PhD Position in Infrastructural Ideologies in the EU, Russia, and China

at  Universiteit van Amsterdam

PhD Position in Infrastructural Ideologies in the EU, Russia, and China
Faculteit/Dienst: Faculteit der Geesteswetenschappen
Opleidingsniveau: Master
Functie type: Promotieplaats
Sluitingsdatum: 10 May 2024
Vacaturenummer: 12859
Are you looking for a challenging position in a dynamic setting? The Amsterdam School for Regional, Transnational and European Studies (ARTES) currently has a vacant PhD position as part of the critical infrastructure lab, led by main researcher Niels ten Oever, PhD. ARTES is one of the five Research Schools within the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research (AIHR).

YOUR EXPERIENCE AND PROFILE

Candidates need to have the following qualifications:

• a completed Master’s degree in political science, communication sciences, science and technology studies, media studies, international relations, European studies, or a related field. You may apply if you have not yet completed your Master’s degree only if you provide a signed letter from your supervisor stating that you will graduate before 15 August 2024;
• excellent research skills demonstrated by an outstanding Master’s thesis and a demonstrable capacity to develop a track record of publishing in high-ranking journals and/or with leading presses;
• a strong cooperative attitude and willingness to engage in collaborative research;
• enthusiasm for communicating academic research to non-academic audiences;
• good command of Dutch and English;
• ability to read and speak Russian and/or Chinese.

Please note that if you already hold a doctorate/PhD or are working towards obtaining a similar degree elsewhere, you will not be admitted to a doctoral programme at the UvA.

ABOUT US

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 42,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds.
The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in de field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

You will write a PhD thesis under the supervision of Dr. Niels ten Oever. You will use advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods to interrogate the geopolitics that play out in the reordering of material communication infrastructures of China, Russia, and the European Union.
Transnational communication networks have existed since 1865, but at the beginning of inter-state conflicts submarine cables would be cut. Currently, internet cables circle the globe and China, Russia, and the European Union are interconnected through the internet. Neither the war in Ukraine nor tensions between the US and China have changed that. This research will examine how the EU, China, and Russia seek to inscribe their norms and values by shaping informational flows and controls in their respective communication networks while maintaining interconnectivity with other networks. The research analyses the target countries’ policy-industry-research-implementation pipeline, to understand how their information networks take shape.
The PhD researcher will engage in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of policy documents, technical documents, mailing lists, and network measurements and validate their findings through elite interviews.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• submission of a PhD thesis within the period of appointment;
• conducting research on infrastructural ideologies and the structuration of internet infrastructures;
• gathering and analysing of policy documents, technical documents, and research papers;
• interviewing policy makers, civil society experts, equipment manufacturers, and network operators;
• presenting intermediate research results at workshops and conferences;
• publishing two peer-reviewed articles;
• participating in meetings of the lab and developing a shared database;
• participant observation during industry conferences and workshops;
• co-organising knowledge dissemination activities.
• (Co-)teaching courses at the BA-level in the 2nd and 3rd year of the appointment (max. 0,2FTE per year)
• assisting with administrative responsibilities related to the project (ca. 10% of the time), such as the organization of workshops, conferences, or other project events.
• Participation in the Research School and Faculty of Humanities training programmes.