From MaPS straight to a Doctoral student position
Đorđe Milosav is a former student at the Master´s Programme in Political Science (MaPS). A couple of days after defending his Master thesis he was accepted for a Doctoral student position in Ireland. Now he is investigating the link between politics and emigration.
You recently started a Doctoral student (PhD) position, tell us more
Yes, in August 2019 at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. I am enrolled in a PhD programme at the Department of Political Science there.
I felt I was not just a student number and that my thoughts and opinions, although sometimes incorrect, were listened to with care.
Can you describe your research, what are you going to write your thesis about?
The general topic of my dissertation is the link between politics and emigration. More specifically I am investigating if there is a link between the restrictiveness of visa regimes in potential migration host countries and the political motivations and behavior of individuals in middle-income origin countries. I feel that this research matters because continually tightening immigration policies of many developed countries may have political consequences in migrants’ countries of origin.
Although this research topic is not connected to the topic of my Master thesis, the course Quality of Government in Comparative Perspective and the internship I did at the Quality of Government Institute helped me to theoretically frame one chapter of my dissertation.
What makes your area of research interesting?
The project will use a mixed methods approach, where I will be able to support my potential findings based on a statistical analysis of data with survey experiments and in-depth interviews. In that way, I will be able to both theoretically and practically focus on the individual migrant – giving him/her back the agency that is currently lacking in the existing economic literature.
Why did you get into political science at the University of Gothenburg?
I was enrolled in a one semester Erasmus+ student exchange programme at the University of Konstanz in Germany. During my stay, I participated in a course offered by Dr Holger Doering which was inspired by the work done by the Quality of Government Institute. After completing the course requirements, Dr Doering suggested me to check the QoG database where I found a link that lead to the application for the Master´s Programme in Political Science (MaPS). After checking the programme content, I knew it was the right programme for me. Yet, since I could never afford to pay the tuition fees as a non-EU student, I applied for the Swedish Institute Study Scholarship. Luckily, I received the scholarship offer, in the SPAM email section! , and was admitted to the programme at the University of Gothenburg.
What was it like to study at the Department of Political Science?
Simply said, it was truly great. The programme had around 30-40 students so the teachers were able to provide a very good quality of teaching and feedback. I felt I was not just a student number and that my thoughts and opinions, although sometimes incorrect, were listened to with care. Exactly in those situations when I did make mistakes I learned the most. Also, during the last semester when I wrote my thesis, I received immense support from my supervisor Marina Nistotskaya, which made the process of writing the thesis a wonderful but intense experience.
If you were to encourage somebody to apply to MaPS, which attractive, strong features would you emphasize?
As I mentioned previously, I would suggest MaPS because it is a well-established Master’s programme taught by experts in their fields. Due to the relatively small number of students and friendly and approachable staff, I believe that future students would feel welcomed and appreciated in the academic community. Also, for people that are from outside of Sweden or Gothenburg, the city itself is truly great. It offers both the peace necessary for studies and a range of possibilities for different activities. It is surrounded by beautiful nature and hosts a number of events that you can enjoy during your spare time.
If you hadn’t become a Doctoral student, what would you be doing today?
My intention from the beginning of my Master's studies was to pursue a PhD position after the completion of my Master’s degree. If I hadn´t get the offer as fast as I did, I would probably have been writing a proposal for a PhD application today. Yet, with the help of my previous supervisor who suggested me as a potential PhD candidate, I was admitted to Trinity College Dublin just a couple of days after I defended my Master's thesis. For that, and for all the things I have learned in the two years I spent in Gothenburg, I will remain very grateful.
MORE ABOUT ĐORĐE MILOSAV
Age: 25
From: Serbia
Education at the University of Gothenburg: Master´s Programme in Political Science (MaPS).
And before MapS?: In 2017, I received my Bachelor’s degree in political science at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade, Serbia. During the winter semester of my final year, I participated in the Erasmus+ student exchange program at the University of Konstanz, where I was involved in the courses offered by the Department of Politics and Public Administration.