PhD scholarship in Political Science, Department of Political Science, University of Southern, Denmark

August 20, 2010

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PhD Position:Determinants of political beliefs, Denmark

Job Description: At the Department of Political Science and Public Management, five PhD scholarships within the programme “Beliefs in Politics: Actors and Determinants (Elites, Frames, and Personalities)” are available for appointment for a period of three years as of October 1, 2010 or as soon as possible hereafter. The PhD scholarship must be completed over a three-year period, and at least two of the three years, the workplace will be in Odense, Denmark. Upon approval by the advisor and the programme director up to one year can be spent at a foreign university. The allocation of a PhD scholarship presupposes enrolment in the PhD programme in Political Science at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southern Denmark.

We look for candidates with a Master Degree in political science, political psychology or political communication (or a related field) who have distinguished themselves at the MA level and, preferably, have written a Master thesis about social, institutional, psychological and contextual determinants of political beliefs, attitudes, and behaviour. We prefer applicants whose strengths lie within methods, quantitative and/or qualitative. Only candidates with top academic qualifications will be considered for enrolment.

The PhD scholarships are funded by the Danish government as “mobility scholarships” which means that candidates from the University of Southern Denmark are not eligible to apply.

The application must include a detailed description of the PhD project. In addition to a general problem formulation, it should discuss relevant theory, propositions/hypotheses, research design and methods, and include a work schedule. The project description cannot exceed 7 pages. In addition to the full project description, a summary of no more than 250 words must be included.

The project must relate to the general theme of the programme. We are interested in the formation of political beliefs at both the elite and the mass level, and we particularly welcome projects that explicitly integrate insights from political science, (political) psychology, communication theory, and genetics/biology. In spite of the cross-disciplinary ambitions of the programme, the project must be relevant to political science. When we select PhD students for the programme, we are eager to cover the following broad sub-themes:

• The institutional, organizational, political and psychological determinants of elite communication and framing strategies (elites include politicians, experts, journalists, etc.).
• The influence of elite information, communication and framing strategies on the attitudes and behaviour of other elite groups.
• The effect of (a) elite communication and framing strategies and (b) quality of information on mass opinion, attitudes, and behaviour.
• The influence of individual level variables, in particular personality traits and genetic factors on mass opinion, attitudes, and behaviour. The research programme has just finished a survey among Danish twins on political attitudes and behaviour, and a representative survey on personality traits and political attitudes and behaviour. PhD students will have access to these data sources.

As a part of the scholarship, an individual programme must be followed, covering PhD courses, seminars, and active participation in conferences and workshops. The PhD student is expected to obtain teaching experiences and competences in other forms of communication and presentation. As a part of the PhD study programme, the PhD student is expected to make an extended visit to a research institution abroad for a semester or more. We also encourage PhD students to attend international conferences and summer schools. All activities are fully funded by the research programme. It is likewise expected that the student participates in the Department’s various activities and spends regular hours at the Department.

For further information about the PhD programme please contact PhD coordinator, Associate Professor Niels Ejersbo, tel. +45 6550 3193, e-mail: niels@sam.sdu.dk, or programme director Professor Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, tel. +45 6550 4305, e-mail: ano@sam.sdu.dk. Information about the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southern Denmark is available at: www.sdu.dk/sam/phduk.
Your employment as a Salaried PhD Research Fellow is regulated by a government agreement. Presently, the gross salary is approximately 40,000 euro plus pensions.

Fill in the application form available on our web page www.sdu.dk/sam/phduk under the section Application forms for enrolment. Here, you will also find guidelines for preparing your project proposal within the PhD Programme for Political Science. The project description cannot exceed 7 pages. In addition to the full project description, a summary of no more than 250 words must be included. Furthermore, you should submit a certified copy of your Master’s degree certificate including examination results, CV, project description, information on teaching experience or other forms of knowledge communication and if relevant, a list of publications. All non-Danish documents must be translated into English and certified.

Applications will be assessed by a committee. When the evaluation committee has submitted its report, the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns him/her. Potential candidates may be asked to come to Odense for an interview (expenses paid).

The University encourages all interested persons to apply, regardless of age, gender, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, or ethnic background.

Your application marked “position no. 351/556-105705” including enclosures according to above in 6 copies must be received before Wednesday September 1, 2010 at 12.00 noon at The University of Southern Denmark, The Faculty of Social Sciences, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark.

Employment starts: 1 October, 2010
Further Scholarship Information and Application

Scholarship Tags: Denmark, PhD Scholarship, Political Science