University of Fribourg

The Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences (SES) at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, invites applications for a PhD position in the research project “Flip-flopping again? Political elite's position shifts, media coverage, and the public” funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF). The successful candidate will work on the research project at the Department of Communication and Media Re- search (DCM) and write a PhD dissertation under the supervision of Professor Alexan- dra Feddersen.

The DCM provides an outstanding research environment based on interdisciplinary, innovative and dynamic collaborations at the interface between communication, media, economics and society. Unique in its bilingualism, located at the heart of Europe, and renowned for its rigorous training and research, the University of Fribourg is a decisive stepping stone towards a rewarding career in research.

Information

Start date: September 1st, 2024, or to be agreed

Contract duration: 4 years (1 year; renewable 3 years)

 Employment rate: 100%; the salary will be established according to the guidelines of the University of Fribourg and the SNF.

Profile

Interests:

You are creative, motivated and passionate about research in social sciences. You can work independently as well as in a team. You are interested in pursuing research in a four-year project exploring the dilemma faced by political elites when they consider changing their stance on policy issues. Updating one's position on pressing policy is- sues might be seen as necessary in some circumstances, but it may also lead to cred- ibility loss as voters might perceive their elites as inconsistent. The project aims to understand (A) how political elites change their positions on policy issues, (B) how the media reports these changes, and (C) how the public perceives these shifts. You will mainly contribute to areas (A) and (B) of the research project.

Skills:

Ideally, you are proficient in basic quantitative methods of data gathering and data analysis commonly applied in social sciences, especially quantitative content analysis. Knowledge of R or Python and/or experimental methods is an additional asset.

Education: 

You will have obtained a Master’s degree in communication or closely related field.

Languages:

You are proficient in English; good knowledge of French and/or German is considered an additional asset.

Application

Questions: 

Questions regarding the position and/or application can be sent to Jolanda Wehrli (jolanda.wehrli@unifr.ch).

Documents:

The application must contain:

- a cover letter specifying research interests, motivations, and specific qualifications; - a CV containing the names of two academic references;

- transcripts of completed academic training;

- a one-page summary of the Master thesis and the evaluation, and

- other relevant certificates or documents (e.g., TOEFL, GMAT, ...).

The evaluation of the applications will focus on the applicant’s academic background, interests, and potential for academic success. Admission to the doctoral studies is subject to the rules of the SES Faculty.

Deadline:

The application must be sent as one single PDF document to Jolanda Wehrli (jolanda.wehrli@unifr.ch) by May 1st, 2024.