PhD Scholarship in Political Science

We hereby invite applications for a PhD scholarship at the Department of Political Science. The successful candidate will work on the project ‘The Anatomy of Empire”, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark, alongside professor Jacob Gerner Hariri (PI) and co-investigators, associate professor Asger Mose Wingender (Department of Economics, UCPH) and professor Gary Cox (Stanford University). The successful candidate will be enrolled at the Faculty of Social Sciences under the Copenhagen Graduate School of Social Sciences.

In most of recorded history, empire has been the dominant form of political organization. Even so, there are no systematic empirical analyses of how being subject to imperial rule has affected countries’ political development or, indeed, of what actually constitutes “empire”. These fundamental questions are part of what ANATEM will seek to address. This is relevant today because many so-called ‘failed states’ were, until recently, under imperial rule. It is also relevant because many scholars find that great powers today are beginning to behave like empires again. The chosen candidate will work with the other team members to finalize and analyze a novel database of cities, which were the political, economic, and administrative nodes of states and empires.

The successful candidate will write her/his PhD dissertation on the overall topic of political and economic development primarily, but not limited to, using the database. Funding is available for conference attendance and research visits such that the candidate can develop her/his international network and research expertise.

The position starting date is 1 February 2025, or as soon as possible afterwards.

Duties and Qualifications

The chosen candidate will be responsible for:

• Authoring and co-authoring publications with team members (leading to an article-based PhD dissertation);
• Assisting with the construction of a database of cities;
• Systematizing and analyzing data on different dimensions of empire and state;
• Participating in workshops, conferences, and other scholarly activities.
• Teaching

We are seeking to recruit a candidate with the following qualifications:

• A background (e.g., a master’s degree) in a relevant social science field such as political science, international relations, or economics (required);
• A demonstrated aptitude for advanced quantitative methods (required);
• An interest in fundamental social science research in, e.g., political or economic development (desired).
• A demonstrated aptitude for research (required);
• Proven skills in academic writing (required);
• A willingness to take on independent responsibilities and work collaboratively as part of a team (required).

The PhD Program
The PhD program provides PhD students with strong research training, which creates opportunities for a variety of careers within the private and public sectors. The program includes drafting of a PhD thesis, active participation in research networks, PhD courses, teaching, and other forms of knowledge dissemination. The PhD program can be undertaken as a three-year full time study within the framework of the 5+3 study program.  

Under "Legal basis" on the website you will find information about the rules and guidelines for the PhD program and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD program at the Universities. 

Information about the PhD study program is also available on the PhD website of the Department of Political Science: https://politicalscience.ku.dk/education/phd/ .

Applications 

• The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding society, and invites all qualified applicants, regardless of personal background, to apply for the positions.  
• In order to be awarded a PhD scholarship the applicant has to enroll as a PhD student at the Faculty of Social Sciences, cf. the rules of the Danish Ministerial order No 1039 of 27 August 2013.  

Scholarship in the 5+3 PhD study program
The 5+3 PhD study program

In order to be eligible for a scholarship in the 5+3 PhD study program the applicant must have completed a two year MSc degree program, or have earned 120 ECTS credits at an equivalent academic level before starting her or his employment. Applicants should check the study programs for more detailed descriptions of the entry requirements. PhD students are paid a salary in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The PhD student has a work obligation of up to 840 hours over the 3 year period of time without additional pay. The work obligation can, for instance, include teaching.  

How to apply
Submit a complete application at our online portal. Click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page to apply. The documents must be in Adobe PDF or Word.

• Cover Letter (detailing your motivation and background for applying for the specific PhD project). The cover letter must include two or three brief descriptions of potential papers to develop as part of the PhD project.
• CV   
• Master’s thesis and, if relevant, one additional article or paper. If the candidate has not yet submitted the thesis, include a relevant paper as well as a letter from advisor with the planned thesis submission date.
• Diploma and transcripts of records (B.Sc. and M.Sc./M.A.)   
• Other information for consideration, e.g. list of publications, documentation of English language qualifications (if any). 

Please note that it is only possible to upload one document per attachment category. If more than one document has to be uploaded in the same category, please make sure that they are scanned and collected into one file.  

Application process
On the website of Copenhagen Graduate School of Social Sciences you will find information about the application process, and enclosures to include with your electronic application: 
https://samf.ku.dk/phd-skolen/english/applicants/application/current_advertisement/
https://samf.ku.dk/phd-skolen/til_ansogere/ansoegning/aktuelle_opslag/

The recruitment process
Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself. 

The Department of Political Science
The Department is a top-ranked European Political Science department, which offers a vibrant, collegial, and pluralist academic working environment for ambitious scholars.

The pluralism of Political Science in Copenhagen is evidenced in the various epistemological and methodological approaches as well as subfields adopted by faculty, and in a wide range of core subjects in the MSc programme. 

The Department consists of some 75 faculty members, which currently includes more than 10 tenure-track assistant professors, as well as some 25 PhD students, organized in four main research groups and a few centres. For more on the Department, please consult our webpage: https://politicalscience.ku.dk/

An Equal Opportunity Workplace
The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, see https://employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-researchers/

The Department of Political Science has a Code of Conduct expressing our continuous commitment to ensuring a welcoming, inclusive, professional and respectful culture at the Department for Political Science, please see https://politicalscience.ku.dk/about/news/2022/code-of-conduct-announced/Plakat_8T_uncoated.pdf

International applicant?
The University of Copenhagen offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: ism.ku.dk

Contact information
For information about the position, please contact Professor Jacob Gerner Hariri, e-mail: jgh@ifs.ku.dk.

For information about the Political Science PhD Program at the University of Copenhagen, please contact Head of PhD Program, Professor Anders Wivel, e-mail: aw@ifs.ku.dk

Information about the recruitment process is available from HR, e.mail: hrsc@hrsc.ku.dk. Please refer to ID 211-1919/24-2H #1

The closing date for applications is 23:59 CET on 2 December, 2024.

Applications received after the deadline will not be taken into account. 

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.