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PhD Position (full-time, 4 years) in the project Climate justice before courts – A normative investigation into the role of courts in addressing climate change at Erasmus School of Philosophy

Application deadline: February 19 2024, 23h55 CET

The Climate justice before courts project:

Courts have become a major actor in disputes about climate justice. In the past decade, the world has experienced an important increase in the number and influence of climate litigation cases, with the Urgenda and Neubauer vs. Germany as the leading and to-date most relevant European cases. These cases have showcased a live dispute concerning the appropriate role of courts in the determination of emissions pathways. 

Although judicial discretion has occupied philosophers of law in the past, some of the salient characteristics of climate change, such as its emergency and its potential life-threatening consequences, might be relevant to examine what the appropriate role of courts should be in the context of climate policies. Moreover, since most climate litigation cases are strategic litigation cases and this form of litigation usually raises legitimacy concerns, an investigation into the legitimacy of strategic litigation, its compatibility with democracy and its desirability in the context of climate change is also timely. Furthermore, climate litigation cases have been based on different normative grounds (human rights, ecocentric approaches, etc.), but their normative differences and the consequences of this fact have not been yet investigated. Finally, on a more theoretical level, there is still a research gap concerning the appropriate epistemic standards of proof in climate litigation cases. 

The envisioned PhD project will engage with the topic of political and legal philosophy in relation to the appropriate role of courts in climate policymaking. Although the candidate will work mostly with the methods of legal and political philosophy, they are also expected to engage with legal theory and legal sociological discussions concerning the topic, as well as with European and international climate litigation cases. 

The PhD-position is located within the Erasmus School of Philosophy (ESPhil) and part of the Erasmus Institute for Philosophy and Economics (EIPE). EIPE has a good number of colleagues doing research in climate change, climate justice and ethics with whom the PhD researcher would have the opportunity to collaborate, including their supervisor (dr. Laura García-Portela), dr. Constanze Binder and dr. Connrad Heilmann. Moreover, collaboration would also be possible with the colleagues at the Erasmus School of Law (ESL). Beyond the EUR, the candidate will be encouraged to collaborate with influential NGOs in the Netherlands, such as Urgenda.

The PhD project
The candidate’s primary responsibility will be to conduct research and write a PhD thesis. The candidate should also contribute to development of the field of climate justice in other ways, such as by giving scholarly presentations and co-organizing reading groups and workshops. Furthermore, the PhD candidate will become part of a large and diverse community of PhD candidates, and is expected to contribute as a junior lecturer to the Erasmus School of Philosophy’s (ESPhil) educational programme. 

Requirements 
We are looking for a motivated PhD candidate with the following background and skills: 

• BA and/or MA in Philosophy, Political Science, Law, Sociology or related disciplines, with strong interest in and ability for undertaking philosophical research. 
• Interest in broad questions within climate ethics/justice
• Interest in collaborative and interdisciplinary work, especially between law, political theory, sociology, and philosophy.
• Willingness to move to the Netherlands and integrate oneself in the academic environment at ESPhil and EUR
• Good writing, oral, and organizational skills
• Proficiency in written and spoken English (at least C1 level)

How to apply
To apply, please send your application package, no later than February 2, by e-mail to office@esphil.eur.nl. Please mention ‘PhD Climate justice’ in the subject line. The application package should include the following files in PDF format:

• CV (without picture), including your e-mail and the e-mail addresses of two academic referees.
• A motivation letter (max. 2 pages) including a brief sketch of the envisioned PhD project or ideas related to the PhD project.
• Writing sample in English (a short coursework essay or thesis chapter, no less than 2,000 and no more than 5,000 words).

Applicants will be notified by February 23, 2024 whether they are selected for the interviews. Interviews will be held the 1st of March. Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from Laura García-Portela via garciaportela@esphil.eur.nl.

More information: https://www.eur.nl/en/vacancies/phd-position-full-time-4-years