Vacant job

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is consistently ranked among the world's leading universities. There are approximately 46,000 students and 8,500 staff members in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö. We are united in our strive to understand, explain, and improve our world and the conditions of human life.

About the Programme

DEMCAMP investigates how applied ethics can contribute to understanding and addressing the vulnerabilities experienced by refugees in refugee camps in the Global South. The project develops a normative democratic theory capable of responding to the economic, legal, and political systems emerging in these camps. Within the project, the doctoral candidate will write a dissertation on the democratization of humanitarian organizations and their role in refugee camps, particularly organizations such as UNHCR.

"Democratization of Refugee Camps" (DEMCAMP) is a project funded by the Swedish Foundations' Starting Grant, via the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond. The project's Principal Investigator is Felix Bender.

DEMCAMP asks what applied ethics has to say about the many refugees who do not live in the Global North, but remain in the Global South, and more specifically, in refugee camps. The project examines how we can understand and adequately respond to the vulnerabilities experienced by refugees in these camps. The project develops 1) a theory that better captures the vulnerabilities experienced by refugees in refugee camps and 2) a normative democratic theory that can address these vulnerabilities.

DEMCAMP demonstrates that in refugee camps, we can observe the emergence of economic, legal, and political systems, each operating according to its own rules and logics. These systems lead to refugees experiencing a set of vulnerabilities that remain invisible if refugee vulnerability is defined externally by humanitarian organizations, such as UNHCR, and only then applied to refugee camps. To adequately respond to the vulnerabilities experienced by refugees, refugee camps need to be democratized. For more information about the project, please visit https://startinggrant.se/researcher/felix-bender/ (https://startinggrant.se/researcher/felix-bender/).

The doctoral candidate will work on the democratization of humanitarian organizations and collaborate with the Principal Investigator (PI) on the roles humanitarian organizations should play in refugee camps with a democratic structure.

Job Description

Doctoral studies. Departmental duties, such as teaching and administrative tasks, may occur.

Qualifications

Eligibility for doctoral studies in practical philosophy is outlined in the general syllabus, see https://www.ht.lu.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning/for-antagna-doktorander/dina-doktorandstudier/allmanna-studieplaner/ (https://www.ht.lu.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning/for-antagna-doktorander/dina-doktorandstudier/allmanna-studieplaner/).

Selection Criteria

In the appointment, emphasis should be placed primarily on the ability to benefit from doctoral-level education. This is assessed based on the criteria of quality, quantity, progression, and relevance.

In addition to the eligibility requirements stipulated in the general syllabus for practical philosophy, the following qualifications are required for this doctoral position:

Requirements for the position are:

• advanced knowledge in political theory and/or political philosophy, or a related field
• ability to read and write academic English

Merits for the position are:

• knowledge of humanitarian organizations, democratic theories, or refugee protection, documented through research or practical experience working with these issues
• experience in interdisciplinary and collaborative work.

Application

Instructions for applying for a doctoral position can be found at: https://www.ht.lu.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning/bli-doktorand-vid-ht-fakulteterna/ansokan-och-antagning/ (https://www.ht.lu.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning/bli-doktorand-vid-ht-fakulteterna/ansokan-och-antagning/).

The application must include:

• CV/curriculum vitae
• cover letter
• documentation of previous studies
• documentation of language skills
• theses/dissertations
• any scientific publications
• research plan.

NOTE! All documents must be uploaded to the application system in PDF format.

Terms of Employment

Fixed-term employment for four years according to Chapter 5, Section 7 of the Higher Education Act (HF).

About the Faculty of Humanities and Theology

The Faculty of Humanities and Theology has seven departments and conducts extensive and varied activities in research and education. We have approximately 700 employees and approximately 4,000 full-time equivalent students.

About the Department of Philosophy

The Department of Philosophy has approximately 80 employees. Research and education are conducted in three subjects at the department: cognitive science, practical philosophy, and theoretical philosophy. The subjects are largely independent regarding research and educational directions, but there are also close collaborations between them. See the department's website for information on current activities.

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