Contentious Politics in the Digital Age

The CoPoDi program at Constructor University, funded by DAAD, invites applications for two fully funded PhD scholarships focused on 'Contentious Politics in the Digital Age.' The program investigates how digital technology and media shape political activism, social movements, and socio-political conflicts, with a particular emphasis on agent-based modeling of protest dynamics. Research topics include social media's role in protest mobilization, text-based and audiovisual analysis of political discourse, and computational methods for understanding protest outcomes. The program is closely linked to Bremen’s Collaborative Research Centre 1342 and the Research Centre for Social Cohesion, offering a vibrant interdisciplinary environment. Applicants will work with a team of supervisors specializing in social data science, communication studies, social movements, and computational social science. Candidates must have a relevant master's degree and a strong interest in computational and digital media research. The scholarships provide a monthly stipend, tuition coverage, and additional benefits for 48 months. The application deadline is November 10, 2025. Interested candidates should prepare a dissertation proposal that matches the supervisors' research interests and apply via the program's online portal.