PhD student (4 years) on Nihilistic Violent Extremist Groups

Interested in conducting interdisciplinary research on Nihilistic Violent Extremist Groups as a PhD student combining insights from criminology and psychology, and combining qualitative analyses with sophisticated data science techniques?

PhD student (4 years) on Nihilistic Violent Extremist Groups

We will be hiring a PhD student on a project to investigate Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) groups – that is, radical online groups consisting mostly of adolescents and young adults who are notorious for committing a broad range of crimes, and whose members appear to be driven less by a clear ideology than by general desires for chaos and online status. You will work within an interdisciplinary research team that includes Prof. dr. Jan-Willem van Prooijen, Prof. dr. Arjan Blokland, and Dr. Elanie Rodermond. You will investigate these issues with a mixed-method approach, combining sophisticated data science techniques, such as statistically analyzing a large volume of social media data, with qualitative analyses. You will present the findings at conferences and publish them in academic journals. You will also write a PhD thesis and publicly defend it at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The targeted starting date is 1 January 2027 at the latest.

Your duties

• map out existing literature on NVE groups and develop ideas for cutting-edge research on these groups
• explore existing data sources, find new data sources, and monitor them for updates
• analyze and curate data
• present the findings at (inter)national conferences
• publish the findings in academic, peer-reviewed articles
• assist in (minor) teaching activities within the department
• contribute to the team spirit and help others achieve their goals
• complete a PhD thesis and publicly defend it at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• participate in teaching by the Graduate School of the Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences and of the Kurt Lewin Institute

Your profile

• you have completed or will soon complete, before the position’s starting date, a (Research) Master in criminology, psychology, data science, or another field relevant for the project
• you have an interest in, or some expertise with, research relevant for extremism, radicalization, and terrorism
• you have expertise in quantitative research methods and a strong background in statistics
• you are open to learning a mixed-method approach that includes quantitative analysis of a large corpus of social media data as well as more qualitative approaches
• you have excellent verbal and written English language skills
• you are a team player with good communication abilities

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore, we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. In return for your efforts, we offer you:

• an employment contract that will initially last 1 year, with the possibility of extension afterwards
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

About us

You will work within an interdisciplinary team consisting of Prof. dr. Jan-Willem van Prooijen, Prof. dr. Arjan Blokland, and dr. Elanie Rodermond. You will become part of the Social Psychology section at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. This section is world-leading in its work on trust, emotion, cooperation, and morality. The section also has expertise in evolutionary approaches to psychology, cross-cultural research, political psychology, close relationships, and emotion, among other topics. We value high-quality research, personal development, and social cohesion within an international atmosphere.

Through the team's affiliations with the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), you will also benefit from being part of the NSCR research community. This includes joining its growing research cluster on extremism and terrorism, benefiting from the institute's broader expertise in crime and criminal behavior, and making use of its unique research infrastructure for the secure management and analysis of sensitive data.