Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) is a young and lively university, a hub of opportunity
open to the world where students are offered a quality interdisciplinary education in which
they can be fully engaged and take center stage, and where our researchers can count on
having the space to freely pursue their initiative.
Established in 1996, USI is in constant evolution, always taking on new challenges while
remaining true to its three guiding principles: quality, openness and responsibility.
The Institute of Argumentation, Linguistics and Semiotics (IALS) represents a lively research
environment for a PhD student who specializes in argumentation. Interaction with several
researchers specializing on argumentation in different contexts, as well as interdisciplinary
interactions with colleagues inside and outside the Faculty is an asset for a PhD candidate
who wants to work on empirical argumentation.
The IALS Institute invites applications for a research and teaching PhD position (100%, 3
years, potentially extendable to 4).
The PhD candidate will develop his or her dissertation project within the fields of
Argumentation Theory and Discourse Analysis with a special focus on argumentation in
situations of conflict or societal controversy. This dissertation will be supervised by Prof.
Sara Greco.
The Research Project
The selected candidate will develop his or her dissertation in the framework of the research
activities directed by Prof. Sara Greco at the IALS, contributing to consider argumentation as
an alternative to conflict (see this short publication for a synthesis of the research orientation:
doc.rero.ch/record/322610). The candidate and supervisor will discuss the opportunity
to choose between two research areas, also subject to availability of empirical data. The
former is the study of argumentation in (formal or informal) conflict mediation in interpersonal
conflicts, for example in organizations. The latter is the study of conflictual frames and issues
misalignments in societal controversies (conflicts at a broader level), for example
controversies on equal opportunities, or fashion sustainability, energy policies, or other. The
latter stream of research will also benefit of the connection to the COST Action CA17132
research network (publicpolicyargument.eu/), in which Prof. Greco is leader of the
empirical working group.
The Ph.D. Position
The doctoral student will be enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Communication Sciences. The
PhD candidate will collaborate to the development of the institute research agenda.
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He or she will have the task of setting up a collection of data for his or her dissertation, while
at the same time participating in a variety of tasks related to the research streams in which
he/she is involved. The PhD candidate is also asked to present papers at scientific
conferences, and produce publications for scientific journals.
On the teaching side, he/she will work as teaching assistant in argumentation courses at the
master level and in the course “Comunicazione verbale” (verbal communication) at the
bachelor level, helping in the preparation of teaching materials and tutoring students.
Candidates’ Profile
Ideal candidates should satisfy the following requirements:
Contract terms
The position is internally financed and the salary levels correspond to those set by the Swiss
National Science Foundation for PhD researchers:
www.snf.ch/SiteCollectionDocuments/allg_doktorierende_f.pdf.
Starting date is September 1st, 2020 (at the earliest). However, the position will be kept open
until a suitable candidate has been found.
Workplace is USI Università della Svizzera italiana, located in Lugano, Switzerland.
Availability to travel to other parts of Switzerland and abroad (for purposes of collaboration
and research) is required.
The Application
Applications should contain: (1) a letter in which the applicants describe their research
interests and the motivation to apply, (2) a complete CV, (3) copies of relevant diplomas,
certificates as well as the full transcript of records that prove the candidates’ eligibility for
doctoral studies in Communication Sciences, (4) an electronic version of a research work
(Master thesis or other scientific publication). The latter must be accompanied by a short
summary in English (1 page maximum). A support letter written by the Master thesis
supervisor (or another Professor who knows the candidate well) is equally welcome.
Please send your application in electronic form or requests for further information to Prof.
Sara Greco (sara.greco@usi.ch). Applications received before 20 March 2020, will be given
priority. However, applications will be received until the position is filled.
USI strives to be an equal opportunity and family friendly employer and is further responsive
to the needs of dual career couples. We guarantee that the selection process will give equal
opportunities to female and male researchers.
Lugano, February 10th, 2020