Department: Law School
The award covers tuition fees at UK Home Fee rate plus a stipend at UKRI Level
Full time
Duration: 36 months
Closing date: 3 June 2024 5pm (UK time)
Start date: 1 October 2024
Informal enquiries to: Dr Rozemarijn Roland Holst, rozemarijn.roland-holst@durham.ac.uk
About this position:
This fully funded 3-year PhD position is part of the project The Making and Unmaking of Global Commons by International Organisations led by Dr Rozemarijn Roland Holst and funded by the Leverhulme Trust. The project investigates the role of international organisations (IOs) as sites of power and authority that co-constitute global commons. Global commons like the high seas, Antarctica, and outer space are under pressure from ever-expanding human activity. States manage shared and competing interests in these spaces beyond national jurisdiction through different forms and degrees of institutionalisation. These institutions also function as semi-autonomous actors, shaping the political economies of natural resource extraction and impacting public interests beyond those of their member states alone, but without the accountability mechanisms applicable to states.
An apparent paradox emerges in global commons between their characterisation as ‘commons’ and the way in which these spaces are managed in practice. Overexploitation, ecosystem degradation, interplanetary pollution, and value extraction by a small number of private actors run counter to the very notion of a commons. By focussing on IOs as semi-autonomous actors, this project seeks to identify and better understand the processes that perpetuate socio-ecological inequities and failures in the governance of global commons, as well as ways to challenge these through existing legal infrastructures. The project consists of three case studies that will cover different types of institutions with mandates relating in different ways to the management of shared resources and other public interests in areas beyond national jurisdiction, focussing on (1) the ocean beyond national jurisdiction, (2) polar regions, and (3) outer space.
The PhD work package comprises of case study 3, focussing on outer space. The political economy of outer space shows considerable similarities with that of global commons on Earth (case studies 1 and 2), but the international legal framework is significantly less developed, and there is a comparatively low degree of formal institutionalisation in the international governance of outer space. As a result, there is wider scope for unilateralism by way of domestic regulation of space activities, and a booming commercial space industry is taking eager advantage of this. The guiding question for case study 3 is whether and how this fragmented institutional infrastructure and lack of international governance shapes the hierarchy of activities, ambitions, and public interests in outer space, and how different stakeholders are represented therein.
Key responsibilities:
The PhD researcher will be responsible for developing this work package into a self-standing PhD thesis. The overarching themes and aims of the research project will provide a foundation and conceptual skeleton for the PhD project, but there is deliberate leeway built in for the PhD researcher to add flesh to the bones and make the development of case study 3 their own.
The project lead, Dr Roland Holst, and PhD researcher will work together on synthesising findings across the different case studies, and there will be opportunities for joint and individual publication and dissemination activities. Dr Roland Holst will act as primary supervisor, and the PhD researcher will have a secondary supervisor external to the project.
Remuneration & benefits:
The Leverhulme Trust will fully fund the following:
The PhD candidate will also benefit from additional research funds available to the project team, for example to attend conferences.
Eligibility Requirements:
Person specification:
Candidates applying for this position will have recently completed or be concluding their Master’s and must outline their experience, skills and achievements to date which demonstrate that they meet or that they have the potential to achieve the below criteria:
Essential Criteria:
Desirable Criteria:
How to apply:
Candidates must apply before the deadline to the Doctoral Degree Programme at Durham via the online application form. The following documents are required as part of this application:
Candidates must ensure they include all relevant documentation when applying. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in the University.
Selection Criteria and Next Steps:
The process consists of two stages. In the first stage, all applicants apply to the Durham doctoral degree programme in accordance with the procedure specified above. In the second stage, a shortlisting process will take place among those applicants who received an offer of admission to the doctoral degree programme. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview, which is expected to take place at the end of June 2024.
Candidates will be assessed on the basis of:
We will notify candidate on the status of their application at various points throughout the selection process. Candidates are advised to check spam/junk folders periodically to ensure they receive all emails.
For informal enquiries please contact Dr Rozemarijn Roland Holst, project lead, on rozemarijn.roland-holst@durham.ac.uk
About Durham University
As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career while enjoying a high quality work/life balance. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.
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The Law School
Durham Law School is a leading law school. Consistently ranked in the Top 10 nationally and Top 50 globally, it has been growing strongly over the past few years and now comprises a community of over 100 academics and professional support staff. Durham Law School fosters innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to legal research and wishes to attract scholars with strong backgrounds in these areas. The Law School provides a supportive environment for its community of academics, which comprises a very generous sabbatical policy and an infrastructure of high-profile research centres that brings together colleagues for collaborative projects. The School is housed in the iconic Palatine Centre overlooking Durham Cathedral in the heart of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located on the main East Coast trainline connecting to London and Edinburgh and also within convenient reach of Newcastle Airport. The School has an extensive network of leading international partner institutions and close ties with the City of London and the Inns of Court. It counts among its alumni two Supreme Court Justices.
Our top-ranked global law courses are very competitive with an excellent and diverse student population from across the world delivering a cutting-edge, research-led curriculum with a commitment to small group teaching through seminars and tutorials much prized by employers.
Our School’s strategic objectives put EDI at the heart of everything that we do. We are committed to Equality Diversity and Inclusion and actively develop our policies and procedures to ensure that everyone within our community is treated fairly and is provided with the same opportunities. This applies to our everyday working in teaching, research and administration, including academic progression and promotion processes. Our Law School is currently in the process of applying for our Athena Swan Bronze award.
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