Supported by the Reconciliation Fund in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the fellowship is part of the UCD Newman Fellowship Programme and is located in the Centre for Peace and Conflict Research (formerly the Institute for British-Irish Studies), in the School of Politics and International Relations.

The Newman Fellow will undertake research on potential constitutional responses to changing relations between communities on the island of Ireland, between North and South, and between Ireland and Great Britain, following the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. In this way, the fellow will contribute to the work of the research project, ‘Constitutional Futures after Brexit’, which is directed by Dr Paul Gillespie. Within this project, the fellow’s research is expected to focus on how unionists in Northern Ireland engage with debates about and processes of constitutional change, their relationships with unionists elsewhere in the UK, and how prepared they are to put forward plans for a reformed and renegotiated union in any possible referendum as an alternative to plans for Irish unity. The fellow appointed will conduct a one year research programme in this area.

Applications are invited from candidates who hold a doctoral degree and have research experience. Applicants should have a strong interest in British-Irish relations, the Northern Ireland conflict, constitutional politics, comparative politics and/or conflict resolution and peacebuilding. The successful applicant will be prepared to publish in high impact journals and with leading scholarly publishers. Please view the university Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.

The Newman Fellowship comes with a generous stipend and is tenable for one year. Fellows are registered as fulltime students for the duration of the Fellowship term.

How to Apply:

The candidate must complete the Newman Fellowship Candidate Form and provide an updated and detailed CV. Candidates should also include a covering letter outlining how their qualifications and experience match the requirements of the position. All documents should be sent to: newmanfellowship@ucdfoundation.ie with ‘Newman Fellowship in Constitutional Futures’ in the subject line.

Two nominated referees must separately submit their confidential reports using the Newman Fellowship Referee Form and send to: newmanfellowship@ucdfoundation.ie with ‘Newman Fellowship in Constitutional Futures’ in the subject line.

*If your computer’s security settings are preventing you from downloading the application forms, please request a Candidate Application Pack by emailing: newmanfellowship@ucdfoundation.ie

Further Information:

Informal enquiries regarding this Fellowship may be directed to pegillespie@gmail.com

Deadline: The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 17:00 on 20th February 2023.

The Fellowship start date will be arranged with the successful candidate and will ideally commence in April 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.