PhD position in the research project “Decades of Peace” (80 %)
Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Universität Zürich
Start of employment: 01.05.2025 (temporary)
Application deadline: 31 January 2025
The Department of Political Science at the University of Zurich invites applicants for a PhD position in the research group of Prof. Enzo Nussio. The PhD student will work in the team of the consolidator project entitled “Decades of Peace” which is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Project background
The “Decades of Peace” project aims to answer a critical question: How do societies move from persistent violence to sustainable peace? Despite a global decline in violence over centuries, many regions, particularly in Latin America, remain plagued by persistently high levels of violence entrenched in local social structures. The “Decades of Peace” project proposes a novel theory of alignment between state and societal institutions as a mechanism to overcome persistent violence. The research team will combine historical analysis, quantitative data, surveys, and qualitative interviews to examine the influence of institutional change on violence trajectories over decades. By focusing on local cases of violence reduction in otherwise violent countries, the project seeks to contribute to strategies that promote sustainable peace.