Anthropologist/Social Scientist Jobs

Demand is surging for country-of-origin experts with fieldwork or qualitative research experience in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. Experts are needed to help courts make determinations regarding asylum and refugee cases. In a contested immigration case, country-of-origin experts with backgrounds in the social sciences can make the difference between a successful and a failed refugee or asylum claim.

Communitology is a small, specialized research consultancy that provides country-of-origin expertise to courts, attorneys and clients regarding key issues in immigration and asylum law. Our firm specializes in health systems capacity, mental and physical health, HIV/AIDS, disability, gender-based violence (including child abuse, forced marriage, FGM/FGC), human trafficking, LGBTQI discrimination and persecution, ex-combatant reintegration, political persecution, and societal stigma or discrimination, risk of imprisonment, prison conditions, and other country-specific issues. We provide testimony regarding the individual's risk of torture, imprisonment, abuse, death, destitution or homelessness, risk from state and non-state actors. We are seeking to build a roster of social science experts to address issues regarding these topics.

This research consultancy position is remote, based in the United States. Compensation is competitive, and the position is structured to be a non-exclusive secondary position that can be held alongside your primary professional activities. You are not required to hold a current faculty position. You will be compensated on a per-case basis, with the expectation that each case will involve a range of 10-30 hours, with a maximum of 40 hours of research. This practice is growing rapidly, and you will have the opportunity to take on a growing number of cases based on your availability.Training will be provided in legal report writing and presentation of research, and when required, you will participate in pre-trial preparation with immigration attorneys.

Requirements:

• A minimum of 2-4 years conducting in-person fieldwork in non-Western countries.
• Availability to write a minimum of 2 reports/year with 1-3 months notice.
• Previous publications on countries and topics of expertise.
• Ph.D. completed in anthropology, sociology, history, economics, psychology, political science, women & gender studies, law, area studies, or international development.
• Ability to utilize a wide range of interdisciplinary research and journalistic findings to write reports to support asylum and refugee cases.
• Ability and willingness to provide remote/phone-based testimony in a US, Canadian, or UK court setting.

To apply, please send a cover letter and CV to [email protected]. In your cover letter, please include a summary of your past research and fieldwork experience (1-2 paragraphs) insofar as it pertains to the topics detailed above. Specify research timeframes, countries, and languages spoken.