Postdoctoral Research Fellow - ‘Dynamics of de facto state patron–client relations (DeFacto)’
Deadline: 19.10.2020
NUPI
NUPI holds a leading position in research and information on international political and economic matters and on issues central to Norwegian foreign policy. The staff counts approximately 70 people, divided between academic and administration/communications staff.
The Department of Politics, University of York, is one of the leading centres for research and teaching politics in the United Kingdom. It was ranked eighth in the country for its research performance in the 2014 REF.
NUPI and the Department of Politics, University of York, are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join the team of researchers on the project ‘Dynamics of de facto state patron–client relations (DeFacto),’ funded by the Research Council of Norway.
About the De Facto project
De facto states, states that exist despite having failed to win international recognition, live a precarious existence. Almost all de facto states that survive for some time have a powerful “patron” that provides security guarantees and economic support. This has resulted in the de facto states frequently being brushed off as hapless pawns in their patron's power play. In “DeFacto” we challenge this assumption, examining what room de facto states have for independent agency. Our goal is to develop a new model for understanding de facto state patron-client relations. Click here for more on the project and the team.
We seek a candidate with experience and ability to conduct empirical studies and field research on the role of the patron in de facto state patron–client relations. The project covers eight de facto states: Abkhazia, Donetsk, Luhansk, Nagorno-Karabakh, Northern Cyprus, South Ossetia, Taiwan and Transnistria. The postdoc would be responsible for researching and writing 3 articles (one single-authored and two co-authored) covering the patron perspective in one or more of these cases.
The fellowship will be realized in cooperation with the University of York. For the first full year (starting from 1 January 2021) the position will be based at NUPI in Oslo, Norway; the second year at the Department of Politics, University of York, UK.
Qualifications for the position
PhD in political science or related discipline
Experience from empirical/field research in de facto states
Good communication and teamwork skills
Fluency in English, written and oral (knowledge of other languages relevant for the study in question considered a plus)
Experience in qualitative or quantitative methods (facility in both is an advantage)
Promising candidates will be invited for an interview. The final decision about who to hire will be made based on the written application, the interview, and personal suitability.
We offer
An exciting opportunity to be part of an international multidisciplinary research project and to work closely with the project’s core team of researchers
Mobility, allowing the successful candidate to work both at research institute on international affairs in Norway and at the University of York in the UK
Financial support for fieldwork, conference travel and publication support
Salary and Conditions
NUPI:
Salary based on qualifications, reflecting institutional pay scale (salary scale 1109, starting from NOK 583,900 per year)
Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
University of York:
£33,797 per annum (grade 6, spine point 30)
Membership of the Universities Superannuation Scheme
NUPI and the University of York are equal opportunity employers that value staff diversity. Women and persons with minority background are particularly encouraged to apply.
The successful applicant will sign two separate employment contracts: one with NUPI and one with the University of York.
The application deadline is 19 October 2020. Expected start date is January 2021.
The application in the JobbNorge application portal requires
Cover letter (max 1 page)
A proposed research plan, describing how you could apply previous experiences, scholarly concepts, and methods (max 4 pages)
CV with publication list (max 5 pages)
Transcripts from bachelor’s degree and higher
Names of three references (at least one from academia/research), including phone numbers and e-mail addresses
In order to be considered for the position, the candidates must have submitted their PhD thesis by the application deadline. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to submit publications.
