PhD in Social Psychology and Political/Communication Studies on Conversational Dynamics of Polarization University of Groningen in Netherlands

PhD position at the University of Groningen in the Social Psychology Group on the topic of conversational dynamics of polarization. The project asks how face-to-face conversational dynamics contribute to radical polarization and how they can be harnessed to promote healthier democratic discourse.

This PhD is part of a 4-year Vidi project led by Namkje Koudenburg and funded by NWO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek). The successful candidate will work together with Prof. Namkje Koudenburg and Prof. Lise Jans, combining social psychology with insights from political studies, cultural studies, and communication studies.

Research themes include polarization, democratic discourse, group processes, conversational dynamics, public participation, and de-escalation of discussions. The project includes laboratory micro-societies, video-taped interactions, and an intervention study with a governmental partner to improve deliberation in small-group discussions.

Eligibility highlights: a (Research) Master’s degree in social psychology or a related discipline; strong training in quantitative methods and statistics; experience with qualitative analysis of conversational data; theory-driven research experience; excellent academic record; strong English academic writing; and the ability to collaborate with academic and non-academic partners. Dutch language skills are a plus.

Funding and employment: full-time 1.0 FTE, salary from €3,059 to €3,881 gross per month, 8.3% end-of-year bonus, 8% holiday allowance, 232 vacation hours per year, and a temporary contract of four years (initially one year, then extension after positive review).

Application deadline: 5 May 2026 at 23:59 Dutch local time. Apply through the University of Groningen vacancy page.