British lobby groups in European policy-making in the 1970s and 1980s

We are pleased to offer a PhD Studentship, consisting of a fee waiver and annual stipend of £16,000 for three years. The Studentship will commence in January 2016, and is available to applicants with a Home fee status only (usually defined as applicants from the UK and EU).

Project description

A project proposal is invited for a PhD project analysing British non-governmental actors and their relationship with the European Union. A proposal which analyses how one or several such groups adapted to European policy-making following British accession to the EEC in 1973 is especially welcome. In recent years non-governmental actors have come to be considered as a fundamental element in the European policy-making process. British membership in the European Economic Community (EEC) posed significant challenges to lobby groups.

So far, British interest groups and their relationship with European integration have only been investigated for the pre-accession period in the 1960s. The crucial period from 1973 onwards is thus a fruitful area for historical research into lobby groups’ relationships with EEC institutions and other European lobby organisations, the degree of ‘Europeanization’ the British groups underwent, and, crucially, their ability to influence the agenda-setting and decision-making process in Brussels.

The successful applicant is expected to investigate one or several British interest groups, possibly in a comparative perspective. The research is expected to be multi-archival in nature, with the student accessing both British governmental and non-governmental documents as well as, if appropriate, material issued by the EEC institutions and European-level lobby organisations based in Brussels. Oral history interviews could complement the archival material. The successful proposal should be conscious of recent research, in History and other disciplines, on European integration and non-state actors. A readiness to incorporate European integration theory, where appropriate, is an advantage.

Entry requirements and how to apply:

Applicants should normally have a minimum classification of 2.1 in their Bachelor Degree or equivalent and preferably a Masters degree. Applicants whose secondary level education has not been conducted in the medium of English should also demonstrate evidence of appropriate English language proficiency normally defined as IELTS: 7.0 (overall score with not less than 6.5 in any of the individual elements).

The application should include a research proposal of 2,500‐3,000 words and you can find guidance on how to write a research proposal here: http://www.westminster.ac.uk/courses/research-degrees/entry-requirements/how-to-write-your-research-proposal

The applicant will require a background in History or a related discipline.

For queries please contact Dr Katja Seidel at k.seidel@westminster.ac.uk