Two postdoctoral positions | Political Ecology and Environmental Justice | Databases and Geographic Information Systems | Department of Political and Social Sciences at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain) | Deadline May 31 2024
Two postdoctoral positions in Barcelona
The call for two postdoctoral positions within the €2.13m ERC-funded project “Digitalization for Environmental Justice and Biocultural Diversity” (DIVERSE) is now open.
About DIVERSE
The DIVERSE project looks at whether digitalisation is enabling or disabling worldwide transformative initiatives towards environmental justice (EJ) and biocultural diversity. Rapid elite-and growth-driven digital innovations are redefining lifestyles in areas such as work, education, and health, and overall imaginaries of the future. The global pandemics put the digital divide on the spotlight, yet digital exclusion was already seen as a major force against global equality. Meanwhile, EJ struggles around the world, local management of biocultural diverse territories, or practices of social solidarity economy constitute a plurality of grassroots transformative initiatives (GTI) often located in marginalised areas. Then, how is digitalisation of GTI unfolding amidst unequal digital endowments and what good is it doing? From drone monitoring of forests to indigenous digital media and online mapping to vindicate stories of resistance and transformation, a digital transformation from the ground up may not only be paving the way for just and diverse futures but also for an alternative understanding of digitalisation. DIVERSE’s overarching goal is to theorise whether such an alternative model of digital transformation rooted in relationality (care, community, personal connection) is emerging from GTI in their pursuit of environmentally just and diverse worlds.
The project is based in John Hopkins University-Universitat Pompeu Fabra Public Policy Center, at the Department of Political and Social Sciences at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain). Applications must be done through Interfolio by May 31st to start working in January 2025.
The two postdoctoral calls
1. A Postdoctoral Researcher in Political Ecology and Environmental Justice will lead the compilation of knowledge about the digitalization of grassroots transformative alternatives from scattered databases, through interviews to experts and a scenario workshop. Research methods will involve both qualitative and quantitative approaches, including systematic literature reviews, in-depth interviews, use of a relational database, topic modelling, and scenario development. This is a 3 years contract, extendable to 5 years, with a 6-month probationary period.
More info about the call: Call_Postdoc2_Political_Ecology.docx.pdf
Applications: Apply – Interfolio
2. Postdoctoral Researcher in Databases and Geographic Information Systems will lead the development of a relational database of ‘digital elements in transformative initiatives’ connected to spatial data, and conduct spatial analyses of digital access and presence of grassroots transformative initiatives at the international level. Research tools will involve PostgreSQL, including the PostGIS extension, and Geographic Information Systems (using QGIS or ArcGIS). This is a 3 years contract, with a 6-month probationary period.
More info about the call: Call_Postdoc1_DB-GIS.docx.pdf
Applications: Apply – Interfolio
Both positions have a gross salary of aprox 36,000 eur per year, statutory benefits, and expense coverage for conference attendance and open-access publication.
The positions have no citizenship requirement. We encourage applications from underrepresented groups in research, especially those from women. You will find more details about the project, specific tasks, qualifications, selection criteria, and information on the application process through the call links. For any other questions or clarification requests feel free to write to me directly to beatriz.rodriguez@upf.edu.
