Research Proposal

A 2-3 page outline in which you propose your research topic, essay structure, key research questions, main argument, and the tentative body of literature you
will consult (bibliography of minimum 10 scholarly sources is required).
For this assignment, you will be required to develop a 15-page essay (Times New Roman, 12-inch font, double spacing). You are encouraged to develop this
essay on the same topic of your policy brief. As opposed to the policy brief, which is targeted for decision-makers and aims to develop students’ policy
relevant research, writing and argumentation, this essay is meant to develop students’ academic writing skills, research abilities, and critical thinking.
You are also welcomed to write your essay on a different topic or to take a different approach to the same topic, in consultation with the instructor. For
instance, you may analyze a country’s migration governance profile; outlining the migration governance regime in place and critiquing it in terms of the issues
discussed in class, while discussing the implications for the different stakeholders. You may also choose a region-specific policy issue or any other thematic
issue to examine in depth. You may also take a comparative approach to your research.
Policy Brief Topics:
1. Migrant workers in Lebanon:
(1a) The Kafala system and its impact on migrant workers in Lebanon amidst various crises:
This policy brief will examine the Kafala system and the legal obstacles it imposes on migrant workers in Lebanon, including how the triple crises of currency
devaluation, the Beirut blast, and economic collapse are affecting their work and safety.
2. People with specific needs (PWSN) in Lebanon:
(2a) Challenges faced by PWSN while immigrating:
This policy brief will examine the various challenges faced by refugees with specific needs; how their needs can be integrated into aid programs; and how
their inclusion can be insured in refugee communities.
3. Gender issues in Lebanon:
(3a) Informal social support networks between women in informal settlements:
This policy brief will examine local issues faced by women and girls in informal settlements, and how social capital and informal networks can be tapped into
to allow women and girls support each other; and the type of capacity development needed for this to happen.
(3b) Working with men and boys about reducing Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV): This policy brief will examine the notion of ‘positive masculinity’;
its impact on the
community; and its potential role in protecting women and girls in informal settlements.