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A new social contract? Reshaping State and SocietyFor 2014, research applications dealing with the changing relations between states and societies are especially welcome.Both the series of Arab uprisings in 2011 and the recent protests in Ukraine can be understood as the quest for a new social contract based on democratic and constitutional values. Citizens took to the streets to stand up against the monopoly of power, oppression and corruption. They challenged the existing political and social orders and expressed their desire for a new common narrative.What impact do different forms of protest have on the pace and path of political change? How are new actors transforming state institutions? What consequences does this have for a society’s ability to negotiate its own future? How should we understand the relationship between state authority and society? How should we study states where governments fail to sustain capacities of control over societies within once established borders?Ph.D. students researching the dynamics of political change and their impact on societies are invited to apply for a scholarship. We encourage the following topics, but will also consider other approaches:dynamics of authoritarian persistence and democratizationforms of transitional stateshybridisation of political regimesdisintegration of statehoodrole of the social movementspolitical mobilizationregional and transnational dimensions of changeThe programme seeks to support young researchers in contributing novel insights into trajectories of change. It promotes both empirical research based on intensive fieldwork and projects centred on theoretical reflection. Innovative and challenging research questions as well as comparative approaches will be highly welcomed.Online-Application &#62;Download Programme PDF &#62;Download Terms of Reference PDF &#62;RequirementsApplicants must be Ph.D. students of social sciences or humanities. Prospective Ph.D. students can apply for Pre-Doctoral Research Grants.Deadline 20 October 2014 for a stipend starting in February 2015Please apply online at application.trajectories-of-change.de with Ph.D. proposal and two references.