ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Centre
The Economic and Social Research Council-funded Wales Doctoral Training Centre is offering the opportunity for a PhD student to undertake comparative research and develop expertise into central and eastern Europe, by examining the responses of two or more of the Visegrad states (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) to the financial and economic crisis since 2007. The studentship is offered on a 1 + 3 basis. The first year will involve the successful candidate undertaking the Area Studies pathway of the MSc (econ) in Social Science Research Methods. Years two to four will involve close supervision by a supervisory team in the School of Languages, Translation Studies and Politics at Cardiff University, where the studentship will be based. The studentship will involve acquiring language skills in at least one of the relevant languages. The studentship will help build expertise in research on the new EU Member States, which remains undeveloped. The successful candidate will be in a strong position to develop an academic career and will be closely mentored to enhance the prospects of such a career. While at Cardiff, she will benefit from a mixture of generic and subject specific training opportunities and be integrated into the activities of the Language-Based Area Studies pathway of the DTC. The successful student will also be fully involved with the activities of the European Governance, Identity and Public Policy Research Unit, co-chaired by Kenneth Dyson and Alistair Cole of Cardiff University.
The studentship will assess patterns of convergence and divergence in adjustment pressures, institutional arrangements, policy processes, substantive policies, and outcomes; and reflect on the implications for theories of differentiated integration and of political economy. It will also shed light on crisis management outside the Euro Area states in these cases and offer the opportunity to ask whether, as a Euro Area Member State, Slovakia is more divergent. The research will be comparative, covering fiscal institutions and policies; financial market supervision and regulation; labour markets/wages/employment policies; social policies; or sub-national governance in at least two states. The PhD will help develop research links with the Central European University in Budapest and build on the earlier British Academy funded research and book project Which Europe? The Politics of Differentiated Integration (Palgrave 2010), involving Cole, Dyson, Furlong, and Parsons (Cardiff) and Greskovits (CEU). The studentship will also offer the opportunity to spend time in the Central European University.
Entry requirements
The normal requirement for admission to all Taught Masters and Research programmes in the School is a 2:1 (upper second class) degree award, or the overseas equivalent, in a relevant subject.
However, we consider all individual applicants on their specific merits. If you do not have the standard qualifications for the course you may still apply and your application will be considered. (Interviews may be conducted to identify and assess the academic merit of prospective students).
Timetable
- 15 April 2013, 17:00 – the full application form and referee report, along with supporting documents, must be submitted to the School contact.
- w/c 22 April 2013 – applicants may be invited to interview during this time if deemed necessary.
- w/c 29 April 2013 – – School to confirm selected and inform applicants of the outcome.
Application forms
ESRC Studentship Application Form
Guidelines on Writing a Research Proposal
Studentships Referee Report Form
