Call for application - Postdoctoral Fellowship on “Democracy and Ecological Transformations”

CEU-Sciences Po OSUN HUB for the Politics of the Anthropocene

Sciences Po is launching a call for applications for a 22-months postdoctoral fellowship on “Democracy and Ecological Transformations”, as part of the Politics of the Anthropocene (OHPA), a research project based at the Department of International Relations of Central European University (CEU) in Vienna, and in partnership with Sciences Po, in Paris (led by Dr. C. Halpern), and CEBRAP, in São Paulo (led by Dr. A. Favareto). The OPHA project is integrated within the Open Society University Network, a global ecosystem of educational institutions and curricular and research agendas. Among the outcomes of the OHPA work will be a series of open-access book-length publications with the CEU press. 

The fellowship is full-time and residential, starting from September 1^st, 2024, for a period of 22 months during which the postdoctoral position will be based at Sciences Po, in Paris. 

A FOCUS ON DEMOCRACY AND ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS

This postdoctoral fellowship will support Sciences Po’s efforts to contribute to the OPHA project by exploring the link between ecology and democracy. Both normatively and empirically, democracy has often been promoted to drive forward necessary sustainability transformations and address its challenges. But there are also clearly tensions between ecological and democratic imperatives. More specifically, the postdoctoral fellowship will seek to develop our understanding of the temporal and/or spatial tensions between ecology and democracy. In terms of temporality, it has often been observed that democracy is too slow to deliver urgent action, while at the same time suffering from short-termism. At the same time, framing the climate crisis as an intergenerational conflict shows the potential of raising long-term concerns about climate change in democratic ways. A related concern, however, is whether this can happen in time to safeguard the environmental conditions for democracies to continue functioning well. Spatially, democracy has been accused of focusing on national interests and of lacking the tools to incorporate global concerns like climate change, or the interests of vulnerable populations outside countries’ borders in particular. As such democracy might be at odds with principles of climate justice, while at the same time often being heralded as a condition for the kind of equalization of political power that is required to address climate change. In light of the need for urgent, just and global sustainability transformations, democracy thus clearly presents a double-edged sword. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Through the collaboration with CEU and drawing on the Sciences Po interdisciplinary environmental research community, the post-doctoral fellow will seek to collect evidence to support efforts to generate new assumptions and reconcile some of democracy’s apparent contradictions. He / she will be responsible for its stream of activities, which will include research, the organization of a workshop, co-editing a collected volume and other activities developed collaboratively with CEU. 

The post-doctoral research fellow will be hosted in one of the Sciences Po research units (an exhaustive list can be found here), in Paris. She or he will benefit from the support of existing environmental research initiatives at Sciences Po and from the supervision of a Sciences Po permanent faculty member, depending on his / her area of expertise. 

QUALIFICATIONS

The candidate must hold a PhD on the date of application (within 5 years from the completion) in history, political science, sociology, law, economics, or other relevant fields of social sciences. Excellent writing and editorial skills in English are required, as it will be the main working language for this position. A proven record of interdisciplinary work, network-building experience, ability to multitask in a diverse and challenging environment will be assets. 

We expect regular presence at the Sciences Po campus in Paris; proactive participation in organising academic events; regular communication with other partner networks; and cooperative work on the collective texts, including the development of an edited volume. We welcome international applications, in particular from researchers (particularly female) from around the globe to apply. 

WHAT WE OFFER

This two-year full time position ensures participation in a cutting-edge interdisciplinary project, provides access to a stellar academic network, and helps to build an outstanding publishing record. Combining a competitive package of benefits with a well developed environmental research infrastructure at Sciences Po, in Paris, this position provides an excellent opportunity for an outstanding early-career researcher. The Fellowship package includes a 63.000 EUR gross salary with employer charges per annum (12 months), as well as research and academic travel fund. 

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application no later than April 30, 2024 to Marie Le Carrer, the project manager: marie.lecarrer@sciencespo.fr   

Applications should be submitted in English and will consist of : 

• a cover letter (max. 2 pages),
• an up-to-date CV, 
• a detailed list of publications, 
• a sample of your academic work, 
• names of two references, 
• a research proposal (up to 2,000 words) 

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on July 2, 2024. 

The selection committee will be chaired by Joost de Moor (Centre d’études européennes et de politique comparée, Sciences Po). It is composed of Manisha Anantharaman (Centre de Sociologie des Organisations, Sciences Po), Alexander Edkind (Department of International Relations, Central European University) and Eloi Laurent (Observatoire français des conjonctures économiques, Sciences Po).