PhD in Union Politics: Organized Labor in Democracy (1.0 FTE) (V25.0218)

Applications are invited for a fully-funded four-year PhD position in international relations at the University of Groningen, focusing on the transnational role of unions and the effects of unionization in the democratic public spheres of the industrialized states of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

The recently renewed global push towards unionization after decades of decline in union membership, the changed class structure of the international labor movement, which is driven in large part by members of the precariat rather than the traditional proletariat, has once again put labor organizing on both the political (and academic agenda). From a theoretical perspective, this transnational phenomenon has driven a resurgence in thinking about the legitimacy and transformational potential of labor militancy, both in the workplace and in society at large. Empirically, scholars have sought to use past examples of strikes and labor organizing to better understand this contemporary movement and where it is likely to lead. However, there has been little investigation of what role unions can and should play in political debate, despite their newfound relevance and voice. In light of this lacuna, there is a need for further theoretical, historical and evidence-based investigation of the role of unions in modern democratic societies.

Drawing on political theory, this project considers how unions, unionization, and union membership contribute to democratic life and democratic political thinking in this new constellation of international labor. It will do so through a careful empirical study of unions across a number of international case studies, examining how their participation in democratic society does or does not influence both formal politics and political culture more generally. The research aims to consider the material and theoretical links between workplace democracy and political democracy, an intersection that is rarely studied. The timeframe and geographic scope of the project are open to the interests and skills of the doctoral candidate to be hired.

The PhD Project

In the PhD project, jointly supervised by dr. Peter Verovšek (International Relations) and dr. Jason Resnikoff (Contemporary History), the selected candidate will identify their own interdisciplinary focus and interest within the broad framework set out above. Candidates are asked to formulate and explain their focus in a research proposal, in which they describe the research idea, possible primary sources, and academic disciplines relevant to the project. Please note that an interdisciplinary focus is fundamental to this project, which means that candidates are encouraged to find connections between different disciplines and types of sources.

During the four-year PhD position, you will be asked to:

• Write and complete a dissertation within the framework of the project
• Publish and present a number of academic and popular articles and/or papers about your research (in discussion with your supervisors)
• Participate in teaching activities in the programs of International Relations and History at the University of Groningen.

Organisation

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has established an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative university offering high-quality teaching and research. Its 27,000 students are encouraged to develop their own individual talents through challenging study- and career paths. The University of Groningen is an international center of knowledge: It belongs to the best research universities in Europe and is allied with prestigious partner universities and networks worldwide.

The Faculty of Arts is a large, dynamic faculty in the heart of the city of Groningen. It has more than 5000 students and 700 staff members, who are working at the frontiers of knowledge every day. The Faculty offers a wide range of degree programs: 15 Bachelor's programs and over 35 Master's specializations. Our research, which is internationally widely acclaimed, covers Archaeology, Cultural Studies, History, International Relations, Language and Literary Studies, Linguistics and Media and Journalism Studies.

To be competitive for the position, prospective candidates must have:

• A Research Master’s or Master’s degree in International Relations, History, Political Science, Political Theory or any other relevant discipline in the Humanities, with an above average final grade. Please note that candidates who are about to graduate are also welcome to apply. In that case they need to have finished their (R)MA programme before the interviews.
• A special interest in and knowledge of political theory and labor politics (demonstrated by a BA or MA thesis, publications or previous research experience)
• Excellent command of academic writing and speaking skills in both English and the language of the region under investigation.
• The ability to develop your own research interests and academic profile, in collaboration with your supervisors.

The following would be assets for prospective candidates:

• Experience with archival research
• A knowledge of labor history

In accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, the University of Groningen offers you:

• A salary of € 2,901 gross per month in the first year, up to a maximum of € 3,707 gross per month in the final year, based on a full-time position.
• A holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income.
• An 8.3% end-of-the-year allowance.
• A temporary 1.0 FTE appointment for a specified period of four years. The candidate will first be appointed for twelve months. After six months, an assessment will take place of the candidate’s results and the progress of the PhD project, in order to decide whether employment will be continued.
• The PhD candidate is expected to conduct a total of 0.4 FTE teaching spread over the second, third and fourth year of their appointment.
• Excellent work-life balance.
• Willingness to move and reside in the Netherlands.

The appointment will commence on 1 September/October 2025 at the very latest. We allow 3 months from selection in case of VISA applications.

Applications should be written in English and contain the following materials:

• A short statement (ca. 1000 words), explaining your motivation for applying.
• An outline of max 3000 words with your own research proposal in the wider frame of this project.
• A curriculum vitae
• Copies of MA diploma and list of grades
• Copy of MA thesis
• If available, a copy of an article, book chapter or other academic text that you feel best represents your work
• Contact details of two academic referees (no letters of recommendation are needed for the application process)
• In case your ReMA degree is not in English/Dutch, please include a language certificate.

Please send in your application as two PDF files (one for the MA thesis, and one for all other documents). You may apply for this position until 30 April 23:59PM / before 1 May Dutch local time (CEST) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).

Interviews with selected candidates will be held 20 May 2025.

The University of Groningen strives to be a university in which students and staff are respected and feel at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identities. We believe that working on our core values of inclusion and equality are a joint responsibility and we are constructively working on creating a socially safe environment. Diversity among students and staff members enriches academic debate and contributes to the quality of our teaching and research. We therefore invite applicants from underrepresented groups in particular to apply. For more information, see also our diversity policy webpage: https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/policy-and-strategy/diversity-and-inclusion/

Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the Recruitment code (NVP): https://www.nvp-hrnetwerk.nl/sollicitatiecode/ and European Commission's European Code of Conduct for recruitment of researchers: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/charter/code

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