PhD positions with a specialisation in total defence

Lund University has recently established a university-wide centre for research, collaboration and education on total defence, based in the Faculty of Social Sciences: the Centre for Preparedness and Resilience at Lund University (LUPREP).

The overall objective of LUPREP is to create the conditions for the development of interdisciplinary research of the highest scientific quality in the field of total defence. This work will be carried out in collaboration with the research community and existing collaborations between the university, government, industry and relevant international organisations.

To ensure long-term development in this area, an interdisciplinary graduate school will be established in conjunction with LUPREP. The graduate school offers very good opportunities to contribute to the research frontier in areas of both urgent and increasing societal relevance.

The following areas are of particular interest:

- Communication, disinformation and psychological defence

- Governance of communities, agencies, other public activities and enterprises with a focus on security and crisis preparedness

- Organisation and management of critical societal activities and organisational dependencies

- Critical infrastructures and security of supply

- Geopolitics and security policy

The Faculty of Social Sciences now invites applications for four (4) PhD positions with a specialisation in total defence.

Applicants are asked to clearly state which department they are interested in being placed at, and to justify their subject affiliation. Applicants can apply for a doctoral programme in only one subject at one of the Faculty's departments (https://www.sam.lu.se/kontakt/institutioner-och-enheter). Doctoral students are expected to take an active part in LUPREP's activities, and thus also be physically present in Helsingborg at least once a week regardless of which department they are employed at.

Eligibility

Students with basic eligibility for third-cycle studies are those who- have completed a second-cycle degree- have completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, or- have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

Specific entry requirements for third-cycle programmes are completed course requirements of at least 30 credits at second-cycle level in the respective subject, of which at least 15 credits are second-cycle degree projects, or equivalent knowledge acquired in Sweden or abroad.

The applicant must have completed a second-cycle degree in a social science subject, or have acquired essentially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

Basis for assessment

The employment of doctoral students is regulated in the Swedish Code of Statues 1998: 80. Only those who are or have been admitted to PhD-studies may be appointed to doctoral studentships. When an appointment to a doctoral studentship is made, the ability of the student to benefit from PhD-studies shall primarily be taken into account. In addition to devoting themselves to their studies, those appointed to doctoral studentships may be required to work with educational tasks, research and administration, in accordance with specific regulations in the ordinance.

How to apply

The application must include the following:

1. Explicit statement of (1) which department at the Faculty of Social Sciences the applicant wishes to be admitted to (Department of Communication, Department of Human Geography and Economic Geography, Department of Psychology, Department of Service Science, LUCSUS, Department of Sociology of Law, School of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, Department of Political Science) and (2) which themes within LUPREP the proposed research project will engage with (communication, disinformation and psychological defence, governance of municipalities, authorities, other public activities, and companies with a focus on security and crisis preparedness, organisation and management of socially important activities and organisational dependencies, critical infrastructure and security of supply, geopolitics and security policy)
2. CV
3. diploma and transcripts
4. Letter of introduction (500-750 words). Describe briefly why you are interested in a doctoral programme with a focus on the field of total defence, and describe how your subject background can contribute to the development of the activity.
5. Master's thesis in English, Swedish or another Scandinavian language.
6. Research plan (max 2000 words). Describe briefly what your planned research project will be about (research problem, questions/hypotheses, research design, theory/literature, method, etc.)
7. Contact details of two (2) academic references.

Applications that do not include all required  documents or that include a research plan exceeding 2000 words will not be considered.

Type of employment

Limit of tenure, four years according to HF 5 kap 7§.