Project Overview
We are offering 2 PhD scholarships as part of the Australian Research Council (ARC) funded project: The African Diaspora and Pentecostalism in Australia.
This project investigates the new African Diaspora in Australia and its embrace of Pentecostalism, particularly after arrival. The African community in Australia has often been associated with poor settlement outcomes and has also been on the receiving end of a racialised moral panic.
* Understand the challenges faced by African-Australian communities;
* Determine why many of their members join Pentecostal churches;
* Investigate how Pentecostal churches support these communities' translocal and transnational mobility and sense of belonging;
* Contribute to policy efforts to improve outcomes for African new arrivals in Australia.
The PhD candidates will conduct ethnographic research with Pentecostal churches in Australia and with African Diasporas in the country. Both projects will investigate questions such as:
* How do Pentecostal churches impact processes of settlement and 'integration'?
* How do some Pentecostal megachurches generate transnational religious fields?
* What impact does this have on Australian cities' post-secular social landscapes?
Research Focus
The project is suitable for candidates with strong interests in the intersections of migration and religion. Applications from students of African heritage are especially welcomed.
Requirements
We welcome applicants from backgrounds including anthropology, sociology, religious studies, African studies, migration studies, or related fields.
Benefits
This opportunity provides valuable experience in ethnographic research and contributes to a better understanding of the complex relationships between migration, religion, and society.