PhD Research Fellow: Universal Health Coverage and Democracy in India (HOPE Project)

About this job

About the position The Centre for Global Sustainability (Globe) invites applicants for a PhD position dedicated to conducting research on the interplay between democratic governance, development, and access to healthcare in India. The position is part of the research project Health, Opportunities, and Poverty Eradication: India’s Democracy-Healthcare Paradox and Global Impact (HOPE), funded by the Research Council of Norway. For more information about the project, see: https://www.globe.uio.no/forskning/prosjekter/demokrati-og-helse-i-india-/index.html The HOPE project examines how India’s economic ambitions and global influence intersect with persistent domestic governance challenges and structural healthcare inequalities. The project is structured around three tracks: (1) it explores how democracy and electoral politics shape health policy in India; (2) assesses the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Programme (ABP), India’s flagship universal health coverage programme; and (3) analyses India’s healthcare diplomacy in South Africa and Malawi, contrasting it with China’s approach. The successful candidate will conduct research under the second track of the project. About the PhD project The PhD candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary and multinational team of researchers with backgrounds in development studies, international studies, political science, and medical anthropology. HOPE is a collaboration between the University of Oslo (UiO), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in India, University of Pretoria in South Africa, and the University of Malawi. The PhD position will be based at the University of Oslo, but the candidate will collaborate closely with the research team in India. The appointment is a full-time PhD position for a period of three years with no compulsory teaching or administrative duties. The candidate will be expected to complete the 30 ECTS coursework requirement of the Faculty of Social Sciences PhD Programme as part of the doctoral training. The successful candidate will conduct ethnographic, qualitative or mixed-methods fieldwork in India and develop a PhD project in the second track of the HOPE project, with a focus on ABP’s implementation and access to healthcare, preferably in rural areas of India and/or among Adivasi communities (Scheduled Tribes). We are seeking a candidate with a master's degree in development studies, political science, area studies, sociology, anthropology or other relevant fields of study. We also welcome candidates with medical or health sciences degrees, if they can demonstrate experience with the use of qualitative social science methods at the master’s level. Previous experience from and knowledge of India is an advantage. Research questions may include: how ABP entitlements are interpreted and operationalised at the district and facility level; how marginalised populations (particularly Adivasi communities) navigate eligibility, enrolment, and care-seeking; and how state capacity, federalism, and electoral politics shape implementation outcomes. Applicants are encouraged to propose their own theoretical framing. The candidate will be supervised by Professor Dan Banik (UiO) with a co-supervisor at JNU or UiO and will conduct fieldwork in India for an extended period during the appointment. To be employed as a PhD Research Fellow, admission to a doctoral program at UiO is required. The successful candidate will apply for admission to the PhD Programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences at UiO. More about the position This position is intended to help the PhD candidate develop an individual research profile and a set of relevant skills. To this end, the focus of this position is to conduct research, including work on publications and dissemination. In addition, the candidate will be expected to actively contribute to the broader research agenda of the HOPE project, including project workshops, conference presentations, and regular project meetings. The PhD candidate will be employed by the Centre for Global Sustainability at the University of Oslo and affiliated with the research group “Poverty Reduction and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” directed by Professor Dan Banik. More about the Centre can be found here: https://www.globe.uio.no/english/ Qualification requirements and assessment criteria In this role, you must Hold a master’s degree (120 ECTS) or equivalent in development studies, political science, area studies, sociology, anthropology or other relevant fields of study, including medical or health sciences degrees, provided that the applicant can demonstrate experience with qualitative social science methods at the master’s level. Have a grade point average of A or B on the ECTS scale in your master's degree. Have demonstrated experience with the use of qualitative social science methods (e.g. fieldwork, interviews, ethnography) in the master’s thesis or other research. Have excellent written and oral proficiency in English. N

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