closely with partners and experts to ensure accurate and up-to-date information.
  • Participate in discussions and forums on Syria’s political and security landscape, contributing to expert panels, conferences, and meetings.

Language Proficiency:

  • Write and present research findings in both English and Arabic.

Commitment to Human Rights, as well as Democratic and Good Governance:

  • Uphold and promote the principles of human rights, good governance, and accountability throughout the research process.
  • Ensure all research adheres to ethical standards and contributes to the broader goal of supporting peace, stability, and human dignity in Syria.

Qualifications:

  • Education: Minimum Master’s degree (PhD preferred) in Political Science, International Relations, Middle Eastern Studies, or a related field.
  • Experience: At least 5-7 years of experience conducting research on political, security, and human rights issues in Syria.
  • Very strong understanding of Syria’s political landscape, including key actors, conflicts, and governance structures.
  • Ability to write and produce different formats (longer research, shorter commentary, issue briefs)
  • Candidates with experience working with NGOs, international organizations, or think tanks focused on Syria are highly encouraged to apply.

Skills:

  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in both English and Arabic.
  • Strong research, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
  • Proficiency in using research tools, databases, and online sources.
  • Ability to synthesize complex information into clear and accessible reports and policy briefs.

Personal Qualities:

  • A strong commitment and passion for supporting Syria’s transition toward more inclusive and accountable governance, grounded in human rights and human dignity.
  • Ability to work independently and in a collaborative environment.
  • Strong attention to detail, with an ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders.

The position can be based anywhere though the person should be able and willing to travel and spend significant amount of time inside Syria (depending on how the security situation evolves).

More about the fellowship and Dr. Bassma Kodmani

Dr. Bassma Kodmani was a political scientist, professor of international relations, and activist-scholar whose life’s work was dedicated to seeing vibrant democracies, based on the principles of full and equal citizenship and social justice, emerge across the Arab region, and notably in Syria where she got involved in the opposition in the hope of seeing a democratic Syria emerge. Her work focused on inclusive democratic transitions and just and fair state building; security sector reform and the nexus of security and autocracy in the Arab region; and the possibilities for bottom-up actors to promote political and social transformation. Her approach was firmly based within the principles of engaged scholarship: she aspired to conduct research that is transformative and that was designed to provoke social and political change, using methodologies that collapsed the difference between researchers and practitioners and anchored in dialogue and the co-production of knowledge.

Dr. Kodmani earned her PhD from Sciences Po university. In 1981, she founded and directed the Middle East North Africa program at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), a post she held until 1998. In 1999, she joined the Ford Foundation to direct the Governance and International Cooperation Program for the Middle East and North Africa. In 2004, she founded the Arab Reform Initiative, and served as the Executive Director until 2019, becoming a member of the board thereafter. In 2011, she co-founded the Syrian National Council and later was a member of the Constitutional Committee, participating in the Geneva process as a member of the Syrian Negotiations Commission. In 2021, she joined the Institut Montaigne as a Senior Fellow. She also held research affiliations at the Collège de France (2005-2006), CERI-Sciences Po (2006-2007), and the CNRS (2007-2009). Dr. Kodmani was the author of numerous articles, reports, policy briefs, and books, including Abbatre les murs (2008) and La diaspora palestinienne (1997).

In honor of her memory, the Bassma Kodmani Fellowship is conceived broadly within these research fields and approach.

ARI is a policy research center whose key mission is to articulate a home-grown agenda for democratic change as well as social and environmental justice in Arab countries. We operate on the principles of impartiality, gender equality, and diversity and maintain a strict line of independence from any external agendas. We conduct policy analysis and innovative field research, combine scholarly work and advocacy, and produce practical intellectual tools to strengthen practices of active citizenship and influence political transformation processes. We also empower research from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by providing an international platform for dissemination. ARI engages academic researchers, think tanks, social movements, civil society actors, decision-makers, media, and the public on issues of democratization, social justice and full citizenship. ARI works in partnership with regional and international institutions to promote sustained South-South and South-to-North exchanges and dialogues related to reform initiatives across the region. ARI has offices in Paris, Beirut and Tunis.

The Fellow will be integrated into the ARI team and its broader ecosystem of partners which include research facilities, think tanks, policy makers and media partners.

Application and Selection Procedure

The application and selection process will take place as follows:

15 January 2025: Applications due

Applications should be submitted via email to recruitment@arab-reform.net with the heading “Bassma Kodmani Fellowship.” The following materials should be included:

  • Curriculum Vitae ,
  • Cover letter addressing the following: (i) Personal motivation to work on Syria at this moment & (ii) Relevant research experience
  • Research statement, including research priorities and their relevance to Syria’s political transition and possible outreach plan for the research (maximum of 3 pages)
  • Two writing samples