Postdoc The right to housing, vulnerability and social inequality (1.0 FTE)

The Postdoctoral researcher (with a two-year appointment for 1.0 FTE) will focus on analysing the housing market and social inequalities from a human rights perspective.

Housing and social inequalities are closely interconnected. Because of the scarcity of affordable housing, finding a home is very difficult. Moreover, landlords exclude people of colour, or impose such conditions that vulnerable people have no access to affordable housing. Many of the options for finding a home are digital nowadays: think of commercial websites. This digital gateway to the housing market encourages further exclusion of already marginalised groups. People with no or insufficient digital skills cannot access the housing market, and it is generally unclear whether and which (algorithmic) decisions are made within the online systems.

The problems are not only of a private nature: the relationship between government and citizens is also relevant. Governments reinforce social inequality by pursuing policies that lead to gentrification, and sometimes government policies aim to keep vulnerable people out of the housing market. Examples are the Danish 'ghetto' legislation that keeps immigrants out of residential areas, and the Dutch 'Rotterdam law' that excludes people with low income from affordable housing. Again, digital decision-making (often lacking transparency) plays a role: people have to apply for permits or subsidies online. Once again, the digitalisation of the entry process and housing selection fosters social exclusion.

The postdoctoral researcher analyses these processes in the housing market from a legal-empirical perspective, and investigates how the law (including international human rights) can offer protection against social exclusion and violations of fundamental rights. Legal-normative methods and empirical techniques from data science are used. The researcher will work together with the EVICT research team, based at the University of Groningen. This team has expertise in using the techniques to collect and analyse large quantities of (legal) data, such as housing advertisements or legal rulings on housing. See: http://www.eviction.eu

The researcher is expected to successfully undertake research in the project; publish and edit peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters; as well as attend, present at, and organise conferences and workshops; and undertake (limited) teaching activities related to the project.

Department of Legal Methods
The researcher will become a member of the Department of Legal Methods, a lively legal multidisciplinary department at the faculty of law.