The Issam Fares Institute is seeking proposals for the project, "Informal adaptive mechanisms: Understanding adaptation, resilience, and agency in securing livelihoods in the informal economy among refugees from Syria in Lebanon and Jordan". Supported by the Ford Foundation, the project aims to understand the various adaptive mechanisms adopted by refugees from Syria in Lebanon and Jordan to overcome the challenges and barriers they face in securing their livelihoods in the informal economy in Lebanon and Jordan, by exploring the influence of different dimensions, such as legality, temporality, social networks, connectedness, and geography, among others, on the emergence of these mechanisms. Grants awarded will depend on the scope of the research proposed and the number of grants awarded. Proposals will be accepted in English or Arabic.
Eligible Countries
Lebanon and Jordan
Eligibility Criteria
Researchers must be based in Lebanon and/or Jordan preferably, and must be easily able to travel to these countries during the duration of the project. Proposals will be accepted from institutions and/or individual researchers.
This call will fund up to five individual projects that aim to answer the following research questions, in general:
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How do Syrian and/or PRS refugee communities in Lebanon and/or Jordan build informal adaptive mechanisms to secure their livelihoods in the informal economy?
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What are the strategies adopted by Syrian and/or PRS refugee communities in Lebanon and/or Jordan when seeking livelihood opportunities in the informal economy?
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How do informal adaptive mechanisms contribute to equitable access to livelihoods and to protection in the labor market?
Through exploring one or more of the following dimensions, among others: temporality, legality, geography, social networks, connectedness, personal characteristics.
Eligible Research Methodologies
- Qualitative research methodologies, such as participatory methods, community dialogues, journey mapping, field observations, structured stakeholder interviews, etc.;
- Quantitative research methodologies, such as surveys, analysis of datasets, etc.;
- Capacity building of the target population (targeted skills can be further elaborated in the proposal).
The above list is not exhaustive, and any inquiries about the relevance of proposed methodologies can be sent to Maysa Baroud at mb95@aub.edu.lb.
Submission Guidelines and Deadline
Proposals must be submitted by email to Maysa Baroud at mb95@aub.edu.lb and Aseel Jammal Caballero at aseeljc5@gmail.com by no later than April 4, 2018. Proposals received beyond this deadline will not be considered.
The winners will be announced on April 18, 2018 (this date is tentative and subject to change).