The Group:
The Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Potsdam calls for applications for its Research Training Group on “Wicked Problems, Contested Administrations: Knowledge, Coordination, Strategy” (WIPCAD). Wicked problems create conditions of high complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity to which public organizations need to respond. The tensions emerging in this context can destabilize organizational structures and routines, and call traditional methods of administration into question. Contestation occurs in various areas of organizational activity, from knowledge use and transfer to internal and external coordination and strategy building. The Research Training Group carries out studies of the interrelationships between wicked policy problems and the contested development of administrative practices and organizational structures, both within public organizations and between civil society and the private sector.
The WIPCAD research program is based on systematic interdisciplinary cooperation between political and administrative sciences, organization studies, sociology and public management. It is underpinned by a qualification and gender equality concept that encourages junior scholars from both Germany and abroad to engage with neighboring disciplines, conduct theory-based research, acquire the necessary research skills, gain international experience, and prepare them for future careers in academia and in the public sector.
The scholarships:
All doctoral fellowships will start on October 1, 2017. Scholarship holders will receive a monthly stipend from the “Graduate School Scholarship Programme 17“. The scholarship award comprises:
- a monthly stipend of EUR 1,000
- a travel allowance based on your country of origin
- a combined health, accident and liability insurance
- a study and research allowance of EUR 460 per year
- a rent and/or family allowance, if applicable
In addition, grants for material costs of EUR 1,000 per year are possible. The scholarship will be for up to a three-year period, contingent upon the successful completion of each year. Extension to a fourth year will be possible only in exceptional and very well-founded cases.
DAAD scholarship holders will be identified by a two-step procedure. In step one, appropriate candidates are nominated for a DAAD scholarship by WIPCAD as the hosting program. In step two, the nominees (2 for each place) submit an online application with supporting documentation via the DAAD portal and the DAAD selection board takes the decision.
Topics:
Topic 1: “Local Public Sector Reforms, Leadership and Coordination – Coping locally with Contestation and Wicked Problems”
Description: Local governments all over Europe are in a period of intense reform activity, because in some countries they are under severe contestation triggered by the global financial crisis, austerity policies and cutback measures. At the same time, there are increasing demands for improved territorial coordination, better service delivery, more strategic and knowledge-based steering, and enhanced local leadership in order to cope with wicked policy problems at grass roots level and in the broader intergovernmental setting. Local leaders, councils and administrations are thus simultaneously faced with a variety of partly contradictory reform pressures, often aimed at conflicting objectives (e.g. efficiency, effectiveness, participation).
Successful candidates are expected to have a keen research interest in comparative local government / local public sector reforms / local leadership / coordination of wicked local policies and a good knowledge of applying social science research methods. Candidates are requested to outline a research proposal focusing on (one or more of) the above-mentioned topics, preferably from a cross-country comparative perspective. We welcome quantitative, qualitative or (ideally) mixed-methods approaches.
Potential supervisors: Prof. Dr. Sabine Kuhlmann, Prof. Dr. Isabella Proeller
Topic 2: “International, National and Subnational Carbon Governance Arrangements – Moving Ahead with the Paris Agreement”
Description: In recent years, governments and public administrations have started to design effective mitigation and adaptation policies, and have come up with a series of action plans and NDCs. While national governments and international organizations have led these efforts in the past, nowadays city governments and local policy makers are becoming increasingly engaged. Jointly with local constituencies and the private sector, some cities have started mobilizing resources for low-carbon transitions and measures towards local adaptation, with a series of innovations in local governance. It remains to be seen, however, whether such arrangements at the local level become regarded effective and legitimate, and/or what kind of subnational-national-international frameworks would need to be in place for sustained action and for moving ahead with the Paris agreement.
Successful candidates are expected to have (i) a keen research interest in international, national and subnational public administrations, with a focus on climate governance and low-carbon transitions; and (ii) a good knowledge of applying social science research methods. Candidates are requested to outline a research proposal focusing on (one or more of) the above-mentioned topics from an IR or comparative perspective. We welcome quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches.
Potential supervisors: Prof. Dr. Harald Fuhr, Prof. Dr. Kristine Kern, Prof. Dr. Detlef Sprinz
For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://www.uni-potsdam.de/wipcad/admission/daad-application-for-wipcad-2017.html