Research Scholarship

**RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP
**The Centre for Social Studies (CES) - Associate Laboratory - University of Coimbra (Portugal), opens a call

Construction of resilient Social Contracts through Societal Transformations” (GA: 101132631), funded by

the European Commission, coordinated by Vanda Amaro Dias and Cristiano Gianolla.

CES provides a stimulating intellectual environment in the domain of social sciences and humanities. The

project is part of the research line _(Semi-)Peripheral Capitalism: Crises and Alternatives_, which aims at

deepening the knowledge indispensable towards the construction of sustainable societies, from a social,

political, ecological and security point of view. To this end, attention is given to the material and institutional

structures of the economy, to the international dynamics of peripheralization, to the complexity of work as

a structuring dimension of contemporary life, to the multidimensional and multiscale conditions of

democracy and the public sphere, and to participatory and inclusive forms of organisation of society.

**a. Project Description**:
Project title:_ “CO3 - Continuous Construction of Resilient Social Contracts through Societal Transformations” _

Based on the analyses of the limitations of, and challenges to the social contracts in political theorising and

practices, CO3 aims at developing and promoting a more democratic, more inclusive and more open model

of social contracts, which manifest political and social resilience in the face of major societal challenges,

crises, and anti-democratic tendencies. Drawing from 8 empirical case studies in EU member states, and in

3 non-member states, CO3 researches safeguards and mechanisms for resilient social contracts overtime.

While the theoretical ambition of the CO3 project is to analyse how the contemporary theories of the social

contract contribute to our understanding of the social contracts in the current crises-driven European

political environment, the empirical ambition is to investigate contradictions and tensions between practices,

narratives and lived experiences in social contracts across EUrope through concrete cases. As a result, CO3

generates evidence-based knowledge on the safeguards and mechanisms for promoting resilient social

contracts, which support citizen involvement and democracy across EUrope.

Expected duration of the project execution: 36 months, from February 1, 2024 to January 31, 2027.

**b. Scientific field**:
Social Sciences and Humanities

**c. Work plan, tasks**:
a) Develop PhD research (already in progress or to begin in 2024) in the framework of the research

project along the following line:
EUropean social contracts: investigate the impact and consequences of colonialism,

postcolonialism and imperialism on EUropean social contracts, focusing on the Portuguese

experiences, expectations and emotions mobilised in processes of (re)constituting more

sustainable and democratic societies, including in the gender, environmental and climate

dimensions.

literature review, document research, databases and website maintenance, drafting and editing of

reports and publications, fieldwork, data analysis and dissemination activities;
c) Support the administrative activities of the project, including the organisation of events,

management of communication, review and translation of documents and data, and support of the

tasks necessary to implement the project.

**d. Applicable Legislation and Regulations**:
Portuguese Law nº 40/2004, of August 18 (Scientific Research Fellow Statute) and following amendments,

FCT’s (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) Regulations for Advanced Training and

Qualification of Human Resources, and Regulations for Fellowships at the Centre for Social Studies.

**e. Work place**:
The tasks will be performed at the Centre for Social Studies facilities or in other locations when necessary

for the good implementation of the work plan, under the scientific supervision of the Principal Investigators,

Vanda Amaro Dias and Cristiano Gianolla.

**f. Duration of the fellowship contract**:
The fellowship will last **12 **months, starting on November 1st, 2024. The scholarship contract may be

extended for equal or different periods, until the end of the project, depending on the evaluation of the

work carried out, the financial provisions and the scientific needs of the project.

**g. Application dates**:
From August 2 to September 15, 2024.

**h. Application process**:
Applications must include:
a) Presentation/Motivation letter with the contest reference (CES/13/2024-BI-CO3) of maximum 2

the CO3 project within the CES team and under the project research line, (2) demonstration of

language oral and written proficiency in both English and Portuguese (with reference to the context

(3) to what extent education and previous experience match the selecting criteria listed, and (4)

they allow to execute the work plan mentioned above;

b)