Each position is for a fixed-term period of 4 years. Of that period, at least 75% will be devoted to PhD training and research as an integral member of the exciting ERC project “Contested Frontiers: Understanding the constitutional politics of settler-state peripheries” (ConFront). The other 25% may involve teaching, supervision, and administrative tasks at the department.

The project combines political theory, constitutional law, and comparative politics to understand efforts – usually by Indigenous peoples versus settlers/states – to (re)constitute frontier jurisdictions, especially in the North American Arctic, Fennoscandic north, U.S. Pacific, and Australian tropics. ConFront consists of five team members led by the department’s associate professor of Arctic governance, Aaron Spitzer.

The successful candidates will be based in Bergen, ideally beginning autumn 2024. They will actively collaborate with other team members (including co-writing academic articles); will help conduct fieldwork and research dissemination in frontier regions; will assist with administrative responsibilities related to the project (including organization of workshops, writing deliverables, and data management); and will  participate in the department’s Indigenous Peoples and Governance in the Arctic research group.

Candidates are expected to propose and execute a PhD research plan contributing to ConFront’s objectives. A general overview of ConFront can be found here. More specific project details are available from the project leader.

More about the position and how to apply through the link.