Doctoral Researcher in Political and Economic Geography

Description of the PhD position

• The INTERFER Project is an interdisciplinary research initiative focused on analyzing foreign interference by external powers in the context of current geopolitical and technological changes. It examines how foreign interference impacts public opinion, state adaptation, foreign policy, and how these dynamics evolve with new technologies and geo-economic factors. The Department of Human Geography and Regional Development at the University of Ostrava welcomes applicants who are interested in contributing to this project as a Doctoral Student;
• The selected candidate must enroll as a regular student in Political and Economic Geography, a four-year doctoral study programme at the University of Ostrava and the only programme in Czechia that integrates political, cultural, economic, and urban geography/regional development;
• The topic of dissertation must conform with the goals of the INTERFER research project, specifically: Work Package 2: Internal adaptation of states to the threat of foreign interference, and will be developed at the beginning of study. The geographical focus of study should be in post-Soviet Eurasia (including the Baltics) and/or South-Eastern Europe;
• Possible supervisors include professors in the department who are also members of the research team within the INTERFER project: Vincenc Kopeček and Tomáš Hoch;
• Doctoral students will actively participate in the research project under the guidance of their supervisor and other members of the research team (Vincent Artman, Andrea Peinhopf, and Martin Solik). Possible duties include: assisting with organizing fieldwork, conducting fieldwork, data analysis, literature reviews, and publication of results;
• Students will also have opportunities to disseminate research results, including publishing their work, attending conferences, discussions with experts, students, journalists, etc. Funding is available to support these activities;
• Please note: physical presence at the department is required (no hybrid, part-time, or remote study).

Qualifications and other requirements

• Master′s degree in political geography, human geography, international relations, political science, security studies, area studies, or related study programme;
• Documented experience (Master thesis or other publications/activities) with either foreign interference (broadly speaking) or regions being studied within the scope of INTERFER project Work Package 2 (post-Soviet Eurasia and/or South-Eastern Europe). This experience should be demonstrated either in the motivation letter or supplementary document;
• Proficiency in spoken and written English (equivalent of min. level B2). Knowledge of other languages is an advantage (in particular languages of the countries of post-Soviet Eurasia and South-Eastern Europe);
• Experience conducting fieldwork, particularly in the countries of post-Soviet Eurasia and South-Eastern Europe, qualitative research methods (interviews, thematic analysis, content analysis, discourse analysis), and qualitative data analysis tools and software is an advantage;
• Applicants should be independent, responsible, have a creative approach to work and study, and be able to work with a multi-national team.