What: the Roosevelt Institute for American Studies will be awarding several four-year scholarships to complete a PhD in American History / American Studies.
Conditions: The successful candidates will receive a scholarship of €2,100 gross per month. They will be required to be resident in Middelburg. Each candidate will initially be offered a scholarship of one year, and prolongation of the scholarship for a further three years is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year. In the second or third year there may be opportunities for a semester abroad at either the London School of Economics or SciencesPo, Paris.
Each candidate will need to fulfil a Research Development Plan as part of the requirements for the PhD programme. The RIAS will make use of the regulations for attaining a PhD as used by Leiden University. Leiden University will be the awarding institution for the PhD.
The scholarship’s conditions require that all candidates must either be from an EU member state or have a resident status in the Netherlands.
The PhD scholarships will be awarded to PhD students with a focus on either:
1) the domestic dimensions of the Rooseveltian Century: US political developments, the role of government, the relevance of the media, state-citizen relations, domestic security, religion, gender and race relations, civil rights, the environment, science, popular culture.
Or:
2) the international dimensions of the Rooseveltian Century: US foreign relations and ambitions, international organisations, hemispheric and regional relations, empire, transatlantic relations, military capabilities and global security, international law, soft power and public diplomacy, trade and finance.
Candidates are invited to apply with a proposal within one of the two categories. Key responsibilities:
- Writing a dissertation in English within four years
- Submitting research results for publication with international peer-reviewed academic journals
- Presenting papers at conferences and workshops
- Co-organizing conferences and workshops at the RIAS
- Participation in the PhD seminars organized by the RIAS
When and where: The starting date is 1 November 2017.
Deadline: Please send all application materials electronically to: rias@zeeland.nl before Monday 4 September 2017 (12.00 hours). All requested documents should be sent in PDF format, with one PDF with all the documents listed above excluding the MA thesis, and a separate PDF with the thesis. The PDF’s should be titled ‘PhD + family name applicant’ and ‘MA Thesis + family name applicant’.
How to apply and Selection criteria
- (Research) Master’s degree in History, American Studies, or International Relations.
- Written and spoken fluency in English.
- Demonstrable interest in the research program of the RIAS. A PhD project should convincingly engage with the theme of the Rooseveltian Century.
- Willingness to work in an international academic community that aspires to the highest levels of scholarly excellence.
Letters of application should be submitted in English and include:
- A cover letter
- An outline for a project connected with a Rooseveltian Century theme, including a research question and brief historiographical framework (maximum number of words 1500)
- Curriculum vitae and a list of publications (if applicable)
- A copy of a completed (research) MA thesis, including the grade (in the Dutch system, an 8 or higher will be preferred)
- Proof of English language proficiency for non-native English speakers or those without an undergraduate degree obtained in The Netherlands or an English-speaking country (IELTS 7.0 or lower will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, e.g. in the case of other compensatory factors such as unique experience and expertise)
- Details of two referees (with full postal addresses, telephone numbers and emails). Referees will be contacted directly by the search committee.
The search committee will interview short-listed candidates during the week of 25 September at the RIAS in Middelburg (candidates will receive an invitation by Friday 15 September at the latest). The committee will take a final decision during the week of 2 October 2017.
Other info/Link: For more information, please check or webpage at https://www.roosevelt.nl/graduate-school/phd-scholarships or contact Prof. dr. Giles Scott-Smith, Academic Director, Roosevelt Institute for American Studies: g.scott-smith@hum.leidenuniv.nl