Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Economy with a Focus on Network Analysis

International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development (ICSID)

HSE University

Moscow, Russia  

The Higher School of Economics Laboratory for International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development (ICSID) in Moscow, Russia, invites applications for postdoctoral research positions in the field of political economy with a focus on network analysis.

Much has been made about the importance of elite political connections and networks for promotions, regime stability, policy making, and economic development more broadly. Until recently, however, data and methodological limitations have made it difficult to systematically study the cause and consequences of particular elite network structures. Current projects at ICSID seek to address a number of outstanding questions based on a unique dataset of biographies of 897 governors and representatives of the Russian federal elite from 2000-2012, 3448 officials from the regional elite (2000-2012), and 829 mayors of large cities (1996-2012) that enable the construction of elite power networks. Ongoing work attempts to address a number of important questions about the networks themselves and how they ultimately shape outcomes in a hybrid regime setting. How do individual characteristics and network connections influence promotions and assignments? Do an individual’s network characteristics influence their ability to influence the political process and enact policy? How does variation in the nature of elite networks influence sub-national economic development and policy orientation? How do Russian elite networks compare to those in other middle-income countries in terms of their composition and their overall influence on economic development?

Candidates are welcome to participate in the ongoing projects noted above or to propose their own original topics. Candidates whose research contains a comparative perspective or focuses on non-Russian contexts are particularly welcome to apply. In addition to access to the biographical data discussed above, successful candidates are also invited to use other ISCID databases

(https://iims.hse.ru/en/csid/databases), including a database on economic and political indicators for Russia’s regions, the results of a survey of 3317 attorneys in 35 regions of Russia, several waves of firm surveys, etc.

About HSE University

The Higher School of Economics (HSE University) is a young, dynamic and fast-growing Russian research university. Over the past 25 years, HSE University has become a leader in Russian education, while also being recognized globally.

For instance, we were the first state-run university in Russia to begin recruiting on the international academic market. We aim at being a university with a highly attuned approach to training new professionals. Therefore, we are eager to hire people with real experience, as well as basic and applied knowledge. Committed to high-quality research, HSE University now has more than 100 research institutes and centres and over 30 international research laboratories collaborating with international specialists from all over the world.

Requirements

The general requirements for the postdoctoral fellowship positions are the following:

• a PhD in Economics, Government, Political science, Public Policy, or Sociology (got during last 5 years but before the start of the program)
• ability to work in a team
• experience with network analysis
• ability to understand and communicate in Russian is not a requirement but will be a plus;
• fluent English is an obligatory condition as research and other activities are conducted in English
• Relevant experience will be an asset although not required.

The position involves:

• working in a research group with Dr. Andrei Yakovlev (ayakovlev@hse.ru) and Dr. Israel Marques II (imarques@hse.ru).
• possibility to collaborate with the ICSID team (https://iims.hse.ru/en/csid/persons) and associate fellows (https://iims.hse.ru/en/csid/members).
• successful candidates are encouraged to pursue their own research in parallel with ongoing research at ICSID
• writing research papers for international peer-reviewed journals in co-authorship with researchers
• some teaching as well as one or two public presentations of the candidate’s own research are also encouraged
• participation in organization of events and other contributions to the development of ICSID

Conditions

Appointments are normally made for one year (from September 2021). Postdoctoral fellows have an opportunity of renewal of the contract (no more than two times).

HSE University offers postdoctoral fellows a competitive salary, the standard medical insurance plan, a working space equipped with a computer and free Internet access at the University.

The Center offers access to its unique databases on socio-economic indicators of the Russian regions, political elites and historical roots of institutions in Russia. ICSID also provides all necessary support for research such as up-to-date analytical software, funding for attendance at international conferences and research assistantship. Moreover, the HSE library provides access to a large collection of academic journals.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online. Please provide a CV, a statement of research interest and a recent research paper submitted via the online application form. At least two letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the International Faculty Recruitment Office at fellowship@hse.ru before the application deadline. Please note that direct applications to the hiring center may not be reviewed.

Read more about the application process here.

The deadline for the applications is February 14, 2021.

For more information:

• about Postdoctoral Fellowship - Frequently Asked Questions
• about HSE university – official web-site
• about the International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development (ICSID) in Moscow, Russia – official web-site of the Centre

or contact Valeriya Kotelnikova, a manager of the center directly

• about international specialists' life in Moscow - International Faculty Support page

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact the International Faculty Recruitment Office at fellowship@hse.ru