On behalf of the Gerda Henkel Foundation Radboud University recruits and selects candidates who are eligible for a PhD scholarship as part of the research project "The Voice of the People. Popular expectations of democracy in post-war Europe, c. 1945-1980s". Within this project three subprojects are defined; the candidate selected for this PhD scholarship will be assigned to the subproject ’The Netherlands’.

You will receive a scholarship from the Gerda Henkel Foundation directly for an initial period of 12 months. If so recommended by your supervisors, the scholarship will be extended annually, for a total maximum duration of three years. At Radboud University you will be granted the status of external PhD candidate at the Graduate School for the Humanities and will participate as a PhD candidate in the Voice of the People research project. You will not be employed by Radboud University.

We are looking for a highly motivated and talented PhD candidate in the political and/or media history of the Netherlands after the Second World War. As an external PhD candidate, you will be part of a research team of three PhD candidates investigating and comparing the articulation and mediatisation of popular expectations of democracy in three Western European countries - Britain, West Germany and the Netherlands - roughly between the end of the Second World War and the early 1980s. The project combines an interest in both the actual perceptions and expectations of politics voiced by citizens and the various practices through which their voices were rendered legible and brought in the public sphere. This means that the role played by, inter alia, journalists, pollsters and broadcasters in mediating and co-constructing the 'voice of the people' will also be part of the investigation. Your task will be to conduct research on the case study of the Netherlands and to complete a PhD thesis (in English) in a timely fashion. Your PhD thesis will be submitted and defended at Radboud University. You will furthermore participate in conferences, workshops and other scholarly activities, write scientific articles, and collaborate with societal partners.

You will work on the subproject ’The Netherlands’ supervised by Professor Wim van Meurs (Radboud University), Professor Huub Wijfjes (University of Amsterdam/University of Groningen) and Dr Harm Kaal (Radboud University). For a full description of the project, see the project website or send an email to Dr Harm Kaal: h.kaal@let.ru.nl.

Candidates for this PhD scholarship:

• Have successfully completed an MA (preferably a Research Master’s) in History or in a related field relevant to the PhD project.
• Have demonstrable expertise about the political and/or media history of the Netherlands after the Second World War.
• Meet high academic standards, as demonstrated by grade transcripts and CV.
• Are proficient in Dutch and English (C2 level).
• Have demonstrable strong affinity with scientific research and excellent academic writing skills.
• Are able to work collaboratively in an international research team.

Fixed-term contract: 3 years. Upon recommendation of your supervisors the scholarship will be extended annually, for a total maximum duration of three years.

• You will receive a PhD scholarship of €1,600 per month, directly funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, for a maximum of three years. Additional financial support (€400 per month) for conducting research abroad is available for a limited number of months.
• Duration of the scholarship: 3 years. If so recommended by your supervisors, the scholarship will be extended annually, for a total maximum duration of three years.
• As an external PhD candidate of the Graduate School for the Humanities at Radboud University you will also receive a number of perquisites, including funding for conference visits, printing costs of the PhD thesis, and costs related to the public defence of the thesis.

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