Radboud University 2022 PhD Scholarship on Rebel-to-State Transition in Civil War

The project aims to study the role of commanders in civil war and post-civil war settlements through the lens of rebel-to-state transition. The PI will investigate rebel-to-state transition in the context of Afghanistan, which provides a unique look at Islamist rebel victory. As a PhD candidate, you will conduct a small (n = 3-4), qualitative, comparative analysis of rebel -to-state transition by non-Islamist groups. The cases to be investigated will be determined, in cooperation between you and the PI, based on similarities and differences between them. Cases that will be considered include the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in Rwanda, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in South Sudan, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (SNLF) in Nicaragua, the National Patriotic Liberation Front (NPF) in Liberia, or the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in Kosovo. Focusing on non-Islamist rebel victories will also allow the team (you, the PI and, later on, a postdoctoral researcher) to leverage the ideological (in particular Islamist) variable, and measure its impact on state-building outcomes (as compared to other variables and other ideologies).

You will be responsible for carrying out the core fieldwork of the project, which will include semi-structured interviews with high-level state officials and former rebels (roughly 3-4 months in each country). Following the completion of the fieldwork, you will write-up findings for publication in high-impact academic journals and in the form of a doctoral dissertation. Throughout the project, you will also have the opportunity to engage in knowledge valorisation activities, such as briefings to policymakers. Supervision will be provided by Dr Mathijs van Leeuwen and Dr Romain Malejacq. You will teach for 120 hours per year for the first three years.

• Table of Content
• About Radboud University
• PhD Scholarship
• Aim and Benefits of PhD Scholarship
• Requirements for PhD Scholarship Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Radboud University

Radboud University is a public Roman Catholic university with a strong focus on research located in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The university bears the name of Saint Radboud, a 9th century Dutch bishop who was known for his intellect and support of the underprivileged Established in 1923, Radboud University has consistently been included in the top 150 of universities in the world by four major university ranking tables. As of 2019, it ranks 104th in the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities.[6] Internationally, RU is known for its strong research output.  Locate...&nb... continue reading

PhD Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of PhD Scholarship

• It concerns an employment for 1.0 FTE.
• The gross monthly salary amounts to €2,541 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,247 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
• Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose between 29 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20.

Requirements for PhD Scholarship Qualification

• You have a Master's degree in political science/international relations (or a related discipline).
• You have achieved academic excellence, as evidenced by grade transcripts and your CV.
• You have experience conducting qualitative research/interviews.
• You are willing to spend a substantial part of the contract period in the case-study countries.
• You are fluent in English (excellent oral and written communication skills).
• You have a strong command of qualitative social science research methods.
• You are able to work both independently and in a team.

Desirable:

• You have a strong command of quantitative social science research methods.
• You have experience with conducting research involving elites and/or in difficult or conflict-affected settings.
• You have expertise in research on political violence.
• You are fluent in other languages than English (depending on case selection).

Application Deadline

How to Apply

You can apply until 30 September 2022, exclusively using the button below. Kindly address your application to Romain Malejacq. Please fill in the application form and attach the following documents:

• A letter of motivation explaining your motivation, interest in the project, and competence in the research field.
• Your CV including academic qualifications, grades, international experience, a list of publications (if applicable), and the contact details of at least two academic references.
• A research proposal of a maximum of two A4 pages (Times New Roman 12, 1.5 line spacing), in which you set out your ideas and the kind of empirical approach you would want to undertake.
• A writing sample of a maximum of 5 pages (this may be an excerpt from longer written material), if applicable.

The first round of interviews will take place during the week of 17-24 October. You would preferably begin employment on 1 February 2023.

For more details, visit Research University website.