PhD Position on Reproductive Politics in the City

11 Jan 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Utrecht University

Research Field

Physics

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Netherlands

Application Deadline

4 Feb 2024 - 22:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Not Applicable

Hours Per Week

40.0

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Utrecht University invites applications for a PhD research position at the Faculty of Geosciences in a project examining local policy variation on abortion clinic buffer zones in the Netherlands and its national rescaling potential.

Your job
After decades of increasing sexual and reproductive rights, the controversy surrounding abortion has been reignited by the rise of right-wing conservatism across Europe. In this tense climate, powerful political actors and different social groups are increasingly competing for their right to claim city space as the arena from which to inform and control the public opinion. On the one hand, pro- and anti-choice demonstrations reveal how the debate around abortion has shifted from the political to the public sphere, making city space a vital terrain for gender and reproductive politics. On the other, the proliferation of local policy tools to safeguard access to abortion in the face of state conservatism points to cities’ role in enacting a new moral frontier in the fight for reproductive rights.

To unravel the scalar entanglement of gender, (city) space, and morality in the abortion debates, this PhD project zooms in on the micro-geographies of abortion clinic buffer zones in the Netherlands. Following the recent resurgence of a militant anti-abortion movement whose activists increasingly line up outside abortion clinics, pro-choice groups have been advocating for the adoption of a national buffer zone law to keep protesters away from patients and protecting the privacy and wellbeing of those seeking to terminate a pregnancy. While, to date, the Dutch parliament has failed to find an agreement on this matter, a series of medium-sized and large municipalities – including The Hague, Rotterdam, and Arnhem – have been able to pass their own local policies to regulate disruptive clinic protests.

By connecting political geography scholarship on scale with feminist and moral geography, this PhD project engages buffer zones as the spatial manifestation of contentious reproductive politics in the Netherlands and offers a novel point of departure from which to conceptualise and study the gendered right to the city. It also investigates how local buffer zone policy could be rescaled to the national level, as well as the challenges and opportunities this would yield.

The tasks of the PhD candidate will include the following:

• carrying out qualitative research activities. Possible methods include - but are not limited to – policy analysis, ethnographic observation, and expert interviews in selected Dutch municipalities with and without a functioning buffer zone;
• publishing research results in the form of academic papers and policy reports, as well as through creative forms of dissemination (e.g. podcast, blog);
• co-organising public engagement activities (e.g. one or more expert meetings with a variety of stakeholders to reflect on the project’s findings and recommendations for policy, one or more public events for lay audiences to facilitate discussion about the wider social, cultural, and political implications of the urban struggle over reproductive rights).

In addition to research-related activities, the PhD candidate will contribute to transposing the findings of the project into regular urban geography and planning education at Bachelor's and Master's level as well as into training for professionals.

Requirements
Specific Requirements

We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated, and proactive team member. The ideal candidate has:

• a Master’s degree in Human Geography, Gender Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, or other related fields with a clear affinity for geographical and/or planning research;
• demonstrated experience in the use of qualitative and ethnographic research methods;
• a near-native level of Dutch and excellent academic writing skills in English;
• strong familiarity with debates around inclusive and just cities, gender equality and/or reproductive politics/governance;
• ability to work with a range of stakeholders and do field research;
• versatile communication skills to effectively interact with the different actors and stakeholders involved.

Additional Information
Benefits

We offer:

• a position for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
• a working week of 36 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,770 and €3,539 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU);
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development , leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities , as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University .

Selection process

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

To apply, please send the following documents via the ‘apply now’ button:

• your cover letter;
• your full CV;
• an official transcript of your grades during the Bachelor's and Master's studies as well as the diplomas;
• the name of one referee (e.g. thesis supervisor) who may be contacted for a letter of reference.

Additional comments

For more information, please contact Dr. Elisa Fiore via [email protected] .

Website for additional job details

https://www.academictransfer.com/336500/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Universiteit Utrecht

Country

Netherlands

City

Utrecht

Postal Code

3584CB

Street

Princetonlaan 8a

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.academictransfer.com/en/336500/phd-position-on-reproductive-politic…

Contact

City

Utrecht

Website

http://www.uu.nl/

Street

Domplein 29

Postal Code

3512 JE

STATUS: EXPIRED