Can you tell us how you started working on the PALS Survey? What was it about the project that sparked your interest?

My master's thesis advisor pointed me to the job posting for the project, which was then under the descriptive working title "Comparative Survey." What intrigued me most about the project was the challenging task of collecting data across various countries, cultures, and languages. Although other comparative survey projects had shown that such a feat was possible, I honestly had no idea how it could be accomplished. This curiosity drove me to apply for the position.

 

How was the process of developing the research questions for your PhD dissertation?

Unlike many other PhD positions, for my application to SCRIPTS, I only needed to outline initial ideas for a topic since the focus of the job seeking was my contribution to the survey project. I thought this was nice because I didn't have to worry too much about my topic initially, but it also meant that finding a topic coincided with the intensive onboarding process. During this time, I envied those in my BGTS cohort who already had a topic. Ultimately, thanks to the fantastic support from my supervisor, Heiko Giebler, I found a good balance between being passionate enough about a topic to dedicate three to four years to it and ensuring the topic was specific enough to be completed within that timeframe. External factors also influenced my dissertation questions, such as the opportunity to collect my own data within PALS.

 

What tips would you give to the PhD candidates who are about to start at SCRIPTS in the autumn?

It may sound a bit clichéd, but finding a middle ground between a personally passionate topic and the pragmatic realisation that you have limited time for your PhD is crucial. Besides writing, you might also want to attend conferences or workshops during your PhD. It makes sense to consider whether your topic is relevant to the academic community. Additionally, I advise discussing your topic with others. I know from personal experience that a PhD topic can feel very personal, making initial criticism hard to take. However, any academic work can benefit from external input. At SCRIPTS, I've found that many people are approachable and willing to help. I highly recommend taking advantage of this wonderful network! At the same time, even your roommate, who might know nothing about your topic, can sometimes offer a breakthrough suggestion for formulating your questions.

What was the most enjoyable part of the work, and what was the most surprising finding of your PhD project?

The most exciting moments were definitely when I first opened the dataset of my own surveys and reviewed the results of my items. My research focused on the subjective value of privacy. In my view, the work revealed many fascinating findings. On a more abstract level, the most surprising aspect was that the three very different survey datasets led to very similar results. This consistency reassured and pleased me as it confirmed the robustness of the conclusions, although I hadn't necessarily expected it.

 

What were the biggest challenges you faced while working on the PALS project?

The biggest challenge was probably the constant time pressure typical of large projects like PALS, due to factors such as budget years, call for tender guidelines, and the difficulty of scheduling when there are many project partners. I wasn't always certain that I would still be employed by the time PALS was finalised. The fact that we managed to conduct two waves within the timeframe makes me all the prouder.

 

In your opinion, how will the PALS Survey Data benefit future research? Can the data be used for research in areas other than political science and sociology?

PALS offers such a wealth of research topics that I'm optimistic it will add value to many different areas of inquiry. Against the background of continuing polarisation, assessing and analysing public attitudes towards freedom and democratic values seems as indispensable as ever. At the same time, I believe that certain questions in PALS could also be of interest to fields outside of social sciences, such as psychology. However, PALS has particularly set a high standard in methodological approaches and documentation which might be of interest for survey researchers generally. For instance, the structured selection of countries is notable and unprecedented in globally comparative surveys.