PhD position at the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences
In the Department of History on Europe’s International History since 1945

Reference number: AT2012.169

The Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences of Maastricht University offers a PhD position in the Department of History. The project should focus on an issue of Europe’s international history since 1945.

Maastricht University
Maastricht University is renowned for its problem-based learning (PBL) system based on a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is concentrated in research institutes and schools and is characterized by its multidisciplinary and thematic approach. Maastricht University has around 14,500 students and 3,800 employees. Reflecting the university’s strong international profile, a fair number of both students and staff are from abroad. The university has six faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) has a staff of about 250, and about 1900 students. All programmes are offered in English. Students come from all over the world. FASoS offers two 3-year Bachelor programmes: Arts and Culture, and European Studies, seven different 1-year Master courses and two 2-year research Master programmes. Its Graduate School takes in around 10 PhD students each year. Research is organized around three programmes: ‘Politics and Culture in Europe’; ‘Science, Technology and Society Studies’; and ‘Arts, Media and Culture’. There is also a ‘Globalization and Development Initiative’, which clusters various long-term interdisciplinary collaborative research programmes on themes of Globalization and Development. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is housed in several recently renovated 18th-century buildings in the historic city centre of Maastricht.

Graduate School
Our Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences offers the opportunity to pursue a PhD in the interdisciplinary field of arts and social sciences. You receive a coherent program of introductory courses, intensive supervision and frequent discussion with the senior researchers inside and outside the Faculty. The Programme can be characterized by its international and interdisciplinary nature and the emphasis on cultural and societal issues of the modern world.

The School focuses on four themes:
1. Politics and Culture in Europe;
2. Science, Technology and Society;
3. Arts, Media and Culture;
4. Globalization and Development.

Further information on the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and its Graduate School may be accessed on: http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/fasos

Tasks:
The PhD candidates will participate in a four-year research project that will explore any topic in Europe’s international history (widely defined) since the Second World War. Potential fields to which the thesis will contribute can include, among others: the history of European integration; Europe’s role in global governance since 1945 (e.g. UN), transnational movements in Europe.

Next to research and the preparation of scholarly publications we expect from the candidates an active engagement in the preparation of conferences and workshops.

Requirements:
We seek candidates with strong academic abilities and the ambition to become excellent researchers. You have completed a research master (MA, MSc, MPhil) in history or an equivalent 2-year degree. Outstanding students with a 1-year regular master can be accepted in exceptional cases when they show a specific profile.

We are looking for a prospective PhD candidate with:
- Background in contemporary history
- Affinity with work in an interdisciplinary and highly international environment
- Strong analytical capacity and organisational skills;
- Excellent writing skills in English;
- Knowledge of (or a willingness to learn) Dutch;
- Willingness and proven ability to work in a team.

The PhD-candidate will be enrolled in one of the Netherlands Graduate Research Schools as well as in the FASoS graduate school, and supervised by Prof. Kiran Klaus Patel (Maastricht University).

The PhD student will be based at Maastricht University.

What we have to offer:
We offer a 4-year full-time PhD contract. (The first year will be a probation period, after a positive assessment the position will be extended with another three years.) You will be employed by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Compensation will be according to standard salary levels for PhD students starting with a salary of € 2042,- with a yearly growth to € 2612,- gross a month (based on a full-time appointment). The gross yearly salary, according to standard salary levels for PhD students, is about € 28.498,- during the first year, with a yearly growth to about € 36.453,- during the fourth year (based on a full-time appointment). If you do not already live in Maastricht (or its direct surroundings) you will be eligible for an allowance for removal costs.

You will be provided with shared office space and a PC.

Starting date: preferably February 1, 2013.

Information
Please consult our website: http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/fasos

Any informal inquiries about the position or the project may be addressed to Prof. Kiran Patel; k.patel@maastrichtuniversity.nl.

Further information on the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences is available at our website, together with more information on the selection procedure:
http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Faculties/FASoS/Theme/ResearchPortal/GraduateSchool.htm.

Application
Candidates are invited to submit their application, consisting of:
1. A letter of motivation stating the candidate’s qualifications and reasons for interest in the position;
2. A CV;
3. A transcript of grades from: MA education plus a list of marks of both your Bachelor and Master studies;
4. A statement of teaching and teaching evaluations (if available);
5. A research proposal (4-5 pages, in English, with the research question, reference to the state of the art, to sources, methodology, empirical basis and hypotheses, as well as a short bibliography).
6. The contact information of two references (including e-mail, phone number, mailing address, and relationship to the applicant), and
7. One writing sample (published article, work in progress, or a Master thesis chapter).

The deadline for submitting your application is November 30, 2012

Please send your application electronically to the Secretariat of the Faculty Office: pzfdcwvacatures@maastrichtuniversity.nl