An Academic Career in Social and Political Science
For social and political scientists, pursuing an academic career is as difficult as for any other discipline. Though more academic jobs exist in this field than, for instance, in history, the proportion of social and political scientists engaging in a career compared to the job offers available is hardly smaller than in other disciplines. However, given the fact that these are young sciences, the need for social and political scientists in academic positions is clearly growing, a fact which is encouraging.
It should also be mentioned that in addition to the classic academic positions at universities and research institutions a growing number of political scientists are hired as researchers for NGOs, international organizations, social science foundations, think-tanks, newspapers etc. it is thus worth keeping an eye out for interesting alternatives to the university career.
It is difficult to generalise regarding the requirements for obtaining a job”. Every national market is different, but with a few exceptions (e.g. the UK) a Ph.D. degree is necessary for being considered for a position in a university institution. As there are more Ph.D. holders than jobs, a naked thesis will rarely get you an academic position. What is most valued, in social and political sciences, are publications. Also, the trend goes towards published articles in peer reviewed journals, rather than books, book chapters and other forms of publications. Teaching and supervision experience clearly come second. Maximizing publications rather than teaching experience seems to be a good strategy. With academia becoming increasingly competitive, showing that you could raise research funds and direct projects of all sorts clearly enhances your chances of getting a job. Geographical mobility may be a large asset as it demonstrates an ability to adapt to new academic structures.
The previous paragraph contains the answer to this question: if your aim is to pursue an academic career, then research should be of utmost importance to you. Though taking on a pure teaching job may be interesting to you, it will continuously diminish your chances of producing research. The inverse is not true. Almost every research-oriented academic provides some teaching and supervision. The latter jump at you, while getting the opportunity to do research will not.
Postdoc and funding options for social and political scientists are growing rapidly and at all levels of the European Union, in the US and elsewhere. 'Doing a post-doc' becomes a natural step once you have completed your Ph.D. It becomes so natural, it almost is a requirement. Funding opportunities for independent research is also growing. It is important to make contacts at conferences – even during your Ph.D. studies – in order to become part of international networks. The latter are mushrooming and are the most likely to get funding from larger programs such as the EU Framework Programmes.
In many countries social and political scientists are not the best paid academic personnel. In most countries, however, social and political scientists have the opportunity to 'make extra money' by taking on board consultancies for ministries, international organizations etc. Here as well, networks beyond academia are of utmost importance.
Social and political scientists are getting more and more organized. The strongest professional associations are, of course, to be found in the US (APSA and ASA). But in Europe, too, the ECPR and ESA are doing a great job in fostering the profession. At the national level, the 'professionalisation of the profession' through associations of sociologists and political scientists is also getting more intense. In addition, more specialised associations have recently been created, grouping experts in sub-fields of the social and political science spectrum. It is worth becoming an individual member of your national association and of APSA and ASA as well as of their respective sub-sections. Membership will cost you a small amount of money per year but ensures you of being kept up to date and of entering into networks which will enhance your chances on the job market.
Key associations/organisations:
APSA - American Political Science Association
The American Political Science Association, founded in 1903, is the leading professional organization for the study of political science and serves more than 15,000 members in over 80 countries. With a range of programmes and services for individuals, departments and institutions, APSA brings together political scientists from all fields of inquiry, regions, and occupational endeavours within and outside academe in order to expand awareness and understanding of politics.
ASA – American Sociological Association
The American Sociological Association is a non-profit membership association based in Washington DC. ASA is well positioned to provide a unique set of services to its members and to promote the vitality, visibility, and diversity of the discipline. Working at the national and international levels, the Association aims to articulate policy and implement programs likely to have the broadest possible impact for sociology now and in the future.
ECPR – European Consortium for Political Research
The European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) is an independent, scholarly association, established in 1970. It supports and encourages the training, research and cross-national co-operation of political scientists throughout Europe and beyond.
EpsNet – European Political Science Network
EpsNet is dedicated to the promotion of political science in Europe and caters to the interests of individual political scientists, academic institutions and other bodies concerned with teaching and working in the discipline across Europe.
ESA – European Sociological Association
The European Sociological Association (ESA) aims to facilitate sociological research, teaching and communication on European issues, and to give sociology a voice in European affairs. ESA is an academic association of sociologists and a non-profit Europe-wide association made up of over 700 members. It was established in 1992, following deliberations and consultations among sociologists from a diverse range of countries.
IPSA – International Political Science Association
The International Political Science Association (IPSA), founded under the auspices of UNESCO in 1949, is an international scholarly association. Its objectives are to promote the advancement of political science through the collaboration of scholars in different parts of the world. It has consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and with UNESCO.
Information on job opportunities for social and political scientists needs to be centrally available. One could wish for a more explicit recognition of social and political scientists’ skills in the job offers – many jobs are potentially available for social and political scientists, but are advertised in such a way that the latter do not dare apply.
Special thanks to:
Alexander Trechsel, Professor, SPS Department, EUI
Page last updated on 18 August 2017