PhD Candidate in Political Science, focus on EU governance

The Institute of Political Science of Leiden University’s Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences invites applicants for the position of a

PhD Candidate in Political Science, focus on EU governance (1.0 FTE)
Vacancy number 14573

Key responsibilities
The PhD researcher will be part of the project ‘Cultural Stereotypes in the Council of the European Union: Real Threat or just Cheap Talk?’ hosted at the Institute of Political Science and led by Dr Adina Akbik. Cultural stereotypes are often present in the political and media discourse on EU governance, e.g. ‘the lazy Greeks’, ‘the tax-dodging Italians’, ‘the stingy Dutch’, and so forth. Yet despite their frequency in public rhetoric, there is limited research on how stereotypes affect the behaviour of civil servants working in EU institutions. The project aims to examine how cultural stereotypes affect cooperation among national civil servants participating in Council working parties and committees.

The ideal candidates will have strong qualitative and quantitative methods skills, a familiarity with the EU institutional framework, and a keen interest in the topic of the project. As part of their PhD topic, they will be expected to investigate the prevalence of cultural stereotypes in the Council, as well as their impact (if any) on the way in which national representatives make decisions.

As part of the position, candidates will receive research training in EU studies as well as advanced experimental methods required to analyse the role of stereotypes on behaviour. Candidates will be expected to teach two courses per year, usually as a tutorial instructor.

Selection criteria

• Applicants must hold (or be near completing) a (research) master’s degree in political science, international relations, public administration/public policy, or EU studies with excellent grades. They have written (or are near completing) a master’s thesis.
• Applicants have extensive background knowledge of EU institutions and decision-making as demonstrated by a minor in EU studies, the completion of a bachelor or master thesis on the topic, or relevant work experience in the field.
• Applicants must have prior training in and a good command of qualitative methods (content analysis) and quantitative methods, as well as experience or an interest working with survey experiments.
• Applicants are passionate about political science research and have a strong affiliation with the project theme.
• Applicants meet the English language requirements of the Graduate School of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. A working understanding of other EU languages is an advantage.

Research at our Faculty/Institute
Leiden University’s Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences comprises five institutes: Political Science, Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Cultural Anthropology & Development Sociology and the Centre for Science and Technology Studies. The Faculty is home to 7,000 students and 1000 members of staff. Its teaching and research programmes cover diverse topics varying from adoption to political behaviour. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/social-behavioural-sciences.

The Institute of Political Science has a strong research tradition in various areas of comparative, Dutch and international politics, as well as political theory. The Institute has around 85 academic staff, including many non-Dutch scholars, and houses a number of editorships of international refereed journals and book series. Members of the institute are also involved in a number of the university’s multi-disciplinary research centres, including the Europe Hub, Central and East European Studies, International Relations, Parties and Representation, Political Philosophy, Centrum voor Nederlandse Politiek en Bestuur and ReCNTR. The Institute is based in Leiden and in The Hague, where a large part of the teaching is done.

The Institute offers a range of programmes at the Bachelor and Master levels and also trains PhD students in political science. The BSc programmes include general Political Science (in Dutch & English, in Leiden), International Politics (in Dutch & English, in Leiden), and International Relations and Organisations (in English, in The Hague). The one-year MSc programme (taught mostly in English) includes five specialisations in Leiden and one in The Hague.

Terms and conditions
The position starts on 1 September 2024. We offer a full-time PhD position. The salary is € 2,770.- to € 3,539.- gross per month (pay scale P, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with an additional holiday bonus (8% of annual salary) and end-of-year bonus (8.3% of annual salary), training and career development. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break. More at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions.

Diversity
Diversity and inclusion are core values of Leiden University. Leiden University is committed to becoming an inclusive community which enables all students and staff to feel valued and respected and to develop their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High quality teaching and research is inclusive.

Information
Further enquiries can be directed to Dr Adina Akbik, email: a.akbik@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

Applications
Please submit online your application no later than 23:59 CET on 22 March 2024 via the blue button of our application system.

Applicants should submit online 1) a letter of interest (detailing their motivation to pursue a PhD and their interest in the project’s theme, maximum 2 pages long), 2) a CV, 3) transcripts of their university grades, and 4) a research-based writing sample (thesis, term paper, or article). Applicants should also include 5) the names and contact details of two people who can be contacted directly to submit recommendation letters, commenting on the candidate’s professional qualifications and suitability for the position. Please note that no reference letters have to be submitted at the application stage, but these will be requested for shortlisted candidates.

The selection procedure will take place from late March to early May 2024. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a two-page research proposal describing their intended approach to the project. Interviews are expected to take place during 22-30 April.

Enquiries from agencies are not appreciated.