The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Maastricht University, the Netherlands, has an opening: PhD ‘Transnational families: Migration strategies and socio-demographic changes’ (m/f), 1.0fte

Reference number AT2009.62

Universiteit Maastricht (UM) the youngest university in The Netherlands, is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Currently UM has around 11,500 students and 3,000 employees. Reflecting the university’s strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts six faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of law, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology.

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

The faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) has approximately 200 employees and around 1,500 students. The faculty is very internationally oriented and several of the programmes are offered in English. Its students come from all over the world. The FASoS offers two three-year bachelor programmes: Arts and Culture and European Studies, and 10 one-year master programmes.

The Research Institute for Arts and Culture encompasses all research of FASoS. The Research Institute comprises three programmes: 1. Politics and Culture in Europe, 2. Science, Technology and Society, and 3. Science and Culture: Texts and Contexts. The research area overlaps both the humanities and the social sciences.

Although the Institute covers a broad terrain, the research is clustered around five core themes: 1. European Governance; 2. Europe and the World; 3. The Culture of Innovation; 4. Digital Culture; and 5. Beyond the Three Cultures. The faculty has formal relations with four national graduate research schools.

Tasks:

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Maastricht is looking for a PhD candidate to work on a project on the socio-demographic aspects of migration between Africa and Europe. Recent research has shifted the approach of “family and migration” studies from a destination-centered perspective to a bi-focal view that includes the sending counties in order to better understand interactions between family formation and migration strategies and the functioning of transnational families.

This project is part of the international, inter-university MAFE (Migration between Africa and Europe) programme. MAFE is co-funded by the 7th Framework Programme for Research of the European Commission and brings together eight partners from Europe and Africa.

The PhD researcher will participate in the process of data collection and quantitative analysis (multi-level and event history) on a specially constructed dataset. The data are representative, longitudinal and multi-level, and surveys will focus on both sending (Congo, Ghana, Senegal) and receiving countries (Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, UK). The PhD will benefit from the expertise at the different partner institutions by participating in training sessions on analytical methods offered by the MAFE programme; spend time as a visiting scholar at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Sussex University in the UK, the University of Ghana, INED in France and/or Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium; and collaborate with researchers from these and other MAFE partner institutes in analysis and publications. You will contribute to teaching in the bachelor and master programmes, mainly in courses on migration, development, globalization and/or methodology. The language of instruction is English.

Qualifications:

We are looking for a prospective PhD candidate with:

• Background in quantitative methods (especially event history analysis and multi-level methods)
• Proven interest in migration and/or development studies
• A Masters degree in a relevant social science discipline (sociology, economics, demography, geography, etc.)
• Strong analytical capacity
• Fluency in spoken English and excellent writing skills
• Knowledge of French is desirable
• Willingness and proven ability to work in a team is important

Appointment:

The appointment as PhD will initially be on a temporary basis for one year. After a positive assessment the contract will be extended by another three years, for a total of four years at full-time employment. Compensation will be according to standard salary levels for PhD students starting with a gross monthly salary of € 2042,- with a yearly growth to € 2612,- gross a month (based on a full-time appointment).

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is located in several recently renovated, 18th century buildings in the historic city-centre of Maastricht.

Information:

A brief programme description is available. For further information, please contact: Dr. Djamila Schans at d.schans@tss.unimaas.nl or Prof. Dr. Valentina Mazzucato at v.mazzucato@tss.unimaas.nl

Application:

Candidates are invited to submit their application, mentioning the reference number on envelope and letter, – including curriculum vitae, list of publications and transcript of their grades from their MA education – no later than the 10 April 2009 to the Secretariat of the Faculty Office, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. Applications can also be submitted electronically at: Pzfdcwvacatures-at-fdcw.unimaas.nl

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