The University of Witwatersrand calls applications for Ruth First Fellowship 2021. The Ruth First Fellowship is a prestigious award made by the University of Witwatersrand that enables journalists, writers, researchers, filmmakers, or photographers to pursue in-depth projects that can be presented in ways that influence thinking, discussion, and debate in South Africa. The goal is to support a new generation of public intellectuals capable of immersing themselves deeply in the most pressing issues and ideas of the day, engage in original research, and tell great stories – presenting their work in ways that can engage a new generation of audiences.

The fellowship is intended to allow Fellows to pursue an in-depth project of original research. It should be ground-breaking and in keeping with the tradition of Ruth First’s politically and socially relevant research and journalism.

This year’s Ruth First fellowship will seek to tease out the meaning, paradoxes, and contradictions of the impact of the big technology companies and their instruments with regard to the public sphere.

Funding

• Fellows will receive a monthly stipend and research costs.

Eligibility

• The University of Witwatersrand Ruth First Fellowship is open to journalists, writers, researchers, filmmakers or photographers.
• Applicant must be resident in South Africa.
• They will be expected to devote at least 50% of their time in April-July to the Fellowship.
• They will work at the Annual Ruth First Memorial Lecture in August and to submit it for publication in appropriate forums.

Applicants should submit their CV, a project proposal (of no more than two pages) outlining what their focus will be and a motivation letter (one page) by Friday, 16 April to the Ruth First Committee at [email protected].