PhD Party Politics of Foreign Policy in Central and Eastern Europe

Are you a political scientist with expertise on post-communist Central and Eastern Europe and are you interested in writing a dissertation? Please apply at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). 

Location: Amsterdam
FTE: 1,0

This PhD position is part of the project “Party-Political Contestation of the Liberal International Order”. In this project, we examine the foreign policy positions of political parties in East Asia, post-communist Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe. You can find more information on the project

. Your focus is on post-communist Central and Eastern Europe. In your dissertation, you compare the party politics of foreign policy in two post-communist Central and Eastern European democracies, ideally the Czech Republic and Romania. You collect and process data on votes and debates in parliament and you do several weeks of field work in both countries. In the project team, you contribute to the comparative analysis of party politics of foreign policy in the liberal democracies of the Global North.

Your duties

• write a dissertation on the party politics of the liberal international order in post-communist Central and Eastern Europe
• contribute to the joint effort of the project: analyzing and theorizing the changing politics of foreign policy in the liberal democracies of the Global North
• contribute to organizing workshops and meetings with the scientific advisory board
• take methods training and course work in the faculty’s Graduate School of Social Sciences

• degree in Political Science, International Relations, or a closely related field
• knowledge of politics in post-communist Eastern European countries
• fluency in at least one Central and Eastern European language
• ability to work in a team
• willingness to spend several weeks abroad for field work

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts €2,541 (PhD) per month during the first year and increases to €3,247 (PhD) per month during the fourth year, based on a full-time employment. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 1 FTE.

The appointment will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a duration of 4 years.
Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• 8% holiday allowance
• 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• child daycare facilities available on campus
• contribution to commuting expenses

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Faculty of Social Sciences
The Faculty of Social Sciences examines the major social problems of our time from multiple perspectives. From bullying at school to dealing with transnational immigration, from the rise of populist politicians to creating a self-reliant society. Only at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam you will find all the academic disciplines needed to understand these 'wicked problems': alongside the traditional disciplines such as sociology, anthropology and politics, we also research and teach the new social sciences such as communication science and management & organization science. We do not settle for easy answers in our teaching and research. Our researchers and students are critical thinkers and doers who work together to devise surprising solutions to the problems of today.

Working at the Faculty of Social Sciences means working with colleagues from a range of academic disciplines in an inspiring and personal work and study environment with excellent research facilities. We employ more than 500 staff members, and we are home to around 2,500 students.

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your curriculum vitae and cover letter until

.

Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.

Vacancy questions
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, you may contact:

Name: Prof. dr. Wolfgang Wagner
Position: Project leader
E-mail: [email protected]

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