PhD Position in Environmental Ethics
The University of Twente Section of Philosophy and the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies (ESDiT) programme invite applications for a PhD position. We are looking for a highly motivated and curious PhD candidate with a background in environmental political theory or environmental ethics.
Research Project: "Diverse ethical values and just sustainability futures"
Contemporary sustainability research and policy discourses feature calls for ‘transformative change towards sustainability’ (IPCC 2022; IPBES 2022), a sustainable future that ‘leaves no one behind’ (UN Agenda 2030), even the promotion of ‘sustainability-aligned values’ (IPBES 2022). Such calls are vague about what exactly needs to be transformed, and the technologies or institutions necessary to achieve it. Crucially, this ambiguity concerns the ethical values that ought to be recognized and protected by sustainable development policies.
This PhD project will explore the place of environmental values within political theory, in the context of a just and sustainable future. A key challenge will be whether the tensions between anthropocentric theories, non-anthropocentric theories, and plural worldviews can be overcome. This may involve clarification of the controversy about relational values in environmental ethics. Another key focus will be to examine the compatibility between diverse ethical and political values and sustainability futures, for instance involving green growth, or futures challenging high consumption lifestyles and prioritizing human needs.
Key objectives:
1. Examine the diversity of environmental values for political theory debates about a just and sustainable future
2. Examine the implications of value diversity for the modelling of sustainability futures
This PhD position will also be affiliated with the NWO funded ‘Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies’ programme (https://www.esdit.nl/), which examines the ethical implications of socially disruptive technologies, and in particular with the research lines on Society and Nature.
Information and application
Are you interested to be part of our team? Please submit your application before January 19 2024 and include:
- A cover letter (maximum 2 pages A4), emphasizing your specific interest, qualifications, experience, and motivations to apply for this position;
- A Curriculum Vitae, including a list of all courses attended and grades obtained, and, if applicable, a list of publications and references;
- A writing sample;
- Contact information for two academic references;
- [for non-native English speakers] An IELTS-test, Internet TOEFL test (TOEFL-iBT), or a Cambridge CAE-C (CPE). Applicants with a non-Dutch qualification and who have not had secondary and tertiary education in English can only be admitted with an IELTS-test showing a total band score of at least 6.5, internet. TOEFL test (TOEFL-iBT) showing a score of at least 90, or a Cambridge CAE-C (CPE).
Additional information can be acquired via email from Dr. Dominic Lenzi (d.s.lenzi@utwente.nl).
About the department
About the Philosophy Section
The section is internationally leading in the philosophy and ethics of technology (https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/wijsb/). The section also participates in the interuniversity 4TU.Center for Ethics and Technology (www.ethicsandtechnology.eu). Both the section and the Center have a strong international orientation and include members from many different nationalities. Within the section, there is a growing group of researchers in environmental philosophy, who have established the Environmental Philosophy of Technology working group.
About the ESDiT Programme
The Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies programme is a ten-year long international research programme of seven academic institutions in the Netherlands (https://www.esdit.nl/about-esdit/). It strives to achieve breakthrough research in at the intersection of ethics, philosophy, technology/engineering and social sciences, and to position its consortium at the top of its field internationally. A key objective is to investigate how new technologies challenge moral values and ontological concepts (like “nature”, “human being” and “community”), and how these challenges necessitate a revision of these concepts. The PhD candidate will join the “Nature, life and human intervention” research line.
About the organisation
The Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social sciences (BMS) aims to play a key role in understanding, jointly developing and evaluating innovations in society. Technological developments are the engine of innovation. As a technical university that puts people first, we tailor them to human needs and behavior and use social engineering to integrate them into society. We also ensure adequate governance at public and private level, and robust, inclusive and fair organizational structures. We do this by developing, sharing and applying high-quality knowledge in Psychology, Business Administration, Public Administration, Communication Sciences, Philosophy, Educational Sciences and Health Sciences. Our research and education in these disciplines revolves around tackling and solving societal challenges. The research programs of BMS are closely linked to the research of the UT institutes Mesa+ Institute for Nanotechnology, TechMed Center and Digital Society Institute.
As an employer, the Faculty of BMS offers work that matters. We equip you to create new possibilities for yourself and for our society. With us, you will become part of a leading technical university with increasing, positive social impact. We offer an open, inclusive and entrepreneurial atmosphere, in which we encourage you to make healthy choices, for example through our flexible, adaptable benefits.
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