Job opportunity: Research Associates at Cambridge HPS

Research Associates in History of Social Science and Science Communication

Salary: £27,428–£35,788 pa

We wish to appoint two full-time post-doctoral research associates, for four years from September 2012, to be part of a European Research Council funded project 'Economics in the Public Sphere: USA, UK, France, Poland and Brazil since 1945' (ERC Grant: 283754). The project is directed by Dr Tiago Mata and will comprise of a research team of five members, including one research assistant/administrator and two doctoral students.

Candidates must have an outstanding record in a field related to the project (history of social science, communications studies, and sociology of knowledge) and an excellent knowledge of the economic and political history of the country case selected. Preferred applicants will have experience in one or more of the research methods: archival research, oral history, ethnographic observation, content and textual analysis of media. Candidates must have completed their doctorate prior to taking up the appointment.

In addition to pursuing their own original research, post holders are expected to help maintain a project website, organize and participate in project seminars and workshops, and provide editorial assistance. They will be expected to produce at least one research paper a year on a topic relevant to the project and assist in compiling and editing a collected volume of papers. All staff will be based in Cambridge.

Project description

The project studies 'economic journalism' as a site for the production of public economic knowledge. The practices of journalists will be examined to reveal how they parse competing claims of expertise by academic economists, other social scientists and by laymen. The project takes a cross-national approach examining the economic press the in USA, UK, France, Poland and Brazil. Cultural standards of trust, the history and economics of the media, and the history of economics and social movements will be used to explain the emergence of distinct national genres of 'economic journalism'. The project offers an original perspective on how public knowledge of the economy is an iterative process engaging journalists, academics and laymen and explores the implications of this knowledge formation for the possibilities of public support for economic action and policies.

Relevant excerpts from the original ERC proposal can be found in the following document: ECONPUBLIC research outline - http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/jobs/econpublic.pdf

Application procedure

The application, in hard copy only, should consist of:
-    A cover letter.
-    An up-to-date CV, including publications.
-    2 samples of original, written work in a related area (10,000 words).
-    2 references: applicants should ask their referees to post or email references to the Administrator <hpsjobs@hermes.cam.ac.uk>, to arrive by the closing date.
-    A description of your research plans and how your research will contribute to the project (max 1,000 words).
-    Parts 1 and 3 of the University's CHRIS/6 application form.

Applications should be sent to Reception, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RH. Informal enquiries may be made to Tiago Mata <tjfm2@cam.ac.uk> or the Administrator <th10001@cam.ac.uk>, (01223) 334540.

-    Limit of tenure: 4 years, or until 31 August 2016
-    Quote reference: JN12891
-    Closing date: 1 March 2012
-    Interview date: 22 March 2012