Two PhD Positions in Philanthropy, Justice, and Sustainability Governance
Kalfagianni, A. (Agni)
Utrecht University has opened two new full-time four-year positions for doctoral (PhD) researchers in the field of philanthropy, justice, and sustainability governance. The two doctoral researchers will become part of a new research project investigating
the role of philanthropic foundations in shaping justice discourses and practices in global sustainability governance being led by Dr Agni Kalfagianni. The project, titled “Beyond Giving: Philanthropic Foundations as Agents of Justice in Global Sustainability
Governance? (BEYOND GIVING)”, runs over 4,5 years (2023-2027), and is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
The core aim of the BEYOND GIVING project is to provide critical knowledge on how diverse philanthropic foundations shape global justice and with what consequences for global sustainability governance. The project examines a variety of foundations active in the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development, their interpretations of global justice, the power relations that such interpretations may reinforce or challenge in global sustainability governance, the institutionalization of such interpretations in concrete policy plans and actions, and the factors that explain variation.
The two doctoral researchers will play a key role within the overall BEYOND GIVING project by contributing data and new conceptual and empirical approaches in studying the role of philanthropy in global sustainability governance.
The foci of the two projects are as follows:
- Project 1: Analyse through critical discourse analysis, audiovisual analysis, and interviews the justice interpretations of selected philanthropic foundations active in the 2030 Agenda, and develop a theoretically expanded understanding of justice and power building upon the empirical research.
- Project 2: Analyse through process-tracing methodologies and descriptive statistics the justice institutionalization pathways of selected philanthropic foundations in the governance arenas of food, climate, and ocean governance; and probe into the
related consequences for sustainability practices in these arenas and the broader sustainability domain through interviews with various stakeholder groups.
We offer two temporary full time PhD positions for four years, initially for one year with an extension to a total of four years upon a mutually positive evaluation in the first year. The gross salary ranges between €2,541 in the first year and €3,247 in
the fourth year of employment (scale P according to the Collective Labour Agreement (cao) Dutch Universities) per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% per year.
In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions, including an attractive retirement scheme, (partly paid) parental leave and flexible working conditions.
Dr. Agni Kalfagianni| Associate Professor of Transnational Sustainability Governance | Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development | Faculty of Geosciences - Utrecht University | Vening Meineszgebouw A, Princetonlaan 8A 3585CB Utrecht, The Netherlands | room 7.06| T. + 31 30 253 7650| a.kalf...@uu.nl |