The call for the “Predoctoral Grants for PID2024 Projects” was published on October 28 on the People Management Area (UAB) desk.
The deadline for submitting applications is from October 29 to November 19, 2025.
This is a centralized procedure by the UAB. For more information about the procedure, please consult the attached documentation.
Project TEDIS
“Territorialization of rights and social infrastructures: the role of public facilities in contexts of urban vulnerability”, directed by professors Oriol Nel·lo and Ismael Blanco.
The project PID2024-161606OB-I00 (financed by the Estatal Agency of Investigation) of the Institute of Government and Public Policies of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) opens a call to incorporate a doctoral student in the project of social infrastructure rights: the role of public facilities in contexts of urban vulnerability”, led by Drs Oriol Nello and Ismael Blanco.
The selected candidate will join the Geography doctorate program and the IGOP research team.
The project
In recent decades, a significant increase in socio-spatial inequalities has been observed in most European cities, a reality to which Spanish society is no stranger. The intensification of urban segregation dynamics leads to a notable increase in inequalities in living conditions between different metropolitan neighborhoods and municipalities, as well as the aggravation of vulnerability in the most disadvantaged urban areas. What institutional resources do the different urban areas that make up metropolises have, and to what extent are these resources effective in responding to the social needs that are concentrated in each territory? To what extent does the socio-spatial distribution of public resources on a metropolitan scale contribute to reducing or, on the contrary, to reproducing and widening the differences in the living conditions of the various social groups? What impact do institutional resources have on the social dynamics of the territory? This research aims to offer answers to these types of questions based on an analysis of the socio-spatial distribution, organizational forms and community dynamics of public facilities.
The project aims to test two main hypotheses. The first is that public facilities tend to be distributed unevenly in the metropolitan area, being scarcer and less accessible precisely where social needs are most intense. The second is that the value of facilities as social infrastructure can vary greatly depending on aspects such as the type of services they offer, the management models and the type of urban areas in which they are located. To analyse these aspects, the research takes the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the city of Barcelona itself as a case study. In a first level of analysis, the AMB’s Public Facilities Data GeoBase will be exploited, with information on more than 5,800 public facilities of various types, crossing this information with data on income and urban vulnerability of the different areas that make up the AMB. In a second level of analysis, two thematic studies will be carried out in the city of Barcelona on the network of public libraries and the network of civic centers.
Beyond its scientific interest, this research aims to generate useful knowledge for resolving the demographic challenge and social cohesion, as well as for the public policies and governance identified in the PEICTI 2024-2027. To this end, thematic panels will be organized with local technical and political leaders, a methodological guide will be developed and several conferences will be held to disseminate and compare results in different Spanish cities.
Job description
The selected applicant will become part of the research team PID2024-161606OB-I00. In close collaboration with the principal investigators and the rest of the research team, the selected person will be able to: develop a doctoral thesis on a topic related to the project, contribute to the development of the research project, present and publish works related to the research results, collaborate in the organization and participate in the project conferences and seminars.
Profile
- Degree in Geography, Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Economics or Architecture.
- Postgraduate in Urban Studies or related subjects.
- Good statistical knowledge.
- Good knowledge of geographic information systems (GIS).
- Willingness to join a multidisciplinary team with involvement in public policies in vulnerable urban areas.
Project GPOL
“The dynamics of gender polarization”, led by Eva Anduiza, researcher of the research group Democracy, Elections and Citizenship and the Institute of Government and Public Policies (IGOP).
The candidate would become part of the GPOL project team and join the PPIR (Politics Policies and International Relations) doctoral program for a period of 4 years.
The project
The GPOL project investigates the dynamics of gender polarization in Spain, conceptualized along three dimensions: the growing differences in attitudes and behaviors between men and women; tensions around gender issues (including issues related to representation, recognition, redistribution, and sexual and reproductive rights); and ambivalence in attitudes toward feminism. These dimensions serve to examine the processes that drive polarization, its evolution over time, and its implications for voting and political support.
The project will analyze whether attitudes and preferences are based on specific considerations, on partisan identification or on different feminist frameworks, and how they are polarized, affecting political competition. The project adopts a longitudinal methodological approach, using data from the POLAT panel and media sources, complemented by qualitative and cross-sectional evidence.
Job description
We offer a four-year predoctoral research contract (FPI) to carry out a doctoral thesis within the UAB PPIR program. The selected person will join a consolidated research group (DEC) in the Department of Political Science and the Institute of Government and Public Policies (IGOP) of the UAB. The DEC offers a stimulating and supportive environment for the completion of the doctorate, with opportunities for advanced methodological training, attendance at international conferences and seminars, publication in high-impact journals and access to unique resources and data.
Profile
- Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Political Science or in some discipline of the Social Sciences (Sociology, Economics, Psychology, Communication), with a total of 300 ECTS credits.
- You must have solid methodological training. Fluency in English and Spanish is required.
- The selected person will contribute to all tasks of the research project, including data analysis and preparation of publications.
