Federal Work Study/Student Work Opportunity Job
Description Template
Job Title:
Research Assistant – Political Prisoners of South Africa
Documentation Project
Department:
SIT, DC Center
Contact Person and email:
Deborah Robinson ([email protected])
Phone number:
(202) 464- 6588
Number of positions:
2
Hours per week:
10
For Interview please contact
(include email):
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Department Description:
Deborah Robinson ([email protected])
SIT Graduate Institute master’s degree program in Sustainable Development – DC Center
Roles and Responsibilities
The student will serve as a research assistant to the Academic Director at the DC Center. He/She
will report to Deborah Robinson. In 1985, International Possibilities Unlimited (IPU) launched the
Political Prisoners of South Africa Bracelet Program to build people-to-people ties between
individuals in the United States and prisoners serving life sentences in South Africa during the
apartheid era. Participants were asked to wear their bracelet continuously until their prisoner was
released. We discovered that the program provided an avenue of expression or involvement for
many people who may not otherwise have been involved in the anti-apartheid movement. All of
the political prisoners were released by the end of 1991 and the Bracelet Program came to a close.
In its seven years of operation, more than 5,000 bracelets were sold in over 40 states in the United
States, primarily via word of mouth. The Political Prisoners of South Africa Documentation Project
arose out of the need to collect, archive, and share materials from the program. There are
important stories to be told about the impact the program had here in the United States and in
South Africa. The impact may not have been broad (many people did not know about the
program), but in certain ways the impact has been very profound. Sample tasks include:
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Conducting research and gathering information on former political prisoners (South
African and Namibian) who served life sentences on Robben Island.
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Locating former Bracelet Program participants
Transcribing audio/video interviews
Synthesizing lengthy oral histories that have been conducted to one or two pages
Other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
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Excellent research and writing skills
Strong interpersonal and communications skills.
Good database and internet skills.
Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently
Strong interest in the focus of the research