Research project

The project seeks to develop an understanding of public participation beyond institutionally sanctioned formats, public spaces, and deliberative notions. In order to do so, project researchers will look for new modes of public participation in informal practices creatively employed by citizens to contest governance arrangements, especially in settings where they are discouraged from doing so. The overall aim is to identify the kinds of informality that enable people to participate in governing matters of their shared concern and to explicate mechanisms whereby it happens.

To study informal participation in health and its implications, this project employs a case-based qualitative comparative approach. One line of comparison is between ‘in vitro’ participation performed in controlled laboratory-like settings and more spontaneous ‘in vivo’ participation emerging ‘in the wild’. PhD candidates will focus on the ‘in vivo’ participation, which refers to more bottom-up action, driven by those concerned with particular issues, not respecting the confines of the official frameworks.

PhD candidate 1 will focus on the subproject ‘Concealing participation’ and practices of bottom-up localized repairments of the drug distribution system by patients in Russia. Here ability to speak Russian is an asset.

PhD candidate 2 will focus on the subproject ‘Extricating participation’ and practices of subverting the established process of bringing medicines to the market by DIY technology developers globally. There are not language expectations beyond English here.

Candidates’ profile:

Ideal candidates for the postdoc positions should be motivated, self-driven, open to working together in a team of five scholars on a collaborative project, and interested in moving forward theorizing of public participation and informality. In addition, they need to be willing to travel and have excellent organizational abilities.

Required:

• Masters’ degree with focus on Science and Technology Studies, anthropology, sociology, political sciences, history of science and medicine or related fields;
• Strong interest in health;
• Knowledge of, and at least some experience in qualitative research methods;
• Excellent command of written and spoken English;
• For PhD 1 ability to speak Russian is an asset (does not apply to PhD 2).

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

What we offer:

You will be a part of an exciting project studying whether and how informal practices can facilitate meaningful engagement with collective affairs.

Temporary employment for 4 years. The first year will be a probation period, after a positive assessment the position will be extended for another 3 years, which happens in the vast majority of cases.
Remuneration will be according to standard salary levels. Your salary would be
€ 2.395,- gross per month in the first year up to € 3.061,- gross per month in the fourth year according to the PhD-candidate salary scale. An 8% holiday and an 8.3% year-end allowance is also provided. Each year an evaluation will take place.

You will be offered plenty of opportunities to develop your research and analytical skills, including enrollment in PhD workshops and schools by The Netherlands Graduate Research School of Science, Technology and Modern Culture (WTMC)

You will be working in interdisciplinary and international environment of Health, Ethics and Society Department (HES) in Maastricht University. At HES philosophers, sociologists, health law and gender studies scholars, historians, and anthropologists work together in order to contribute to the identification of effective, legitimate, and just solutions and policies for better health in different geographic regions and cultural settings. Department collaborates closely with public health and biomedical researchers.

You will be based in Maastricht, a wonderful city to live in. Exactly the right size, inviting and lovely city centre, historic buildings besides cutting-edge architecture and industrial heritage. The city is vibrant, not in the least thanks to the many students. Since the Maastricht Treaty (1992) the city is known as the birthplace of the European Union and the ‘Schengen Treaty’. It is an international city that opens up to young and old, to people from all cultures and backgrounds, for students and working people. Maastricht counts over 100 international institutes and organizations.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University 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. Maastricht University has around 20,000 students and 4,700 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.