Vacancy: Post-Doctoral Researcher in International Relations and Internal Displacement, McGill University

Job Description 
The Centre for International Peace and Security Studies (CIPSS) at McGill University 
invites applications for a full-time Post-doctoral Researcher to work as part of a new SSHRC 
funded research programme on internally displaced persons (IDPs), under the direction of Prof. 
Jennifer Welsh and Prof. Megan Bradley. 

Research Project 
In 2021, the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on IDPs painted a stark picture of the 
expanding number of forced migrants worldwide and outlined a series of challenges related to the 
provision of humanitarian assistance, protection, and ‘durable solutions’ for IDPs. The Panel also 
provided a series of recommendations to improve national and international responses to IDPs – 
including through more research on IDPs and strengthened academic engagement on these 
responses. 

In response to this call, the primary objective of this new research project is to develop a 
landmark, comparative study of the localization of international norms on IDP protection, 
centering the roles of IDPs themselves and focusing on responses to two critical challenges: acute 
risks to IDPs’ physical security, and the pursuit of durable solutions to displacement. The project 
will draw on theories of localization and sovereignty from the field of International Relations (IR), 
alongside original empirical and normative analyses, to address five inter-related questions: (1) 
How have international norms on the protection of IDPs been localized since the adoption of the 
Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement in 1998? (2) What have been the consequences and 
limitations of these localization efforts and how can we explain them? (3) How have IDPs figured 
as agents in localization processes? (4) What are the implications of this empirical analysis for 
normative understandings of internal displacement, particularly from the perspective of 
international normative theory, political theory, and citizenship studies? (5) What insights does 
this analysis offer for improved policy and practice on IDP protection? 

Applicant Profile 
This research project welcomes postdoctoral applicants from political science, international 
relations, law, and forced migration studies, or related fields who can contribute to the project’s 
research objectives. Applicants with experience in conducting fieldwork would be particularly 
valuable for the project. 

The postdoctoral researcher will interact with the two senior researchers on the project – Prof. 
Welsh and Prof. Bradley – as well as graduate students and research assistants. The successful 
applicant will also join a network of scholars working in international relations across McGill 
and its partner institution, the Université de Montréal, as a fellow in the Centre for International 
Peace and Security Studies. 

Conditions and Requirements 
The start date for the position is 1 January 2024 (or as soon as possible thereafter). The duration 
is initially one year, with the possibility of renewal for a further year based on satisfactory 
progress. The postdoctoral researcher will receive a salary of $C52,000 per year as well as 
benefits and a $C4,000 annual research fund. 

The postdoctoral researcher will be expected to be in residence at McGill during the academic 
year, to maintain an active research and publication agenda, and to take full part in the activities 
of the research project, as well as seminars, workshops, and other events that form part of 
CIPSS. 

There is no teaching requirement associated with the position. 

Candidates must have recently been awarded (within 5 years) a PhD or must have been awarded 
or submitted (oral defense pending) by the start date of 1 January 2024. Knowledge of French is 
an advantage but not required. The competition is open with respect to citizenship and 
nationality, but applications should indicate the applicant’s citizenship. 

Other information on postdoctoral fellowships at McGill is available at http://www.mcgill.ca/gps/postdocs/fellows, including information on obtaining a Canadian 
work permit if necessary. 

Application Process 
Applicants should include a cover letter, CV, research statement and one writing sample of no 
more than 8,000-10,000 words as a single document. They should also provide the names of two 
referees who will be contacted if the candidate is short-listed. 

Applications should be sent to hiba.zerrougui@mcgill.ca and must be received by 15 August 
2023.