Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Canberra
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About us
University of Canberra's vision is that "Together we work to empower, connect and share knowledge with our people, cultures and places." UC is engrained in the local community and we aim to challenge the status quo through the pursuit of excellence in teaching, learning and research. The University of Canberra has been ranked in the top 7 universities in the world for reducing inequalities (THE Impact Rankings 2024).
About the role
Join the world-leading Centre for Deliberative Democracy (CDD) as a Postdoctoral Fellow on a nationally significant research project exploring how major international conflicts shape public debate, social cohesion and democratic life in Australia.
We are seeking an outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow to join the CDD within the Faculty of Business, Government and Law. This research-focused position is funded through the Australian Research Council Discovery Project, Foreign Conflicts, Domestic Divides: Advancing a Deliberative Response , led by Professor Selen Ercan, Emeritus Distinguished Professor John Dryzek and Dr Jordan McSwiney, along with project partners across other Australian universities.
The project brings research on intractable conflicts into conversation with deliberative democratic theory and public sphere research. Empirically, it examines how the Isreal-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine conflicts spill over into the Australian public sphere, focusing on the communicative dynamics through which these conflicts are reproduced, contested or transformed. Combining normative democratic theory with large-scale computational analysis and in-depth qualitative research, the project aims to develop a deliberative approach to understanding and responding to intractable conflicts.
Key Responsibilities
- Contribute to the development of a deliberative theoretical framework for understanding and responding to intractable conflicts and their domestic spillover effects.
- Conduct empirical research (drawing on qualitative and/or mixed-methods, fieldwork) to examine how foreign conflicts influence communication dynamics across parliamentary, media, digital, civil society and everyday public sphere settings.
- Connect empirical findings to broader normative questions in the field of deliberative democracy concerning disagreement, polarisation, mutual understanding, deliberation and democratic legitimacy.
- Lead and contribute to publications in high-quality national and international journals.
- Organise research workshops, conference panels and scholarly events.
- Participate actively in the intellectual life of the Centre for Deliberative Democracy
About you
You are an ambitious and self-directed researcher with passion in deliberative democracy and a strong publication record, currently holding PhD in Political Science, Sociology, Media and Communication, or closely aligned discipline, or completed before the time of commencement of the position. You must be able to live and work in Australia if successful for this role.
Offerings/ Benefits/ Culture
The University offers excellent conditions and benefits which can be explored on our " Work at UC " site which includes:
- Flexible working arrangements
- Family-friendly policies
- On campus Gym, Medical services, Cafes, Post office, Supermarket and Early Childhood Education and Care facilities.
- Professional Development offerings (study assistance, corporate programs and discounts)
- Access to Employee Assistance Program and a corporate private Health Plan (Bupa)
University of Canberra is a values based organisation and sets a goal to be the national sector leader in equity, diversity, inclusion and access via Connected - A Decadal Strategy 2023-2032 . UC encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Eligibility
Applications are invited from both domestic and international candidates. Applicants must be eligible to live and work in Australia for the duration of the appointment and must reside in Canberra throughout the fellowship.
Submit
your Application through the "Apply Now" tab. As part of your application please submit:
- an academic CV, including the names and contact details of two referees;
- a one-page cover letter outlining your suitability for the position with reference to the primary responsibilities; and
- one writing sample (a published or unpublished journal article or thesis chapter) demonstrating expertise in deliberative democratic theory and qualitative empirical research.
For job specific information
Jordan McSwiney, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Deliberative Democracy, jordan.mcswiney@canberra.edu.au.
For recruitment and application questions
please contact the Talent Solutions team on 02 6206 3867 or email uctalent@canberra.edu.au . If you would like to request a reasonable adjustment to the selection process, please feel free to contact us.
Closing date
11.55pm, Wednesday 18 November 2026
Not included in the source posting: qualifications.
Who can apply
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