About the project
Understanding how changes in interconnected social-ecological systems facilitate the transformation to sustainability represents one of the key challenges of sustainability science. Drawing on insights from systems thinking and solution-oriented transdisciplinary research, this project will focus on hitherto under-recognized leverage points – system properties where a small shift can lead to fundamental changes in the system as a whole. Leverage Points will focus on changes in relatively intractable, but potentially highly influential, system properties that could help to realign complex social-ecological systems to the normative goals of sustainability. Specifically, we will analyse three sustainability-relevant leverage points: 1) institutional dynamics (RESTRUCTURE); 2) human-environment interactions (RECONNECT); and 3) sustainability-related knowledge creation and use (RETHINK). The three leverage points will be studied individually and with regard to their interdependencies,
on two key themes (food and energy) in two contrasting case study regions (Transylvania in Romania, and Lower Saxony in Germany). For details, see www.leveragepoints.org
About the job – PD1: RESTRUCTURE: Institutional dynamics in sustainability transformation
This position focuses on processes of institutional change for restructuring food and energy systems in Lower Saxony (DE) and Transylvania (RO). RESTRUCTURE will address dynamics (transformations) in institutional arrangements. Social structures embodied in institutions (rules, regulations and policies) enable, constrain and guide human action and thus are of central concern to sustainability transformations. Different from most existing research, Leverage Points will not only consider institutional
innovation and ‘successful’ institutional arrangements, but will specifically investigate what can be learnt from institutional failure, and assess how purposeful institutional decline could foster sustainability.
This position is one of four postdoctoral associate positions within the Leverage Points project. You will be expected to work closely with the research consortium, including three other postdoctoral associates (RECONNECT, RETHINK and Transdisciplinary
case studies (Germany) and RETHINK and Transdisciplinary case studies (Romania)), eight Principal Investigators, and eight PhD students.
Tasks and responsibilities may include:
- legal and policy analysis regarding food/agriculture and energy, and its dynamics in a multi- level institutional
setting (case study regions, countries, EU);
- systematic review and meta-analysis of productive functions of institutional failure and decline for sustainability
transformation;
- expert interviews with representatives of public policy and administrations in the regions;
- study the role of citizen and stakeholder participation in institutional change, such as in citizen financial participation
in renewable energy projects;
- publication of manuscripts; and
- co-supervision of PhD students.
Person specification
Essential selection criteria:
- PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in a field relevant to the analysis of institutional dynamics;
- strong publication record relative to opportunity;
- highly developed conceptual skills;
- excellent written and oral communication skills (English); e) ability and willingness to work in a large, multidisciplinary
research project;
- proven track record in institutional analysis/research, such as from a policy, governance, or legal perspective;
- willingness to engage with systems concepts such as path dependency or self-organization.
Additional desirable selection criteria:
- previous experience in food/agriculture and/or energy systems;
- experience with sustainability transitions research;
- experience with empirical social science methods such as conducting expert interviews.
An additional advantage will be fluency in German or Romanian.
For any questions about the project and the job, please contact Prof. Dr. Jens Newig (newig@uni.leuphana.de) or Prof. Dr.
Thomas Schomerus (schomerus@uni.leuphana.de). For more information on the Leverage Points project, please visit
www.Leveragepoints.org.
To apply
Leuphana University Lüneburg is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering heterogeneity among its employees.
Disabled applicants with equal qualifications will be given priority consideration. We are looking forward to your application.
Application deadline: 27th August 2015
Please address all selection criteria under clearly labelled headings in up to one short paragraph for each. Please also send a motivation letter stating why you are interested in the position, a CV (including publications), copies of relevant certificates and transcripts, and the names of up to three academic referees.
Applications with the usual documents (cover letter, CV, certifications, list of publications) shall be sent by email in PDF format (preferably as a single merged file) with the subject LeveragePointsPD1 to bewerbung@leuphana.de cc abson@leuphana.de and cc newig@uni-leuphana.de. Files should be named with the applicant’s surname. You may submit hard copy applications (not preferred!) to
Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
Personalservice Petra Mühl-Beulke
Kennwort: LeveragePointsPD1
Scharnhorststr. 1
21335 Lüneburg
Germany.