Doctoral Place in Practical Philosophy

The University of Gothenburg meets society's challenges with diverse knowledge. 58 000 students and 6800 employees make the university a large and inspiring workplace. Strong research and attractive education attracts researchers and students from all over the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University of Gothenburg contributes to a better future.

At the Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science (FLoV) at the Faculty of Arts, we have around 120 employees and a volume of teaching that includes approximately 350 full year students. With us there are a number of major international and interdisciplinary research projects in areas such as theoretical and practical philosophy, logic, linguistics, computer linguistics, language technology and science theory. Our research has many applications and collaborations with other fields of science. We educate philosophers, logics, linguists, language technologists, science theorists, philosophy historians and teachers of philosophy. The department also conducts doctoral studies and development work in its fields. If you are interested in working in an international, dynamic and collaborative environment, FLoV offers an inspiring place for research and education. Read more about us https://www.gu.se/flov

At FLoV there are doctoral studies in six subjects. Our research environment is international with several recognised research projects and our employees represent more than twenty countries. Read more about our doctoral studies https://www.gu.se/flov/var-forskarutbildning

University-wide information about what it means to be a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university's doctoral student pages.

https://www.gu.se/utbildning-till-att-bli-forskare

Project description  

We are now looking for a doctoral student for the department's https://www.gu.se/en/research/financial-ethics-research-group. The research group consists of philosophers and economists who investigate ethical and political issues related to money and finance (in a broad sense). The group's previous projects have covered topics such as sustainable entrepreneurship, ethical investments, banking services for the poor, digital currencies, measures of climate impact, and the value of biodiversity. More specifically, the doctoral student will be linked to the research programme https://www.sustainablefinancelab.se/,, which is a collaboration between several Swedish higher education institutions and is funded by Vinnova, Sweden's innovation authority. The programme explores different aspects of how markets and money can be made positive forces for sustainable development.

The doctoral student is expected to conduct research in economic ethics and/or environmental ethics. Economic ethics is the application of moral or political philosophy to critical issues regarding business or markets. Environmental ethics is the application of moral or political philosophy to critical questions regarding human relations with their surroundings and environment. The research area should be understood widely and includes subjects such as business ethics, political philosophy of markets, ethical issues of commedification, climate change, the ethics of biodiversity, collective problems of action, and the philosophy of the (environmental) economy. All applications related to similar subjects are welcome.

The applicant himself must describe a more specific research issue in this research area that the applicant intends to investigate. Some examples of potential research questions are:  

• What moral obligations do commercial companies or banks have to counter climate change?
• Do consumers have an obligation to buy only sustainable goods, or to invest in sustainable companies?
• How should society's institutions (such as central banks or the monetary system) be designed to promote biodiversity?
• Does the government have the right to force market players to work for a better climate? 
• How does sustainability relate to human rights?
• Is there a problem with today's "environmental, social, governance" criteria as an interpretation of sustainability?

Tasks    

The doctoral programme comprises four years of full-time studies. The doctoral student will primarily be involved in writing a thesis in the field and in attending compulsory courses. The doctoral student may, to a limited extent, perform duties related to education, administrative work or research not related to the subject of the thesis (but not more than 20%). Such service extends the doctoral position to a corresponding extent.

The doctoral student is expected to perform his/her work in Gothenburg and participate regularly and consistently in the department's activities, especially the seminars in practical philosophy. Also participate actively in the research group's activities, including meetings, seminars and conferences. The working language of the research group is English. Through the research group, funds are also available for conference trips and short stays at other universities.

Competences, grounds for assessment, admission and employment   

For information on eligibility, assessment grounds, appointment procedure and how to apply, see the complete ad on https://www.gu.se/jobba-hos-oss/lediga-anstallningar

The University works actively for a work environment with equal conditions and values the qualities diversity brings to the business. The university applies individual salary setting. According to the regulations of the National Archives, the University is obliged to keep application documents for two years after the appointment decision. If you, as an applicant for employment, specifically request your documents back, they will be returned after the two years have elapsed, otherwise they will be eliminated. To staffing and recruitment companies and to those who are sellers: The University of Gothenburg hires a procured advertising agency in connection with the recruitment of staff. We kindly object to direct contact with staffing and recruitment companies as well as sales of job ads.