PhD Candidate on Political Economy/Political Behaviour

Welcome to Maastricht University

The world is changing fast, and we are changing with it. Here, your work makes a difference: whether you explore the future as a researcher, inspire students in the classroom, or help shape everything that makes our education and research possible.

Our goal: To explore how income inequality, populism, and disinformation interact to shape democratic attitudes and behaviours – in the Netherlands and across the globe.

Your colleagues: You will join the Europe: Society, Politics and Global Order research programme at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS), part of an international community of engaged scholars.

About the position

This PhD position is part of the research project Narratives of Division: Inequality, Populism, and Disinformation, funded by the Dutch Sector Plan on Democracy and Disinformation. The project examines how growing income inequality can reshape the way democracy functions by influencing both political discourse and public opinion. We investigate the interaction between two key forces: the strategic narratives promoted by political elites and the evolving dynamics of the media environment.

On the elite side, political actors may downplay the issue of economic inequality and instead amplify divisive topics such as immigration, morality, or law and order, often relying on populist framing or the spread of disinformation. On the citizen side, rising inequality can foster mistrust in traditional news sources, make individuals more receptive to misinformation that aligns with their political views, and deepen polarisation in beliefs and attitudes.

By integrating approaches from comparative political economy and political psychology, this project seeks to explain why inequality sometimes leads to political disengagement, growing support for extremist candidates, and democratic backsliding – and why these outcomes vary across different national contexts. The research combines survey experiments, observational data analysis, and advanced methods for analysing text as data to generate new insights with both academic and societal relevance.

As a PhD candidate, you will contribute to the core research activities of the project under the daily supervision of Dr Michele Fenzl and co-supervision of Dr Luana Russo.

Your responsibilities will include:
•    Designing and conducting survey experiments.
•    Analysing experimental, survey, and text data.
•    Co-authoring academic publications with the supervisory team.
•    Developing at least one original paper connected to the project’s themes.
•    Presenting your work at international conferences and workshops.
•    Collaborating closely with project members and the wider faculty community.
•    Contributing to teaching activities such as tutoring or supervising BA theses (0.1 FTE).

Your PhD will take the form of a paper-based dissertation. While you will focus on core research questions defined by the project leaders, you will also have the opportunity to design and develop your own related research strand.

What you bring
It’s not about ticking boxes – it’s about your ideas, skills, and drive. Do you recognise yourself in the following?

• Academic foundation – You hold (or are close to obtaining) a master’s degree in Political Science, Economics, Social Psychology, Communication Science, or a related field, with excellent grades.
• Methodological skills – You have experience with quantitative methods and are eager to develop expertise in text-as-data analysis.
• Technical know-how – You are familiar with Stata and/or R and keen to advance your skills.
• Research passion – You are motivated to explore topics in political economy, political psychology, and political behaviour. 
• Collaborative and independent – You enjoy teamwork but can also conduct original research on your own.
• Excellent communicator – You are fluent in English at C2 level (spoken and written); knowledge of additional European languages is an asset. 
• Committed and engaged – You are willing to relocate to Maastricht or be present on campus at least three days per week.

What we offer
As PhD Candidate on Political Economy/Political Behaviour at Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale 1 - P according to UFO profile PhD, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €2897,00 and €3881,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 12 months with a scope of 1,0 FTE. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 3 years will follow. 
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model. 
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students. 
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'. 
   

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University
Why work at Maastricht University?
At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM. 

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences FASoS is a close-knit community of approximately 250 staff members and 2100 students. During breaks and before meetings, you can often find us at our favourite local coffee spot Bandito Espresso.  
 

Communication lines within our faculty are short and colleagues are always ready to assist each other. FASoS consists of a highly international student population and a significant part of our staff comes from abroad. Our faculty offers four bachelor programs, eight masters programs and two research master programs that are all characterized by their interdisciplinary approach.
 

Our research institute studies societies and cultures as they have developed in the modern and contemporary periods. We adopt a radically interdisciplinary approach, analysing the interconnections between Europeanization, globalization, scientific and technological advancement, political change, and cultural innovation. 
 

In addition to teaching and research, our colleagues enjoy expressing themselves creatively. They create podcasts, write poetry as well as fiction. 
 

Working at FASoS means working in a challenging yet informal environment. We believe in crafting your own career path and are always ready to help you in making the most of your job. For more information about FASoS, you can visit our website FASoS
 

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Michele Fenzl at michele.fenzl@maastrichtuniversity.nl for more information.

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD Candidate on Political Economy/Political Behaviour? Apply now, no later than 15 September 2025 for this position.

Please upload the following documents:

1. A letter of motivation stating your qualifications and reasons for interest in the position;
2. Your CV;
3. Diploma and grade transcripts of previous education at MA/MSc level and BA/BSc level;
4. The contact information of two referees (including e-mail; phone number, mailing address, and relationship to the applicant). Please note: only referees of short-listed candidates will be contacted.
5. Short-listed candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation of a potential research question they would like to address and some ideas of potential research designs that would allow to empirically address the research question.
6. The first interviews preferably take place on September 30th 2025. 

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.