Nordeuropa i Rysslands utrikes- och säkerhetspolitik

VN-TEAS Northern Europe in Russia’s Foreign and Security Policy

Junior Visiting Fellowships 2022

Call for Applications

The Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), the Aleksanteri Institute (AI) and the National Defence University (NDU) are jointly conducting a research project titled “Northern Europe in Russia’s Foreign and Security Policy”. The project is part of the Finnish Government’s 2020 analysis, assessment and research activities (VN-TEAS).

The main objective of the project is to produce a comprehensive research-based analysis on the aims, methods and operational logic of Russia’s foreign and security policy in Northern Europe. In addition, the project is aiming to strengthen and deepen scholarly contacts and cooperation between Russian and Finnish researchers.

The research project welcomes applications for its junior visiting fellowships for the spring 2022. The fellows will be hosted by the Aleksanteri Institute. The Aleksanteri Institute is the Finnish Centre for Russian and Eastern European studies, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki, Finland.

THE FELLOWSHIP

– Is intended for scholars who carry out research in a field relevant to the research project (security studies or foreign policy of Russia, in particular, in relation to Northern Europe), and whose place of residence is outside Finland and who is affiliated with a university (higher education institution) or a research institute in Russia. Applicants must be PhD researchers (aspirantura or PhD programme) or those how have recently graduated with a PhD (or received the degree of kandidat nauk within the past five years – the degree certificate dated 30 September 2016 or later).

– Carries a monthly grant of 3800 € to cover expenses related to the stay in Helsinki (e.g. accommodation, travel, insurance, visa). The grant will be paid to the Fellow during the Fellow’s stay in Helsinki.

– Is intended for a period of one to three months between 3 January 2022 and 30 April 2022. The last possible starting date for the fellowship is 1 February if the candidate applies for the fellowship of three months, 1 March 2022 if the candidate applies for the fellowship of two months, or 1 April if for the period of one month.

– Involves a research stay at the Aleksanteri Institute, during which Junior Visiting Fellows are expected to be present at the Aleksanteri Institute and to participate in academic activities of the research project.

– Provides an excellent opportunity to conduct research and to benefit from interaction with the Russian and Eastern European studies and foreign and security policy research community in Finland. Each Junior Visiting Fellow is assigned a host from the research project who facilitates integration into the local academic scene.

– Junior Visiting Fellows will present their research either at a seminar at the Aleksanteri Institute, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs or the National Defence University and can make presentations at other Finnish universities and research centres.

– Provides Junior Visiting Fellows with office space and IT facilities, as well as use of the Institute’s in-house library and other University of Helsinki libraries, including e-libraries and the Slavonic Library.

– Grant-holders are required to have an excellent command of English.

APPLICATIONS

– Submission must be made by 5 November 2021 (by 23:59 UTC +2:00).

– Consist of an electronic application form and materials submitted as an attachment to the electronic form (in a single PDF document).

– Must be written in English.

– Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline cannot be considered for selection.

HOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION

Complete an electronic application form at https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/114010/lomake.html , which is open from 20 October until 5 November 23:59 Finnish time (UTC +2:00). Upload the following material to the electronic application form as a single PDF file:

(1) A cover letter of no more than one page that (a) states the purpose of the research stay, (b) describes how the fellowship would benefit the (PhD) research of the applicant, and (c) describes how the applicant would contribute to the research project’s research agenda.

(2) A research proposal of no more than 1,500 words (excluding references) that must include your name, the title of your research proposal, and all the following sub-headings: Background, objectives, and research question(s); 2. Research methods and research materials; 3. Work plan for the visit. Please specify which part of the research you intend to carry out during the research visit, and include information on the specific type of work you are planning to do (for example, working on an article or a book manuscript, analysing data, collecting material, using library or archival sources); 4. References (Works cited in sections 1.and 2.) At the end of the research proposal, please indicate the word count (max. 1,500 words, excluding references).

(3) The applicant’s CV (max. 2 pages).

(4) A list of relevant publications by the applicant (max. 2 pages).

For all the above documents, please use font size 12. All page margins should be at least 1.5 cm.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Academic excellence and relevance of the applicant’s research to the research project: The quality of the research proposal, feasibility of the work plan for the visit, and scholarly merits of the applicant in relation to the applicant’s career stage. Potential for a mutually beneficial research visit and the potential benefit of the visit for the applicant.

NOTIFICATION OF APPLICANTS AND EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS

The selection of the Junior Visiting Fellows will be concluded by 22 November 2021. We expect to invite up to 3 visiting fellows. All applicants will be informed about the outcome of the application process by e-mail.

ACCOMMODATION AND OTHER PRACTICAL MATTERS

The research project will assist Junior Visiting Fellows with practical arrangements and will make reservations for accommodation in the Unihome’s Töölö Towers location, with 178 studios and apartments of 14 different sizes, suitable for single occupants as well as for families. The Töölö Towers offer the university’s visitors furnished accommodation in an attractive, centrally-located neighbourhood. It is within walking distance of the Aleksanteri Institute and within easy reach by public transport. Monthly rents for studios and apartments for single occupancy range from c. 1,000 € to c. 1,600 €. The rent includes breakfast, weekly cleaning and Wi-Fi.

The fellowship is a grant, not a salary, and is not subject to Finnish taxation. Grant recipients should check any potential taxation considerations related to the receipt of this grant in their home country. Because Junior Visiting Fellows are not staff members of the University of Helsinki, they are not covered by the university’s insurance or occupational health care. Fellows are therefore expected to arrange for their own medical and travel insurance and to provide proof of a valid insurance policy when beginning their fellowship term.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For more information on the call: Sirke Mäkinen sirke.makinen@helsinki.fi (AI) and Jyri Lavikainen jyri.lavikainen@fiia.fi (FIIA)

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Utrikespolitiska institutet (FIIA), Alexanderinstitutet (AI) vid Helsingfors universitet och Försvarshögskolan genomför tillsammans forskningsprojektet ”Nordeuropa i Rysslands utrikes- och säkerhetspolitik”. Projektet är en del av statsrådets utrednings- och forskningsverksamhet (VN-TEAS) under 2020 och den avslutas i april 2022.

Under de senaste åren har den säkerhetspolitiska miljön i Finlands närområden varit föremål för ökat intresse politisk och forskningsmässigt. Det har även förtjänstfullt forskats i Rysslands strategiska tänkande. Vanligtvis behandlar internationell forskning Rysslands roll utgående ifrån sina egna utgångspunkter då Nordeuropa ses som en säkerhetsfråga för västländerna och NATO.

Meningen med projektet är att producera en heltäckande analys om Rysslands utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiska syften, medel och verksamhetslogik i Nordeuropa. Med att utnyttja ryska ursprungskällor klargörs hur säkerhetsarkitekturen i Nordeuropa och dess osäkerheter presenteras ur en rysk synvinkel, hur Rysslands aktioner avspeglar detta strategiska tänkande i praktiken och vad är Nordeuropas bredare utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiska betydelse för Ryssland. Det är också meningen att öka och stärka forskarkontakter och samarbete mellan finska och ryska forskare.

Försvarshögskolan publicerade artikeln ”Pohjois-Eurooppa Venäjän naapurina : Teemoja kansainvälisestä ja venäläisestä tutkimuskirjallisuudesta” 7.6.2021. Publikationen är en del av projektet.

Initiativet är en del av Utrikespolitiska institutets forskningsprojekt Finlands utrikes- och säkerhetspolitik. Till projektet hör forskare Jyri Lavikainen (FIIA), associerad analytiker Sinikukka Saari (EUISS), universitetslektor Sirke Mäkinen (AI), specialforskare Pentti Forsström (Försvarshögskolan), biträdande professor Katri Pynnöniemi (Försvarshögsskolan), projektforskare Outi Helin (Förvarshögskolan), ledande forskare Harri Mikkola (FIIA) och äldre forskare Matti Pesu (FIIA).