Postdoctoral Position (0.8 FTE): Social Norms of Immigrant Integration

Do you have an interest in public opinion on migration, and have you recently attained your PhD (or will you soon attain it)? Then please apply for this postdoctoral position on integration norms in immigrant societies.

Postdoctoral Position: Social Norms of Immigrant Integration

This 6-month postdoctoral position is part of the research project “The Normative Integration Regime: How Differential Expectations Shape Immigrant Societies”, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and led by Dr. Philipp Lutz.

Project Description

Beyond formal immigration policies, societies hold unwritten expectations about how immigrants should behave, but we currently lack systematic evidence on these informal rules. This project investigates the social norms in Dutch society towards immigrants and examines the extent to which those norms differ from expectations held toward native citizens. Specifically, the study addresses critical questions: Do people expect more from immigrants than from others? And do they think society is stricter than it actually is? To map these expectations across everyday behaviors, such as civic participation, cultural practices, and social interactions, this research surveys 2,500 Dutch residents. By comparing what people personally believe with what they think others expect, and examining whether identical behaviors are judged differently depending on who performs them, the study aims to reveal how informal expectations shape integration debates and policy preferences in diverse societies.

Role and Responsibilities

The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to an emerging research agenda on integration norms in immigrant societies and develop the study design jointly with the principal investigator. This involves both literature review as well as survey design and implementation. In addition, you will have the opportunity to develop and pursue your own research ideas within the broader topic of the project.

Your profile

We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher who:

• has obtained, or is close to obtaining, a PhD in political science, sociology, social psychology, or another relevant discipline;
• has a publication record appropriate to their career stage, demonstrating the ability to conduct research and publish in internationally recognized journals;
• has skills in designing, implementing, and analysing quantitative empirical research, particularly survey experiment;
• is familiar with migration studies;
• is interested in the study of social norms;
• is communicative, autonomous, and responsible, taking ownership of research projects while being diligent and conscientious in advancing research and publications;
• is fluent in English (C1-level) and ideally Dutch.

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, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

We offer a challenging and rewarding postdoctoral position within a vibrant, ambitious, and socially engaged Department of Political Science and Public Administration. At the VU, you are embedded in an interdisciplinary research environment that fosters substantial academic and professional development. You gain the opportunity to co-author the research articles resulting from the project.

• a research position for 0.8 FTE;
• an employment contract for a fixed duration of 6 months with flexibility on the starting date;
• attractive fringe benefits and regulations, including contribution to commuting expenses, a personalized benefits package, and access to sports facilities.

About the department

You will be employed at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. This is a large and diverse department with many multidisciplinary research projects into societally relevant topics.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research.