Marie Curie ITN Researcher East European Studies

The School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow seeks to appoint a Doctoral Researcher in Central & East European Studies as part of the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network INFLUENCE.

The successful candidate will undertake doctoral research leading to the award of a PhD while participating in an international programme of advanced research training, professional development, and intersect oral collaboration. The postholder will contribute to one of the doctoral research projects within the INFLUENCE network examining Russia’s influence strategies in Europe’s Eastern periphery.

The researcher will be expected to conduct independent and collaborative research, engage in international mobility and secondment activities, contribute to academic and policy-oriented outputs, present findings at workshops and conferences, and complete a doctoral thesis within the funding period.

The Global Energy Transition and Russia's Strategic Influence in Europe's Eastern Periphery

This project explores how the global energy transition and climate policies are reshaping Russia's use of energy as a geopolitical influence tool in Europe's Eastern periphery.

Since the 1960s, European states have pursued strategies of economic interdependence with the Soviet Union and later Russia, particularly in the energy sector. Policies associated with Ostpolitik reflected a belief that trade and economic ties could encourage peaceful relations and political liberalisation. Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 fundamentally challenged these assumptions.

Against this backdrop, the project investigates how developments in renewable energy, decarbonisation strategies, climate mitigation policies, and evolving global energy markets affect Russia's ability to use energy as a source of international influence. The research will examine how Russia adapts its strategies as an energy superpower and how the European Union can promote more sustainable and resilient forms of interdependence through environmental standards, energy transition policies, and climate-oriented governance.

• 1. Undertake high-quality doctoral research related to the approved project.
• 2. Conduct literature reviews and develop a robust theoretical and conceptual framework.
• 3. Collect, manage and analyse qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods data.
• 4. Contribute to the production of academic publications, working papers, policy briefs and other research outputs.
• 5. Present research findings at internal seminars, international conferences, workshops, and network meetings.
• 6. Participate fully in all MSCA Doctoral Network training activities.
• 7. Undertake international and intersect oral secondments required by the project.
• 8. Collaborate with supervisors, consortium partners, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
• 9. Maintain accurate and organised research records.
• 10. Contribute to departmental research activities and knowledge-exchange initiatives.
• 11. Engage in personal and professional development activities to strengthen research and transferable skills.
• 12. Complete a doctoral thesis within the duration of the project.
• 13. Undertake any other duties of equivalent standing as assigned by the Principal Investigator or Head of School.

• A1 A Master's degree (or equivalent qualification) in one of the following areas:
  
  Politics,Political Science,Sociology,Area Studies,International Relations,European Studies,Eurasian Studies,Or a closely related discipline
• A2 Demonstrable knowledge of contemporary political, economic, and social developments in Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, or the wider post-Soviet region.
• A3 Eligibility to enrol in a PhD programme at the University of Glasgow.

• B1 Knowledge of one or more of the following areas:
  
  Russian foreign policy,Energy politics,Climate governance,European Union external relations,International political economy,Geopolitics of energy transition
• B2 Training in qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research methods.
• B3 Knowledge of one or more of the following languages:
  
  Russian,Estonian,Latvian,Lithuanian,Albanian,Bosnian,Croatian,Macedonian,Montenegrin Serbian

• C1 Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• C2 Strong academic writing skills.
• C3 Ability to analyse complex…