Graduate Research Assistant
9 Hours Per Week, 144 hours per term
Research Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Kelly
Job Number:
Start Date:
End Date:
Salary:
GRA16
September 1, 2010
April 30, 2011
Minimum starting salary: $1304.25 per month
NOTE: A former graduate research assistant will be applying for this position
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: June 25, 2010
Description of Research: The research is based on my SSHRC Standard Research Grant (2006-2010) and
my recent SSHRC grant (2010) that aims to disseminate my research. I am examining the social and
historical formation of African Canadian communities in Alberta 1900-1960s. Theoretical orientation of
the project consists of cultural studies, historical and sociological frameworks. The materials generated
through the research project will be used as the basis for the Canadian Caribbean African Diasporic
Initiative (CCADI) that a couple of folks are working on here at the U of A. The CCADI is cross discipline
and cross faculty involving the Faculty of Arts (Dept. Political Science) and the Faculty of Education
(Educational Policy Studies). The researching and organizing for CCADI will be based in 5-107 Education
North and will have a graduate student presence to assist with research, organizing, etc.
Specific Duties:
 Accessing and tracing of newspaper articles from on-line, microfilm and possibly microfiche
sources
 Working with community groups to explicate their stories of immigration.
 Archival research on immigration
 Develop an understanding (through archival materials and online journals) of the relationship
between race and organized labour groups in Alberta from 1940 onwards.
 Develop a draft paper on relationship between race and labour
 Be available to work on 2 or 3 Saturdays as well as being based in CCADI office 5-107 Education
North
Minimum Skills Required:
 knowledge skill and experience of working with Atlas Ti data ordering programme.
 Strong theoretical and empirical understanding of the nuanced ways in which one can work with
racialized and minoritized communities (Paulo Freire, Stuart Hall)
 ability to undertake complex data analysis using Fairclough’s method of critical discourse
analysis
 strong understanding of the complex nature of theories of identity and community
 strong understanding of digital transcription and website creation
 Able to use microfiche and microfilm equipment and save to file.
 Able to transfer digital media files back and forth between computers PC & Mac.
Potential Learning Opportunities:
Student will learn to move from theoretical abstraction through empirical data and emerge with a
theoretical analysis that results in a publication.
Student will develop strong skills of working collaboratively with community groups through a
process of dialogue that draws on Adult Education praxis.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Applicant must be registered full-time in a graduate program in Educational Policy Studies in order to hold a graduate
research assistantship.
Applicant must present a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Continuing student applicant must present evidence of satisfactory progress in their graduate program through a
history of course completion and progress through the program.
Continuing student applicant must present evidence of satisfactory performance rating from previous research
assistantship supervisor.
Applicants are not eligible to hold more than 12 hours per week, on average, of graduate assistantship funding.
Master’s student applicants are eligible for up to a maximum of 2 terms and Doctoral student applicants are eligible
for up to a maximum of 4 terms of department funding.
All offers of graduate research employment are contingent on available funding
Submit all applications, quoting the job number, to (electronic applications are preferred):
Barb Shokal, Assistant Chair
Educational Policy Studies
7-104 Education North
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta. T6G 2G5
bshokal@ualberta.ca