Post-doctoral Scholarship (2007-2009) in Anthropology / Sociology

This residential scholarship is available from end 2007 and is open to post-doctoral students in anthropology and sociology, for a duration of 12 months (renewable under conditions).

The Institute is launching a research programme on the avian flu in India (Maharashtra), based on a comparative perspectives with partners Institutions in China, Egypt, France, England, and Niger (“Public policies, environmental histories, professional practices and people behaviour facing the avian flu risk”). The project of the candidate will be integrated to this programme, while strengthening and complementing it.

• The objectives of the proposed research is to analyse how were devised the plans to fight against the avian flu pandemic in India. It will notably be question of determining how the government priorities were defined. Three entry points will be favoured: the analysis of “framings” done of problems associated to the threat of pandemic; the analysis of the agents and system of agents who contribute to the making of public policies as well as the analysis of the tools called upon in order to implement them. The research will be based on the study of the position taking, debates and controversies having accompanied the emergence of the « avian flu pandemic», including the study of the conditions in which different protection systems have been devised. How were, taking into account the national and international constraints, some management choices given priority over others?

• The second component will examine two domains, in order to explicit the « receptive sphere » of populations and their behavioural logic. (a) The question of relationships between population and animals, which we will limit here to poultry. What place do these animals have in India’s « culture », but also in local and trans-national economies? The project will explore these “symbolic” aspects and the practices bonding man and animal, and their multiple implications at the public health level. (b) Prevention moves. How do the new behavioural patterns, defined by scientific standards, take their place within a group local initiatives, systems of social conveniences, affective norms, and habits?

The candidate will be grounded in social sciences (preferably anthropology or sociology). She/he will demonstrate capability to work in a multidisciplinary framework, and to do long field surveys. The candidate will have experience in research in India and/or in-depth knowledge (theory and ethnography) of the proposed problematic. Fluency in English is mandatory, fluency in Hindi or Marathi will be an asset.

The project (max. 10 pages) + CV must be sent by email, to The Director (ifpdir@ifpindia.org), cc: to Laurent Pordié, Head of the Department of Social Sciences (laurent.pordie@ifpindia.org).

Last date for submission of applications : 30 August 2007.