phd scholarship erc starting grant 'curiae virides' in the area of sustainable development law

OPPORTUNITY DETAILS

Total reward

0 $

State University

Vrije Universiteit Brussel VUB

Area

Western Europe

Host Country

Belgium

Deadline

31 Dec 2020

Study level

Doctoral Degree

Opportunity type

PhD

Specialities

Law

Opportunity funding

Full funding

Eligible Countries

This opportunity is destined for all countries

Eligible Region

All Regions

1 - Company profile

For already 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and connectedness. These values are strongly present on our campuses, in our students as well as our staff. At the VUB, you’ll find a diverse collection of personalities: pure innovators and especially people who are 100% their authentic selves. With about 3.500 employees, we are the largest Flemish-speaking employer in Brussels, an international city with which we are all too happy to be connected, and around which our four campuses are located.

Our education and research are grounded in the principles of free research with an eye on human progress. We disapprove of every purely authoritative argument and guarantee the free formation of judgement that is necessary for this basic principle to be incorporated in the community.

The VUB is autonomous and managed democratically. As such, we guarantee fundamental freedoms within our university, as well as the right of the university community to be involved in making and checking university policy.

The mission of the university includes:

the development, the transfer and the application of high-standing academic education and scientific research, free from any prejudice;
community integration of this in a spirit of social compassion;
critical development of everyone in light of the responsibilities borne in the community.

2 - Vacancy

The Institute for European Studies is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant.

About the Institute for European Studies (IES):

The IES aims to excel at cutting-edge, multidisciplinary and applied policy research on the most urgent governance challenges confronting policymakers in Europe and the wider world. Most notably, these include (i) the governance of sustainability transitions in Europe and internationally (ii) the impact of migration on the economic potential, political cohesion and diverse identities of European societies, (iii) the implications of the return of great power competition for European security, diplomacy and defence policies, and (iv) the way in which digital technologies challenge the organisation of the public and private sectors as well as our understanding of democracy writ large.

In this call, the IES is seeking an innovative and original PhD project within the first of the noted research themes, i.e. the sustainability transitions, more specific conducting research on “judicial (and social) activism on ecological governance gaps”.

Project Description:

You will join the team of the CURIAE VIRIDES project, funded by the European Research Council (ERC Str. Grant 909496). This project conceptualises the worldwide progressive transition of human rights litigation into more ecocentric litigation and the emerging but important role of (activist) courts in addressing ecological governance gaps. The project aims at inquiring how this greening of social litigation challenges the legal concept of attribution of liability in transnational lawsuits and influences access to remedy for victims of transnational ecological harms.

Position description:

You will support the team of the CURIAE VIRIDES project on the work packages related to the transformation of human rights related ecological conflicts into lawsuits and judgments, the identification of the actors in the greening process, and the role of actual victims in this transformation.

You are expected to contribute with the data collection on global socio-ecological conflicts that become lawsuits and - by means of legal research methods – to map and assess ecological lawsuits and judgments, the actors involved and geographical distribution of “ecocentric” courts.

You will define the scope of your PhD dissertation connected with the topics addressed in these work packages with the supervision of your promotor.

The research project is positioned at the intersections of sustainable development law, law and (ecological) economics, and the analysis of (ecological) litigation.

You will be expected to devote most of your time to research; additional tasks will include occasional teaching activities, event organization and contributions to the overall development of the project.

You will prepare papers, attend conferences and produce research publications as you carry out the PhD, individually or in collaboration with other team members.

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base.

3 - Job profile

What do we expect from you?

You’ve attained a
Master’s degree in law, or another social science Master’s degree with an important component of legal studies, with excellent study results.

You are fully fluent in English.
Additional assets:
- additional studies and/or diploma in environmental studies, development studies, policy economics, law & economics, or related fields;
- demonstrated expertise on the role of the judiciary in regions or countries outside Europe;
- demonstrating strong (empirical) methodological skills;
- proficiency in other languages, including relevant non-European languages.

You have not performed any works in the execution of a mandate as an assistant, paid from operating resources, over a total (cumulated) period of more than 12 months.

4 - Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You’ll be offered a full-time PhD-scholarship, for 12 months (extendable up to max. 48 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the PhD activities), with planned starting date 01/03/2021.

You’ll receive a grant linked to one of the scales set by the government.

IMPORTANT: The effective result of the doctorate scholarship is subject to the condition precedent of enrolment of the fellow as a doctorate student at the university.

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

As well as this, you’ll enjoy various benefits:

Full reimbursement for your home-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, or compensation if you come by bike;
Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
The space to form your job content and continuously learn via VUB LRN;
Excellent facilities for sport and exercise;
Ecocheques;
Delicious meals at attractive prices in our campus restaurants;
An open, family-friendly work environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract).

5 - Application

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

Send us ONLINE and at latest on 31/12/2020 :

your one-page motivation letter explaining the candidate’s interest in pursuing a PhD on the chosen topic;
your curriculum vitae listing academic qualifications, relevant research experience and previous publications;
a short concept note with a brief literature review and a discussion of the methodological challenges to tackle the topic of the research project CURIAE VIRIDES, with a word limit of maximum 1,500 words;
a copy of the highest obtained diploma and transcripts of academic grades (not applicable for VUB alumni);
the contact details (email and telephone) of two referees who are able to comment on your academic merit and/or working skills.

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Liliana Lizarazo Rodríguez at clizaraz@vub.be .

Short-listed candidates will be informed by January 2021 and interviews with top-listed candidates are expected to take place in the last weeks of January.

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to www.vub.ac.be/vacatures and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

BE THE FIRST TO APPLY