At a Glance
- Tasks: Conduct ethnographic research on sodium pentobarbital in Mexico and contribute to innovative academic projects.
- Company: University of Glasgow's School of Social & Political Sciences, known for its collaborative research environment.
- Benefits: Full-time position with funding for up to 4 years and relocation assistance available.
- Other info: Opportunity to develop creative methodologies and engage with international research networks.
- Why this job: Join a groundbreaking project exploring the social implications of pharmaceuticals and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in ethnographic research methods and a passion for social sciences.
The predicted salary is between 32870 - 40174 £ per year.
In this role, the successful candidate will make a leading contribution to the ERC-funded project MORTALMED (Mortal Medicine: The Social Life of a Death-Inducing Pharmaceutical), working with Dr Marcos Freire de Andrade Neves and the wider MORTALMED research team. The postholder will join an internationally oriented and collaborative project that traces the circulation of sodium pentobarbital across transnational networks and local fields of use.
The postholder will conduct ethnographic research in Mexico, contributing to the project’s Mexico-based subproject on the formal and informal networks through which sodium pentobarbital is accessed, sold, regulated, and transported. The subproject focuses especially on Mexico’s role in the transnational circulation of pentobarbital, where the drug is legally available through veterinary markets while also becoming implicated in cross-border assisted dying practices.
Through fieldwork in Mexico, the postholder will examine how these overlapping uses are shaped by pharmaceutical regulation, commercial practice, legal uncertainty, and the everyday practices through which people encounter, handle, sell, prescribe, discuss, or seek access to the drug. Pentobarbital will be approached both as an object of research and as a methodological entry point.
The successful candidate will be expected to use ethnographic methods, including participant observation, interviews, and documentary, media, or archival analysis where appropriate, to follow the drug into the wider social worlds it helps to reveal. Applications are also welcome from candidates interested in developing further methodological and creative ways of engaging with pentobarbital, including chemoethnography, assemblage ethnography, archival work, or experimental approaches to tracing pharmaceutical circulation, regulation, and use.
The successful candidate will be expected to undertake fieldwork, analyse and interpret research material, contribute to academic publications and other project outputs, and support the conceptual development of MORTALMED. This post is full time (35 hours per week) and has funding available for up to 4 years in the first instance. Relocation assistance will be provided where appropriate.
Research Associate, School of Social & Political Sciences, University of Glasgow, Scotland employer: Regional Studies Association
The Regional Studies Association in London is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters collaboration and innovation in climate research. With a strong commitment to employee development, you will have access to unique growth opportunities while working on impactful projects that directly benefit rural communities in the Himalayas. Our inclusive culture encourages engagement with local communities, making your work not only meaningful but also rewarding.
Contact Details:
Regional Studies Association Recruitment Team
