Fletcher RA and TA positions

A question that comes up regularly in our emails, conversations, meetings, and info sessions regards opportunities for students to find work as research or teaching assistants.  This fall, I snagged several emails publicizing RA/TA opportunities and I thought I’d share them here.  I’ve taken out the specifics — the point is to give you an idea of what professors might be looking for, without implying that these exact positions will be available in any given semester.  I also don’t want to lead you to think that every student has an RA or TA position.  The majority of students who work on campus are supporting office activities.  All of those qualifications aside, these notices may help you imagine what would be available whenever you enroll.

1.  TA needed for international law course
We are looking for a TA to help with organizing and teaching an undergraduate course taught by Fletcher international law faculty.  Ideally, you would have the following qualifications:  1) Background in international law; 2) You would still be at Fletcher next year.  You would be the TA for the course this spring, and next spring, you would be the coordinating instructor with another TA.

Your tasks would include the following:
– preparing discussion questions and leading weekly discussion groups;
– helping to organize a moot court exercise;
– assisting with general logistics of the course, including grading;
– holding half of the office hours.

2.  A Professor announces the availability of five research assistant positions
Positions 1-3 require assisting in a research and writing project on the fusion between religion and nationalism in Israel, India (the Hindutva Movement in particular), Palestine (Hamas in particular), Sri Lanka, and Serbia. The positions require the assistants to conduct research on manifestations of the fusion between religion and nationalism in one (or two) of the above areas and their policy implications, summarize reading materials, and draft short papers. The successful candidates should have relevant academic background and knowledge about one of the above-mentioned areas and good writing skills. Each position requires 8-10 hours per week.

Position 4 requires assisting in the following tasks: a) coordinating a seminar series for the Fletcher Seminar on International Conflict (three to four seminars per semester);  b) preparing the material for a web site page for the INCR program and the various research projects it conducts; c) coordinating the necessary technical steps to design the web site and post the material.  This position requires an average of 8 hours per week.

Position 5 requires assistance in a research and writing project on “new paradigms in conflict resolution.”  The position requires the assistant to conduct research on major issues in the conflict resolution field, summarize reading materials, and copy-edit drafted chapters. The successful candidate should have relevant academic background and should have taken or should be currently taking D223 at Fletcher or an equivalent course in another institution. This position requires an average of 8-10 hours per week.

3.   A research group seeks to hire researchers to complete case study reports as part of its “How Mass Atrocities End” research project.
Project Description:  There is no other phase of mass atrocities that is less studied yet more debated than endings. Individual case study analyses of endings are usually characterized by lament over the enormous losses incurred and a hasty summary of the final moments. Debates in policy, activism, and scholarship often take as their starting point a more ideal ending in which outside forces (usually armed) are able, theoretically, to change the ending next time. Actual endings—discussion of when and how large-scale violence against civilians declines in frequency and scale—are notably absent from the discussion.

This project aims to help fill that gap by creating a dataset that focuses exclusively on the ending of atrocities.  Researchers will be required to select a case study and complete a report.

4.  Researchers needed for Fletcher/ICRC project
This year Fletcher is working with the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) to develop a “Joint Lab” around the issue of conflict migration.  The first set of questions focuses on assessing current humanitarian challenges entailed in conflict migration in the Sahel and North Africa. This segment of the work of the Joint Lab is oriented toward building a firm foundation of knowledge on conflict migration in the region, focusing on gathering and analyzing available data related to migration flows and migrant needs, as well as assessing the current networks of local, regional and international organizations engaged in the response to the humanitarian needs of migrants in the region.  One or two Research Assistants are needed to help put together a desk review on this topic.  We expect a commitment of 6-8 hours a week.

5.  Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Tufts needs Winter Study Group Leaders
The Osher LLI at Tufts is an adult education program for retirees with one important characteristic in common:  a desire for intellectual stimulation in a convivial atmosphere.  Which is exactly what our program offers.  No tests.  No pressure.  No grades. Just learning for the sheer joy of it.  While most of our classes are led by our own members—”seniors teaching seniors”—we generally supplement our offerings with study groups led by Tufts graduate students, often from Fletcher.

We’re currently soliciting proposals for our 8-week spring 2015 program and we’d love to hear from any Fletcher grad students who might be interested in leading a 4- or 8-session study group for us.