PhD Project to support ERC Consolidator grant INEQCHANGE Sub-national economic inequalities and electoral change in Europe led by Prof Sofia Vasilopoulou

About the Project

The department of European and International Studies (EIS) at King’s College London invites applications for a PhD position to work on the research project INEQCHANGE under the supervision of Prof Sofia Vasilopoulou. The PhD is fully funded for 3 years by the ERC Consolidator project INEQCHANGE: Sub-national economic inequalities and electoral change in Europe. Planned entry date is: 1 October 2026.

About the Department:

The Department of European & International Studies is a world-leading centre for understanding European and international order. The department is distinguished by its interdisciplinary and theoretically pluralist approach to the teaching and research of key puzzles and challenges in politics, political economy and society. We seek to explore the connections, forces and fractures of European and International affairs. We are an international, diverse and plural community of scholars who believe in finding answers to complex problems within and between regions across the world. Our staff encompasses scholars from disciplines including politics, international political economy, economics, anthropology, sociology and history. Our students come from all over the world and have a diverse set of backgrounds. We bridge study and practice via regular exchanges with wider society and policy communities.

More information about the Department, School and Faculty can be found on the King’s website:

• Department of European & International Studies: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/eis
• School of Politics & Economics: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/schools/politics-economics/index.aspx
• Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/index.aspx

About the doctoral programme:

Please visit https://www.kcl.ac.uk/eis/postgraduate/phd-research

The PhD student will join a vibrant research community in the Department of European and International Studies and the School of Politics and Economics with access to training in advanced methods and research skills, and access to departmental, school and university seminars and workshops.

About this project:

Economic grievances accounts of the rise of the populist radical right concentrate on poorer places that suffer from lack of opportunity. These geographic divides have explained the rise of Trump in the US or Brexit in the UK. However, populist radical right voting across Europe is also concentrated in many objectively wealthier places, where theoretically conditions for this phenomenon are not favourable.

To address this paradox, INEQCHANGE innovates through a re-conceptualisation and measurement of the sub-national economic inequality context that considers long-term structural change and shorter to medium-term fluctuations in living standards at the constituency level; and by opening the ‘black box’ of the micro-foundations of the relationship between sub-national inequalities and populist radical right support.

INEQCHANGE will collect new data on sub-national economic inequalities, focus group data, bespoke cross-sectional public opinion surveys, and survey experiments in five European countries, including France, Germany, Poland, Sweden, and Greece.

What we are looking for:

We are seeking applications from highly motivated students who can demonstrate a clear capacity for independent thought and sustained academic commitment. The PhD student will conduct research within the ERC Consolidator project INEQCHANGE: Sub-national economic inequalities and electoral change in Europe. They will work mostly on WP1 which seeks to understand what type of sub-national economic inequalities European countries experience at the constituency level and analyse their relationship with patterns of populist radical right support in national elections. The PhD student will collect data on sub-national economic inequalities and engage in theory-driven research on electoral change in Europe.

The successful applicant will have an excellent academic track record, a strong knowledge of quantitative research methods, including experience with coding and data management in common statistical programme languages (e.g. Stata, R, and/or Python), and ideally have knowledge expertise in the fields of Political Science/Political Economy.

The PhD student will be part of a collaborative research group engaged in different types of quantitative methods researching the relationship between changing sub-national economic inequalities and electoral support for the populist radical right. There is a strong potential for the PhD student to contribute to the design and implementation of research ideas within the overall project frame as well as produce collaborative research and co-authored publications.

Funding:

ERC Consolidator grant

Funding is available to cover the cost of UKRI home tuition fees plus a stipend at the current UKRI rate of £23,805 per annum (from 1st October 2026) - https://www.ukri.org/manage-your-award/support-for-ukri-funded-students/ If you are not a home student, you are still welcome to apply but will need to cover the fee difference. Funding for conference and methods school attendance is envisaged within the project

How to apply:

Carefully read the Essential Criteria and How to Apply below. People who do not fit the criteria or who do not follow the instructions will not be considered.

Interested candidates should apply via King’s Apply (https://apply.kcl.ac.uk/) and upload the following documents:

1. An up-to-date CV
2. A short cover letter explaining your motivation, relevant skills, and fit with the project
3. Academic transcripts, e.g., one essay or dissertation.
4. One reference which should be from a recent academic referee.
5. Please quote the following funding reference in your application: INEQCHANGE. In the funding part of the online admissions application form, candidates must tick the box at item 5 (Award Scheme Code or Name) and enter the code INEQCHANGE
6. PhD Programme: PhD in Politics Research (full-time)

Note that shortlisted candidates will be asked to submit a short research proposal prior to the interview.

Essential criteria

1. A strong first degree and MSc/MPhil (2:1 or above, or international equivalent) in Political Science or a closely related quantitative discipline (e.g. Political Economy, Economics, Data Science, Statistics).
2. Strong research methods skills, including quantitative and causal inference skills.
3. Experience with coding and data management in common statistical programme languages (e.g. Stata, R, and/or Python)
4. Experience working with large datasets (e.g. administrative data, survey microdata)

Desirable criteria

1. A keen interest in European electoral politics and/or economic inequalities.
2. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in an academic environment.
3. Prior experience with research assistance.

Enquiries:

Prof Sofia Vasilopoulou sofia.vasilopoulou@kcl.ac.uk