Financement ESRC
University of Birmingham
Public Policy Graduate School
ESRC Postgraduate Research Opportunities
ESRC Quota Awards
Local Political Parties
The Institute of Local Government Studies invites applications from prospective doctoral students for an ESRC funded +3 quota studentship commencing autumn 2007. Two possible projects are available, but, only one award will be made.
The first project: will explore the impact of the introduction of executive arrangements on the organisation, activities and role of political parties and on the conduct of party politics in local government. The research aims to assess patterns of local political leadership, notions of party loyalty, discipline and cohesion, local representation and the tension between party loyalty and discipline and the representation of local issues and concerns.
The second project: will explore and examine developments in English national party politics in post-devolution UK. It will compare the organisation, activity and policies of those claiming to be English national parties, first with each other; secondly with the Scottish and Welsh nationalist parties; and thirdly, with those non-mainstream parties claming a British focus. The research will be placed in the wider context of the development of nationalist parties in Europe.
These proposals fit with the work currently being conducted within the department on minor political parties, via Leverhulme trust funding and with the department’s general area of work into political parties and local politics. For further information, contact Dr. Colin Copus at C.M.Copus@bham.ac.uk
Applicants for +3 awards must have successfully completed ESRC recognised research training.
Enquiries and applications: An application pack, including forms and further details of topic areas, is available from: Vicky Idiens, Public Policy Graduate School, University of Birmingham, Priorsfield, Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham B15 2RT. Email: v.e.idiens@bham.ac.uk Direct Line: 0121 414 2260
Completed applications for all applicants must be returned by Friday 16th March. All applications should be accompanied by a 500-800 word research proposal.
Further information about applications and eligibility can be found on the ESRC website, http://www.esrc.ac.uk
www.publicpolicy.bham.ac.uk/postgraduate
