We are offering a 48-month PhD position (full time, 1.0 FTE) within the project “Migrant generations in the digital society: a multi-level study of socio-cultural factors influencing digital inclusion”. The DigiMig project is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) with a five-year Vidi grant (Principal Investigator: Dr Çigdem Bozdag, University of Groningen). The appointed candidate will develop an expertise in digital inclusion and digital migration research.

The project aims to analyze the socio-cultural factors that influence patterns of digital inclusion in culturally diverse societies. DigiMig consists of three empirical sub-projects (SP) that will provide detailed answers focusing on users’ adoption of digital technologies (SP1), the development of public policies and initiatives (SP2), and educational practices (SP3).

In addition to the Principal Investigator and the PhD position advertised in this vacancy, the DigiMig team will also feature a postdoc researcher (30 months, 2025-2027). The appointed PhD candidate will be responsible for DigiMig’s sub-project on the adoption of digital technologies (SP1). SP1 will analyse how a migration background influences digital inclusion, focusing on Dutch-Turkish and Dutch-Moroccan families with a migration history. By adopting qualitative methods from ethnographic research, SP1 will examine different levels of digital media use including access, motivation, skills, engagement and outcomes, and explore how these are influenced by individual and socio-cultural factors. SP1 will also analyse the two-way influence in technology use between parents and children by interviewing a parent and child from each family. The fieldwork will take place in Rotterdam and Groningen.

Tasks and responsibilities:
- carrying out the sub-project described above (doing a scoping review, recruiting participants, conducting interviews and participatory observations, analysing data)
- contributing to the successful advancement of DigiMig as a whole
- presenting research results at workshops and conferences, and publishing academic articles
- conducting a total of 0.4 FTE teaching during the second, third, and fourth year of their appointment
- engaging in public outreach and knowledge utilization activities related to the project
- participating in regular meetings with the other project team members
- assisting the Principal Investigator in communication tasks (e.g. co-managing project website, writing social media/blog posts, organizing workshops/panels).

Organisation
Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has established an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative university offering high-quality teaching and research. Its 34,000 students are encouraged to develop their own individual talents through challenging study- and career paths. The University of Groningen is an international centre of knowledge: It belongs to the best research universities in Europe and is allied with prestigious partner universities and networks worldwide.

The Faculty of Arts is a large, dynamic faculty in the heart of the city of Groningen. It has more than 5.000 students and 700 staff members, who are working at the frontiers of knowledge every day. The Faculty offers a wide range of degree programmes: 15 Bachelor's programmes and over 35 Master's specialisations. Our research, which is internationally widely acclaimed, covers Archaeology, Cultural Studies, History, International Relations, Language and Literary Studies, Linguistics and Media and Journalism Studies.

- (Research) MA degree in Media Studies, Communication Studies, Cultural Studies or another relevant discipline
- a demonstrable interest in digital inclusion and digital migration research
- excellent research skills (as shown, for instance, by the candidate’s MA thesis) and demonstrable interest in conducting fieldwork
- excellent command of Dutch and English; proficiency either in Turkish, Tamazight, Arabic or French is also highly desirable
- a strong interest in collaborative research and interdisciplinary dialogue
- the ability to work independently
- enthusiasm for communicating academic research to non-academic audiences.

The employment for this position will be full time for 4 years and will be under the Ph.D. conditions of the collective labour agreement (CAO) of Dutch Universities.

Fixed-term contract: 48 months.

In accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, the University of Groningen offers you:

- a salary of € 2,770 gross per month in the first year, up to a maximum of € 3,539 gross per month in the final year, based on a full-time position
- a holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income
- an 8.3% end-of-the-year allowance
- a temporary 1.0 FTE appointment for a specified period of four years. The candidate will first be appointed for twelve months. After six months, an assessment will take place of the candidate’s results and the progress of the PhD project, in order to decide whether employment will be continued
- the PhD candidate is expected to conduct a total of 0.4 fte teaching spread over the second, third and fourth year of their appointment
- excellent work-life balance
- willingness to move and reside in the Netherlands.

The appointment will commence on 01.09.2024 at the very latest. We allow 3 months from selection in case of VISA applications.

You will be enrolled in the Graduate School for the Humanities (GSH) of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Groningen. The GSH offers the organizational infrastructure within which PhD candidates participate in advanced training and supervised research: https://www.rug.nl/research/gradschool-humanities/

You will be carrying out your research in the context of the Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG).

The prospective starting date is 1 September 2024