Calls for Applications

CFA: one funded PhD Position – “Justice, law and politics of history in Central Europe and/or South East Asia”

Sciences Po Paris is looking for a PhD Candidate to join the “Justice, law and politics of history in Central Europe and/or South East Asia” project funded by the CNRS.

This doctoral thesis will question, from a multidisciplinary perspective, the relationships between justice, law and history (the latter being considered as a sector of public action). The research work may contribute to a diversity of fields, including the sociology of knowledge, the sociology of the public uses of the past and/or the sociology of public action. A consideration of issues of temporalities and spatial differences will be needed. The project should lie at the intersection between political science, history and area studies. Mastering one of the Central European languages is requested, and if fieldwork includes a country in Asia, the idiom of this country should also be mastered.

A least three issues will be explored: the judicial writing of history; historians in the courtroom; the place of judicial matters in the public policies of history – in particular war crime trials and/or trials against political opponents. A consideration of the legal and institutional frameworks within which history is written will combine with a reflection on the political and social uses of history.

In the selection of case studies and the devising of research methods, the student will build upon the literature on entangled history, connected histories, and global history. The time frame of the topic will be closely tied to the construction of cases. Empirical research may focus on any segment of the 20th century.

Working Environment

The selected candidate will enrol in Sciences Po Paris’ doctoral programme and will be part of the Political science doctoral school. The doctoral student will work within the Center for International studies (CERI Sciences Po), CNRS, UMR 7050.

CERI is a multidisciplinary centre for research in the social sciences and humanities that brings together specialists of Russia, Central and Southeast Europe, and Asia – among others.

The PhD will be supervised by Dr. Habil. Nadège Ragaru, Sciences Po (CERI-CNRS).

The doctoral student will take part on the collective life and research activities of the center. 

Constraints and Risks

The doctoral contract includes an obligation to conduct fieldwork. The doctoral student will spend at least three months per year doing field research in order to collect empirical data (through participant observation, interviews, etc.). During these periods, the student will be hosted by the Centre français de recherches en sciences sociales (CEFRES), in Prague, Czech Republic. CEFRES is part of the network of French research institutes abroad (UMIFRE). It offers administrative and logistical support and constitutes a stimulating scientific environment, connected with both local and regional research networks. Depending on the case studies chosen, fieldwork in other countries may be required.

Profile

  • The candidate must hold a Master’s Degree in social sciences (history, anthropology, sociology, political science) with a specialization in Central and Southeast European studies and/or South Asian area studies. He/she must not be enrolled in another doctoral programme. Mastering one of the languages of Central Europe, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe is requested, and if fieldwork includes a country in Asia, the idiom of this country must also be known.
  • The doctoral thesis can be written in French or in English.

Conditions

  • The PhD is funded. The selected PhD candidate will sign a “contrat doctoral” granting 2135 euros (gross salary) per month for a period of three years from 1st of October 2019 to 30th of September 2022.
  • The PhD is funded by the CNRS and is a CNRS doctoral contract.
  • The PhD candidate will conduct his or her work based at the CERI – Sciences Po in Paris, France.

Applications

All applications for the funded PhD position within the framework of the CNRS-funded project have to be made – exclusively by email – to the following address: nadege.ragaru@sciencespo.fr

Only complete applications will be reviewed.

The candidates will apply for thePolitical Science Doctoral Programme.

Please include in the subject of your email: CNRS Project “Justice, law and politics of history in Central Europe and/or South East Asia”

Applications requirements are available on the Doctoral school website: http://www.sciencespo.fr/ecole-doctorale/en/content/admission-phd

Attention: You must include the following documents in your application:

  • A thesis project in PDF or Word format (2,000 to 5,000 words maximum)
  • A synopsis of your thesis project (two pages) in PDF or Word format
  • Two academic recommendation
  • A CV
  • Proof of identity
  • A copy of the last completed degree (for the PhD in political science, highest honours on the Masters thesis is required) 
  • Transcripts
  • A signed letter from Nadège Ragaru, indicating that she accepts to supervise your thesis and a letter from the CERI Director indicating that he accepts to host you in the research unit. 

Special deadline

The applications are open till the 9th of September 2019 midnight.

Candidates might be contacted for Skype interview between the 10 and 20 of September 2019.

For all questions regarding the project and the academic profile please contact: nadege.ragaru@sciencespo.fr.

For further information about the CERI, see: http://www.sciencespo.fr/ceri/fr.

For further information about the Doctoral school, see: http://www.sciencespo.fr/ecole-doctorale/fr.