March 18, 2021
Afronomicslaw Academic Forum
Southern Africa
The Afronomicslaw Academic Forum is a network of students and early-career researchers and practitioners interested in international economic law (IEL) as it relates to the global South. Student run, with the close support of Dr Ohio Omiunu, the Forum runs both substantive and skills-based workshops for Forum members (called ‘Regional Representatives’). Regional Representatives are also connected to mentors within the field to help them with career advice and supported by an editorial team (made up of ‘Regional Editors’) to publish their work on Afronomicslaw.org, in the African Journal of International Economic Law, and elsewhere.
The Southern African wing of the Afronomicslaw Academic Forum was established in 2021 after the Eastern African wing recorded great success in their pilot program, enabling the Forum’s expansion into other regions of Africa. The activities of the Forum in Southern Africa are in their initial phase. The Southern African Regional Board, which is the leadership of the Forum in Southern Africa, is looking for students and early career researchers from the whole Southern African region who are passionate about IEL issues to join the Forum.
Membership of the Forum is for one year, after which active members will be given an opportunity to renew their membership. The Southern African Regional Board is committed to providing an equal opportunity to all the applicants.
I. Membership Options Available to Applicants
Applications are being accepted for Regional Representatives and Regional Editors.
Regional Representatives
Regional Representatives are undergraduate law students, graduate students, and early career researchers and practitioners who have a demonstrated interest in IEL as it relates to Africa and the global South.
Regional Representatives commit to participating in all programming organised by the Regional Board and/or Editors of Afronomicslaw.org (e.g. workshops, lectures, seminars and webinars) and to writing individual blog posts and contributing to all writing symposia to be published on Afronomicslaw.org and elsewhere. Some Regional Representatives may, upon invitation, take on additional responsibilities supporting the Partnerships Lead, the Programming Lead or the Editorial Lead in his/her/their duties.
In fulfilling the above commitments, Regional Representatives are expected to:
- Attend all events (e.g. substantive lectures/skills workshops/webinars etc.) organised by the Regional Board and/or the editors of Afronomicslaw.org
- Carry out assigned pre-event preparations (e.g. read background material relevant to a topic for discussion) and participate actively in event discussions.
- Write blog posts and other outputs on IEL matters related to Africa and the global South, under the ongoing support of Regional Editors.
- Participate in ad hoc projects in the field of IEL, such as hackathons, moot court competitions and conferences.
In addition, Regional Representatives who join the Partnerships, Programming, or Editorial teams are expected to carry out any other tasks assigned to them by the relevant Lead Representative.
In discharging assigned tasks, Regional Representatives are expected to work consistently, on time and to an excellent standard.
Regional Editors
Regional Editors are advanced PhD students or Doctorate holders who have publishing experience in the field of IEL, or candidates with comparable expertise.
Regional Editors lead ‘Key Skills’ workshops on research and writing for Regional Representatives, edit Regional Representatives' work, and provide other editorial support for the Forum. Regional Representatives are also invited to participate in all programming of the Forum, including by contributing to writing symposia, but they are not required to attend substantive lectures due to their advanced knowledge of IEL subject matter.
In fulfilling the above commitments, Regional Editors are expected to:
- Prepare and run two skills workshops per year on topics such as research, writing, theory, teaching, or conference presentations.
- Serve as editors on two Academic Forum writing projects per year. For each project, editing will entail working with up to five Regional Representatives over the course of 1-2 months to edit their writing for publication on Afronomicslaw.org
- Provide editing support and guidance for ad hoc IEL-related writing projects that Regional Representatives carry out as members of the Forum.
In addition, Regional Editors will be able to elect to participate in Forum activities such as by contributing their own writing or attending lectures.
In discharging assigned tasks, Regional Editors are expected to work consistently, on time and to an excellent standard.
II. Eligibility Criteria
Eligible candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Be from a country in Southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, or Zimbabwe)
- Be a law student (undergraduate or graduate) or an early career legal researcher or practitioner based in the Southern African region.
- Have a demonstrable interest in IEL as it relates to Africa and the Global South
III. Application Process
To become a member of the Academic Forum, applicants should proceed as follows:
Stage 1
Submit a statement of interest in English (of not more than 500 words) which must show that applicants meet the eligibility criteria outlined above. Applicants should also submit a Curriculum Vitae (three pages maximum) with the names and contact details of two referees who can be contacted. Referees will only be contacted for shortlisted applicants.
Stage 2
Applicants who are shortlisted will be invited for virtual interviews at a specified date and time to be communicated in due course.
Applicants are to send their applications to afronomicslawacademicforum.sa@gmail.com .
Women and candidates from other marginalised groups are encouraged to apply.
The Deadline for receiving the applications is Wednesday, 31 March 2021 at midnight (+2 GMT/Southern Africa Time).