Five-Year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
1 January 2013 to 31 December 2017
to work on the Internet strand of the Leverhulme collaborative project
Conspiracy and Democracy: History, Political Theory and Internet Research
based at the
Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH)
and in collaboration with the faculties of History and POLIS
Salary Range: £27,528 - £35,938 pa
Deadline: 12pm noon, Friday 7 December 2013
Vacancy Ref: VM23172
CRASSH is seeking to appoint a postdoctoral research associate to work on the Internet strand of Conspiracy and Democracy: History, Political Theory and Internet Research.
This strand of the project will examine the impact of the Internet and related technologies on the emergence and dissemination of conspiracy theories. Research in this area will involve comparative studies of pre- and post-Internet eras (i.e. before and after 1983), together with studies of how ideas and beliefs propagate through Cyberspace, and especially through social media. Knowledge of, and experience with, computational tools for large-scale network analysis are therefore essential.
The Leverhulme-funded interdisciplinary, collaborative project is led by Professor Sir Richard Evans (History), Dr David Runciman (Politics) and Professor John Naughton (CRASSH). The successful candidate will join a team of five other postdoctoral researchers working on the three interrelated areas:
History
1. Conspiracy Theories in 19th-Century Europe
2. Cultural Transfer and Comparison: Europe and America
3. Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories in the Contemporary World
Political Theory
4. Rational Choice and Democratic Conspiracies
5. Ideals of Transparency and Suspicion of Democracy
The Internet
6. The impact of global networking on the nature, dissemination and impact of
conspiracy theories.
Applicants should propose a project directly related to the Internet strand of the project, which is led by Professor John Naughton. As well as completing their proposed research project, fellows will be expected to help develop, organize and contribute to further collaborative and interdisciplinary research on the themes of the project; help develop, organize and participate in the group's activities – seminars, reading groups, conferences; and help select, invite and organize the programme of visiting scholars.
Applicants must hold a PhD in a relevant field by the start of their employment. Those interested are strongly encouraged to read the Project Description (at the link on the right) for details of the project.
Person Specification
The successful applicant will have a strong academic record and be willing and
capable of working in a collaborative team and in an interdisciplinary
manner. Applicants must demonstrate that they possess:
- A good first degree and a PhD in a relevant field of research which must have been awarded by the start of their employment;
- Evidence of ability to engage in high-level research in an interdisciplinary context, with publications and participation in scholarly activity commensurate with stage of career;
- Evidence of ability and or aptitude for organising and participating in collaborative research initiatives/projects;
Terms and conditions of employment
Appointment will be made for five years from 1 January 2013 (or as soon as possible thereafter) to 31 December 2017
and is non-renewable. The pensionable scale of stipends for a Research
Associate is currently £27,578–£35,938.
Application Procedure
Applications should be made via the online system by 12 noon on 7 December 2012, and should include:
- curriculum vitae Uploaded as PDF file
- a research proposal of no more than 1,200 words typed directly into the fields Project Title and Description (see detailed requirements above)
- Sample of Writing, uploaded as PDF in the field indicated, of no more than 20,000 words and should be the work that best indicates the candidate's suitability for this project
- completed form CHRIS 6, Parts 1 & 3 only, uploaded as pdf file in the Additional Material field
- the names and contact details of two referees who are familiar with applicant's work, and who must submit confidential academic references via the online system by the closing date. It is the candidates responsibility to ensure that letters of reference are received by the deadline.
Interviews will be held on 17 December 2012. Informal enquiries may be directed to Professor John Naughton. Information about the application process can be directed to the Administrator, Catherine Hurley.
Equal Opportunities Information
The
University of Cambridge appoints solely on merit. No applicant for an
appointment in the University, or member of staff once appointed, will be
treated less favourably than another on the grounds of sex (including gender
reassignment),marital or parental status, race, ethnic or national origin,
colour, disability (including HIV status), sexual orientation, religion, age or
socio-economic factors.
Information if you have a Disability
The
University welcomes applications from individuals with disabilities. Our
recruitment and selection procedures follow best practice and comply with
disability legislation.
The University is committed to ensuring that applicants with disabilities receive fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. Adjustments will be made, wherever reasonable to do so, to enable applicants to compete to the best of their ability and, if successful, to assist them during their employment.
We encourage applicants to declare their disabilities in order that any special arrangements, particularly for the selection process, can be accommodated. Applicants or employees can declare a disability at any time.
Applicants wishing to discuss with or inform the University of any special arrangements connected with their disability can, at any point in the recruitment process, contact the Administrator, who is responsible for recruitment to this position, on Telephone: 01223 760490, or by post to CRASSH, Alison Richard Building, 7 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DT .
Further Information
There is a range of information which you may find helpful on the
University’s website: www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/. This includes applying
for posts, working at the University, living in Cambridge and details of current
vacancies
