Ph.D. Position in European Studies

This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here. Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0 About the position About the position The Department of Historical Sciences is offering one PhD position with specialization in European Studies. The successful applicant will be part of the research project “Perceptions of Democracy in the Age of Populism,” with project leader Anna Brigevich (Department of Historical Sciences) and deputy leader Andreas Goldberg (Department of Sociology and Political Science). This Ph.D. position in European Studies offers an excellent opportunity for scientific development through designing, conducting, and disseminating research on a contemporary topic. For a Ph.D. position, the goal is to complete doctoral-level education in order to obtain a doctoral degree. It is a temporary Ph.D. position for three years, but career-enhancing work may be added to the position, depending on the needs of the department. The start date of the position is no later than 15 January, 2027. Your immediate leader will be the Deputy Head of Research. About the project The project’s main objective is to examine how the global rise of populism and (acceptance of) political violence affects perceptions of democracy and the legitimacy of elections in a comparative perspective. Integrating political science, psychology, and history, the project aims to understand the cognitive, historical, and political factors influencing democratic perceptions and support. Focusing on political psychology, the project employs quantitative analysis to interrogate the relationship between authoritarian personality traits, populist attitudes, and support for democracy. At the same time, the project analyzes populist discourse and its impact on perceptions of democracy, tracing the historical ways political entrepreneurs have engaged populist rhetoric in various countries. Additionally, the project investigates the embracing of political violence and protest strategies among populist movements by blending the use of historical analysis and novel public opinion survey data from the Varieties of Populist Attitudes project. Motivated by events like the storming of the US Capitol and the Brazilian Congress, the project strives to provide a deeper understanding of the factors influencing democratic resilience, and to inform strategies that promote peaceful democratic transitions and reduce the appeal of populist and authoritarian ideologies. The successful candidate will be tasked with developing and conducting a Ph.D. project within this larger research project. The Ph.D. project is expected to focus primarily on the study of public opinion in Europe, as it relates to populist attitudes, democratic (dis-)satisfaction, and the authoritarian personality syndrome. Methodologically, the Ph.D. candidate is expected to adopt a quantitative approach, making use of the Varieties of Populist Attitudes dataset, as well as other established datasets in the field, (e.g. European Social Survey, European Values Study). In this context, the applicant needs to submit a research proposal indicating which theoretical approach(es) s/he is interested in applying and which method(s) s/he intends to use. The project is part of the NTNU’s Strategic Research Area “ Community ,” which aims to contribute to a viable democracy that safeguards the common good, strengthens trust and cohesion, and reduces exclusion and polarization. Within the “Community” Strategic Research Area, the project is situated in the interdisciplinary group on Democratic Resilience . Duties of the position - The successful candidate is expected to develop and conduct a quantitative research project within the larger project “Perceptions of Democracy in the Age of Populism.” - It is expected that the candidate participates in the research groups Democratize in the Department of Historical Sciences and EVPOC (Elections, Values, and Political Communication) in the Department of Sociology and Political Science. - The candidate is expected to participate in international activities such as conferences, workshops, Ph.D. courses and/or research stays at universities abroad. - Career-enhancing work may be added to the position, depending on the needs of the department. Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment. Required selection criteria To be qualified for this position you must fulfill the following criteria: - A master’s degree in political science, international relations, European studies or a related field. Candidates who are in the final stage of their master’s degree can apply and will be considered but cannot be hired until they have completed the master’s degree. - Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis. - A strong academic background from your previous studies and an average from the master degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale . Applicants with no letter grades from previous studies must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education. - Good quality of the project proposal. - Good written and oral skills in English. - Experience with quantitative methods and motivation to extend these skills. - You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty’s doctoral program . The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position. We refer to NTNU's guidelines for recruitment