Postdoctoral Fellow in the field of Public Opinion and Accountability

Moscow, Russia

The Higher School of Economics International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development (ICSID) in Moscow, Russia, invites applications for postdoctoral research positions in the field of Public Opinion and political accountability.

How does the ability of citizens to attribute responsibility for outcomes shape political support in complex institutional environments? A truism in political science is the link between the ability of politicians to deliver desirable outcomes - public services and safety, effective crisis responses, economic growth, etc. - and the public’s support for those politicians. Recent advances suggest that this relationship is problematized by the ability of individuals to correctly perceive outcomes and attribute responsibility for them to the appropriate politicians, however. A growing body of work has focused on how institutions challenge the public’s ability to correctly attribute responsibility, with features such as media environments, federal structures, and accountability all creating conditions under which politicians can strategically shift blame or claim credit. The current project at ICSID explores these dynamics through the lens of Russian public opinion using two unique, regionally representative surveys of more than 16,000 participants each across 60 Russian regions. Our approach takes advantage of substantial cross-regional variation to explore how the public attributes responsibility and the consequences of attribution for institutional trust and political support.

A successful candidate would bring an interest in exploring questions of attribution and political support from the lens of public opinion. They would be welcome to join an existing project at the center or to pursue a new research agenda of mutual interest.

Requirements

The general requirements for the postdoctoral fellowship positions are the following:
●      Candidates must hold a recent PhD in the field of Economics, Public Policy, Political science, Sociology, or related areas which was awarded over the last 5 years AND received before starting work at HSE by an internationally recognized university and has been assessed by external reviewers as having the potential to pursue research that is publishable in leading peer-reviewed journals;
●      Candidates should have a strong background in Public Opinion research and related statistical data analysis;
●      Experience with survey design, programming, and implementation is an advantage, but not required;
●      Experience with the design and implementation of experiments (laboratory, survey, or field) is an advantage, but not required;
●      Ability to work in a team;
●      Fluent English is an obligatory condition as research and other activities are conducted in English. Knowledge of Russian is not required, but will be a plus;
●      Peer-reviewed publications, working papers or a job market paper in the field will be a strong advantage;
●      Submission of at least one working paper per year to one of the HSE working papers series;
●      Full-time research with at least two presentations of results during the year.

The position involves:
●      working under the direct supervision of Dr. Israel Marques and with colleagues in ICSID’s internal Public Opinion research groups
●      participants are encouraged to pursue their own research along with working on ICSID’s research projects in several broad areas:
        o   Public Opinion and Political Support
        o  Public Opinion and Attribution of Responsibility
        o Public Opinion and Perceptions of Outcomes (Public Services, the Economy, COVID-19 and crisis response)
        o  Design of original experimental (lab or survey) work related to the above research areas.
●      some methodological classes as well as presentations of the candidate’s own research to researchers in related departments or international labs at HSE are also encouraged;
●      participation in organization of the events and other contributions to the Institute’s development
●      successful candidates are encouraged to pursue their own research (up to 50% of the time) in parallel with the ongoing research at ICSID.

The Center offers access to its databases, analytical software, and methodological support. Small research funds may also be available for original survey or experimental projects. The members of the institute have substantial experience with empirical analysis of Public Opinion in Russia, and have also conducted extensive experimental studies. The primary dataset envisioned for projects related to this position are two original surveys carried out across 60 Russian regions. The first was carried out in November 2020 with over 23,000 respondents, while the second was carried out in early fall 2021 with over 16,000 respondents. Both include a variety of topics, in addition to questions about outcome evaluation, attribution, and political support. In addition, ICSID has extensive original data on Russia’s regions and their institutional environments.

Conditions

Appointments are made for one year (from Sept. 2022) and can be renewed upon outstanding performance for up to two more years.

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 will also provide post-docs with access to necessary statistical and analytical software, as well as working space.

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 hiringcentre may not be reviewed.

Read more about the application process here.

The deadline for the applications is January 31, 2022.

Apply now

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 Dr. Israel Marques (israel.marques.ii@gmail.com) directly;
• about international specialists' life in Moscow -International Faculty Support .

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