PhD Studentship for Project Reconciling Ownership and Democracy within Land-use Transformations

The Department of Political Science and Public Management, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, invites applications for a three-year full-time PhD scholarship for the project Reconciling ownership and democracy within land-use transformations (ROOT), with employment starting from 15 August 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. The place of employment will be in Odense.

The project—funded by SDU Climate Cluster—examines how the green tripartite agreement shapes land use and ownership, showing how property rights influence democratic decision-making and landscape outcomes. The project combines historical analysis, fieldwork, and political theory to trace its roots in past land reforms and future impacts while studying interactions between municipalities, landowners, and civil society. The goal is to offer insights and institutional solutions for more democratic, climate-conscious land governance.

The PhD project will particularly focus on (1) how to conceptualize property rights as dynamic and historically situated, and (2) how existing property regimes enable or constrain the Green Tripartite Agreement, identifying key historical, economic, and cultural conditions. Ideally, these issues should be addressed through a combination of political theory, historical analysis, and ethnographic fieldwork.

Motivated applications are invited from candidates holding a master’s degree in relevant fields – for instance, history, political science, or anthropology.

The application deadline is May 27, 2026, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST) 

For more information and the full job call, please visit the University of Southern Denmark’s recruitment site.

Please apply via the ‘Apply’ button above.

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