PhD Candidates for the project Climate Citizenship

Leiden University's Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (CADS)

2 PhD Candidates for the project “Climate Citizenship (4 years, full time)

We welcome applications for two PhD candidates for the research project “Climate Citizenship: Infrastructures, Environments, and Democracy in the Era of Climate Change,” funded by a European Research Council Starting Grant (ERC-StG).

Climate Citizenship explores how adapting environments to climate change through new forms of nature-based infrastructure reshapes people's relationships with each other and the state. Examples range from green roofs and vertical gardens to urban parks, flood plains, and more ambitious efforts to transform landscapes. The project treats these infrastructures as social and political as well as environmental experiments. It asks: when and how do they stimulate behavioural change, create new alliances between stakeholders, or transform the division of rights and responsibilities within a society?

As a PhD candidate, you will conduct ethnographic research on these questions in either the Louisiana Delta (the United States) or the Tokyo Bay area (Japan). You will employ an “ecographic” research design, combining ethnographic methods with those from the ecological sciences in order to track how new forms of climate adaptation alter both environment and society. Your primary supervisor will be the project’s Principal Investigator, Dr. Andrew Littlejohn. The project is hosted by Leiden University’s Institute of Cultural Anthropology & Development Sociology.

What you will do

• You will conduct ethnographic research, entailing at least 10 months of fieldwork in one of the two research sites, using an “ecographic” protocol developed together with the Postdoc;
• Submit a PhD thesis, publish at least one peer-reviewed journal article, and produce one work of audio-visual media;
• Co-produce a podcast series designed for a public audience on the results of the project;
• Participate in the meetings and proceedings of the project (e.g. reading groups, seminars, workshops) and wider activities of the Institute of Cultural Anthropology & Development Sociology, including training requirements of the institute and faculty;
• Co-organise and participate in academic and public events, such as an international conference organized by the project.

You will be part of a team comprising two PhD candidates, a postdoctoral researcher, and the PI. The entire team is expected to reside in the Netherlands and work from Leiden for the duration of the project, except during fieldwork.

Where you will work

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences consists of five institutes: Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Education and Child Studies, Political Science, and Psychology. The faculty has approximately 7000 students and 1000 staff members. Within the institutes, not only education is provided but also groundbreaking research is conducted that pushes the boundaries of our understanding of human behaviour and societal structures. What makes our faculty unique is the diversity of research topics, the various styles of teaching, and the way professional support is organized; this provides you with the opportunity to explore and develop your interests and expertise.

Leiden University's Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (CADS)

Leiden University's Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology concentrates on 'global vulnerability and social resilience'. The institute has three main themes: diversity, sustainability, and digitalisation. CADS is dedicated to making a real-world impact, not just studying change, but also working with communities to promote positive change through education and research. We use a unique approach that blends qualitative, quantitative, audiovisual, and digital methods based on ethnographic fieldwork.

With our unique blend of interdisciplinary interests, comparative regional studies, and social science research methods, we emphasize our role in the extensive collaborative network within Leiden University. In both our research and education, we engage in extensive interdisciplinary and international networks.

What you bring

• (Research) Master's degree in Cultural Anthropology or another relevant social science;
• Excellent research skills as demonstrated by an outstanding master’s thesis or research papers;
• Enthusiasm, passion, and commitment for long-term fieldwork in the United States or Japan;
• Speaking, reading, and writing skills in Japanese in the case of research in Japan, for example as demonstrated by the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test;
• Excellent command of English (speaking and writing);
• Independent work attitude and demonstrable ability to work in a team.

Some interest and/or experience in ecological and acoustic research methods and outputs is an advantage but not a requirement.

What we offer

Our goal is to work together to create a transparent and inclusive work environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated. Our organisation is always evolving, and we need your ideas for improvement and innovation to take us further. We want to devote attention to your personal development.

You can expect an enjoyable job within the socially relevant world of education and research. The University's challenging and international work environment is located just steps away from Leiden’s lively city centre or the bustling city centre of The Hague. We also want to work with you to devote attention to your health and vitality, for example with the fun activities we organise through Healthy University.

We also offer:

• A temporary employment contract for (38 hours per week) as a PhD candidate, initially for a period of 1 year, with the possibility of extension for 3 years after a positive evaluation. This contract falls under the Collective Labour Agreements (CLA) of Dutch Universities;
• A salary of a minimum of € 2,901 and a maximum of € 3,707 gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours) (scale P); with increments based on the CLA.
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
• Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours;
• If your work allows it, hybrid working is possible within the Netherlands;
• A home-working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good workplaces. The University will also provide you with a laptop and a mobile telephone (if applicable for the position).

What we find important

Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research mean inclusive education and research.

"The project offers a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of climate change adaptation and social dynamics. We are looking for candidates who are passionate about making a real-world impact through their research."
Dr. Andrew Littlejohn, Assistant Professor