PhD Position – The Politics of EU Climate Policies

The Amsterdam School for Regional and Transnational and European Studies (ARTES), a research school of the University of Amsterdam, invites applications for a fully-funded 4-year PhD position. The position is funded by a starting grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands led by political geographer Dr. Andrew Telford. 

You will be working on a research project which explores the ways in which the EU’s climate policies, especially policies that are a part of the EU Green Deal introduced in 2019, are politically contested in subnational regional contexts in the European Union. In particular, the project will investigate the ways in which EU climate policy is contested at local, subnational levels: which political narratives are constructed and contested in debates about EU climate policy at subnational local scales? How do these contestations tie into debates about green ‘backlash’ and right-wing ‘populist’ responses to EU climate policy? You will formulate your own research proposal as part of your application for the PhD fellowship and this must focus on one particular EU policy area and its local contestation in one or two subnational regional contexts. Potential policy areas include, but are not limited to: phase-out of coal and other fossil fuels in the EU, just transition policies in the EU, EU agricultural and food security policy reforms, and EU energy and heating policies. 

What do you have to offer? 

First and foremost we are looking for candidates who are passionate about climate change politics and the implications of EU climate policies in particular. You will be intellectually curious and politically driven in the context of climate politics in Europe, particularly the ways in which climate policies are contested at different geographical scales (from the local to the international) 

Your experience and profile 

• A completed Master's (research) degree in Human/Social Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, Environmental Studies or a related discipline. You may apply if you have not yet completed your Master's degree only if you provide a signed letter from your supervisor stating that you will graduate before 01 September 2024;
• Excellent research skills demonstrated by an outstanding Master's thesis and a demonstrable capacity to develop an extended PhD research project and publishable research outputs;
• Language skills at the required proficiency (B2 in speaking, listening and reading) to complete in-depth qualitative fieldwork (online and in-person) in your chosen field location(s)/case study context(s) within the EU;
• Experience with qualitative research methods and qualitative data analysis, particularly in-depth interviews and online qualitative research (social media analysis, online interviews, digital ethnography);
• A strong cooperative attitude and willingness to engage in collaborative research;
• Enthusiasm for communicating academic research to non-academic audiences;
• Excellent command of English. 

Further information: 

Further information about the vacancy, including items required as part of the application, can be obtained by clicking on the ‘apply’ button above. If you have any questions about the position or the department, please contact during office hours:

• Dr Andrew Telford, Assistant Professor in European Studies with a focus on climate change and conflict
• a.j.telford@uva.nl
• t: +31 (0)20 525 2605 

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