The University of Manchester's Brooks World Poverty Institute is offering a series of scholarships for PhD study on poverty analysis starting in academic year 2007/8. This can include study on the relation between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and economic poverty.



To be considered for these scholarships, candidates will need to apply to study for a PhD via the normal University process (click here for details). Application needs to include a PhD proposal written by the candidate. This can relate to any aspect of the relation between ICTs and economic poverty but must have a strong poverty dimension. Note that the competition for scholarships covers all areas of poverty research, not just ICT-related. Competition is open to all for the four main scholarships; there are two additional PhD scholarships intended for United States and Sri Lankan nationals.

Illustrative topic areas for research on the relation between ICTs and economic poverty:

• ICTs and poverty reduction: general research on the potential and actuality of ICTs to deliver poverty-reducing projects; who actually benefits from such projects?
• Information technology (IT) outsourcing to poor communities: implications of new business models that are outsourcing IT-based work to individual and cooperative enterprises in poor communities: who benefits? are these models sustainable and scalable?
  
• Technologies of connection and social inclusion/exclusion in poor, remote communities: remote communities are often the seats of chronic poverty yet they are gradually being penetrated by "technologies of connection" - roads; mobile communications; wi-fi/Internet connectivity. Do these increase or reduce the social exclusion of such communities?
• Mobile communications and poverty: understanding the poverty implications posed by the growing penetration of mobile technologies into poor communities.
• ICT infrastructures and poverty: how are the particular needs and interests of the poor included or excluded from policy-making and implementation about information society infrastructures in developing countries?
• Technology, hope and empowerment: we have field and anecdotal evidence that involvement with new technologies brings hope to the disempowered poor. Is this true; is this a sustainable impact; and what poverty-affecting impact (if any) does hope have?
• ICTs, poverty and capabilities: using the lens of Sen's capabilities approach, how can we understand the potential of ICTs in impacting the livelihoods of the poor?
• Using geographic information systems (GIS) and other information systems for poverty mapping and analysis: how effective are these systems? can their use be linked to positive poverty outcomes?

All components of the PhD and scholarship application must be completed by January 31 2007.



Click here for further details.