PhD on Youth Movements, Climate Change and Development
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PhD on Youth Movements, Climate Change and Development
The Department of Social Sciences and Business, Roskilde University, invites applications for a PhD fellowship to be filled by March 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. The position as PhD is limited to a period of 3 years.
The PhD Project
The PhD fellow will be part of the Sapere Aude research project “Universal Aspirations vs. Geopolitical Divides: Imagining the World as a ‘Post-Millennial’ in the SDG Era”, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark.
Young people across the world have been mobilizing together to address climate change, demand peace and protest corruption. While these young people come together because of a common concern with ensuring a sustainable future, they face very different local life circumstances shaped by social and economic inequalities. The research project focuses on different cohorts of youth who are concerned with finding solutions to global challenges like climate change, but who live under very different conditions, exemplified in the research project by youth from Tanzania and Denmark. The project uses qualitative ethnographic methods to investigate how these young people attempt to reconcile the tension between their desire to engage in joint collective worldwide action and the challenges they face as a result of socio-economic divides comprising hierarchies and unequal power relations.
The PhD fellow will be expected to develop an independent subproject under the general umbrella of the research project with a particular focus on youth in both Tanzania and Denmark who are concerned with climate change, sustainability and/or development. The subproject could for example focus on youth activism, community organizing or movements. It should include ethnographic research methods (e.g., qualitative interviews, participant observation, focus group discussions). The research design and activities are flexible, and the PhD candidate will co-develop and independently shape their subproject based on their own research interests and methodological expertise.
The applicant is expected to reside in Denmark throughout the PhD period as well as conduct fieldwork in both Tanzania and Denmark.
The PhD fellow will work closely with the principal investigator, Associate Professor Mette Fog Olwig from the Department of Social Sciences and Business, and the project team.
The Doctoral School
The accepted candidate will be enrolled as a PhD fellow at the Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Business with approximately 50 PhD fellows from all over the world. It provides PhD training and research within an interdisciplinary, international and professional environment. It is part of a dynamic community of researchers who share a commitment to understanding society in diverse contexts of change and global engagement. Researchers engage in topics that are geographically, theoretically and methodologically diverse. The Doctoral School has one PhD programme. The programme offers work in progress seminars, thematic professional development seminars, PhD courses, feedback, and social activities for the enrolled PhD fellows.
For more information about the Doctoral School contact the Head of the Doctoral School, Professor Lars Buur (lbuur@ruc.dk).
About The Research Group
The PhD fellow will be associated with the International Development Research Group (IDRG). The research group is rooted in the International Development Studies Program at Roskilde University that was established in 1985. It is the oldest and one of the largest programs of its kind in Scandinavia. IDRG scholars investigate development trends, challenges, and achievements in contexts of local, national and global interconnectedness and new processes of inequality. IDRG draws upon and develops contextual analysis for empirically grounded theorization, thereby contributing to developmental policy debates and solutions. IDRG scholars have expertise in Anthropology, Area Studies, Cultural Studies, Development Economics, Gender Studies, Geography, History, International Political Economy, Political Science, and Sociology. Research projects currently affiliated in IDRG deal with a wide range of topics including natural resource contestations, global aid flows, processes of neo- and post colonialism, urban development, green transitions, and youth mobilization. In recent years, research councils as diverse as the Independent Research Fund Denmark, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FFU), Horizon 2020, the Dutch Research Council, the Carlsberg Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have financed projects led by IDRG researchers.
Responsibilities and tasks
The PhD fellow will be expected to undertake research and up to 500 teaching hours at the Department of Social Sciences and Business. They will be responsible for carrying out independent research under the supervision of Associate Professor Mette Fog Olwig. During employment PhD fellows are required to take 30 ECTS of course work and have a stay at another research environment in Denmark or abroad. For more information, see chapter 3, Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. Read more on what it entails to be a PhD Fellow at Roskilde University.
Qualifications
The PhD fellow must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent within a social science discipline, such as Geography, Anthropology, Internation Development Studies, Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Global and Development Studies or Global Studies.
The following qualifications are required:
The following qualifications are desirable:
The PhD fellow is required to be resourceful and to possess good communication skills and to be a visible, involved participant in the department’s daily activities, in addition to being willing to engage in disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration across the department.
Assessment
In the assessment regarding employment consideration will be given to;
In the assessment regarding enrollment consideration will also be given to the following criteria:
Questions
For further information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Mette Fog Olwig, mettefo@ruc.dk.
Terms of employment
The employment is on full time, 37 hours per week and the PhD fellow will refer to the Dean of Social Sciences Morten Frederiksen.
The position will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.
Application procedure
After the deadline for applications the Dean will shortlist applicants for assessment with assistance from the recruitment committee including the chairperson of the assessment committee.
Shortly after the application deadline all applicants will be notified whether or not their application has been selected for assessment.
The shortlisted applicants will be informed about the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant will be given the opportunity to comment on the composition of the committee and - later on - their assessment.
Once the recruitment process is completed, all applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.
Application
To apply for the position go to www.ruc.dk/en/job/
Only applications in English are accepted.
Applications must include:
1. Cover letter (no more than 2 pages)
2. CV (no more than 5 pages)
3. Documentation of education including grades from Master’s programme or equivalent
4. PhD project proposal (no more than 5 pages)
5. Your time schedule of the PhD project
6. If applicable: Documentation for any research experience, work experience or publications.
Please submit your application no later than November 9, 2025.
Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration.
Roskilde University wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
The PhD Project
The PhD fellow will be part of the Sapere Aude research project “Universal Aspirations vs. Geopolitical Divides: Imagining the World as a ‘Post-Millennial’ in the SDG Era”, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark.
Young people across the world have been mobilizing together to address climate change, demand peace and protest corruption. While these young people come together because of a common concern with ensuring a sustainable future, they face very different local life circumstances shaped by social and economic inequalities. The research project focuses on different cohorts of youth who are concerned with finding solutions to global challenges like climate change, but who live under very different conditions, exemplified in the research project by youth from Tanzania and Denmark. The project uses qualitative ethnographic methods to investigate how these young people attempt to reconcile the tension between their desire to engage in joint collective worldwide action and the challenges they face as a result of socio-economic divides comprising hierarchies and unequal power relations.
The PhD fellow will be expected to develop an independent subproject under the general umbrella of the research project with a particular focus on youth in both Tanzania and Denmark who are concerned with climate change, sustainability and/or development. The subproject could for example focus on youth activism, community organizing or movements. It should include ethnographic research methods (e.g., qualitative interviews, participant observation, focus group discussions). The research design and activities are flexible, and the PhD candidate will co-develop and independently shape their subproject based on their own research interests and methodological expertise.
The applicant is expected to reside in Denmark throughout the PhD period as well as conduct fieldwork in both Tanzania and Denmark.
The PhD fellow will work closely with the principal investigator, Associate Professor Mette Fog Olwig from the Department of Social Sciences and Business, and the project team.
The Doctoral School
The accepted candidate will be enrolled as a PhD fellow at the Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Business with approximately 50 PhD fellows from all over the world. It provides PhD training and research within an interdisciplinary, international and professional environment. It is part of a dynamic community of researchers who share a commitment to understanding society in diverse contexts of change and global engagement. Researchers engage in topics that are geographically, theoretically and methodologically diverse. The Doctoral School has one PhD programme. The programme offers work in progress seminars, thematic professional development seminars, PhD courses, feedback, and social activities for the enrolled PhD fellows.
For more information about the Doctoral School contact the Head of the Doctoral School, Professor Lars Buur (lbuur@ruc.dk).
About The Research Group
The PhD fellow will be associated with the International Development Research Group (IDRG). The research group is rooted in the International Development Studies Program at Roskilde University that was established in 1985. It is the oldest and one of the largest programs of its kind in Scandinavia. IDRG scholars investigate development trends, challenges, and achievements in contexts of local, national and global interconnectedness and new processes of inequality. IDRG draws upon and develops contextual analysis for empirically grounded theorization, thereby contributing to developmental policy debates and solutions. IDRG scholars have expertise in Anthropology, Area Studies, Cultural Studies, Development Economics, Gender Studies, Geography, History, International Political Economy, Political Science, and Sociology. Research projects currently affiliated in IDRG deal with a wide range of topics including natural resource contestations, global aid flows, processes of neo- and post colonialism, urban development, green transitions, and youth mobilization. In recent years, research councils as diverse as the Independent Research Fund Denmark, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FFU), Horizon 2020, the Dutch Research Council, the Carlsberg Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have financed projects led by IDRG researchers.
Responsibilities and tasks
The PhD fellow will be expected to undertake research and up to 500 teaching hours at the Department of Social Sciences and Business. They will be responsible for carrying out independent research under the supervision of Associate Professor Mette Fog Olwig. During employment PhD fellows are required to take 30 ECTS of course work and have a stay at another research environment in Denmark or abroad. For more information, see chapter 3, Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. Read more on what it entails to be a PhD Fellow at Roskilde University.
Qualifications
The PhD fellow must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent within a social science discipline, such as Geography, Anthropology, Internation Development Studies, Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Global and Development Studies or Global Studies.
The following qualifications are required:
- Strong analytical skills and research potential Experience working with qualitative methods
- Interest in youth, social movements, development, sustainable development and/or climate change
- Fluent in both written and oral English
The following qualifications are desirable:
- Relevant research experience (e.g., related to youth, social movements, development, sustainable development, climate change, Denmark, Tanzania)
- Fieldwork experience
- Experience working with qualitative methods (such as qualitative interviews, focus group discussions, as well as less conversation-oriented methods like participant observation and participant-generated visual methodologies)
- Knowledge of Danish and/or Swahili is a plus
The PhD fellow is required to be resourceful and to possess good communication skills and to be a visible, involved participant in the department’s daily activities, in addition to being willing to engage in disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration across the department.
Assessment
In the assessment regarding employment consideration will be given to;
- Relevant Master’s degree or equivalent (according to Danish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education).
- Any additional academic requirements stated in the job advertisement.
In the assessment regarding enrollment consideration will also be given to the following criteria:
- Grades at the Master’s degree level and any further professional qualifications
- Coherence, quality and relevance of the PhD project proposal (no more than 5 pages).
- This proposal must include:
- Research problem statement
- Literature Review
- A description of the methodological and theoretical choices
- A realistic and feasible timeline and scope of the PhD project
- Ethical considerations
- Ability to complete the PhD project
- Relevance of the project to the profile of the Doctoral School and the research project “Universal Aspirations vs. Geopolitical Divides: Imagining the World as a ‘Post-Millennial’ in the SDG Era,”
Questions
For further information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Mette Fog Olwig, mettefo@ruc.dk.
Terms of employment
The employment is on full time, 37 hours per week and the PhD fellow will refer to the Dean of Social Sciences Morten Frederiksen.
The position will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.
Application procedure
After the deadline for applications the Dean will shortlist applicants for assessment with assistance from the recruitment committee including the chairperson of the assessment committee.
Shortly after the application deadline all applicants will be notified whether or not their application has been selected for assessment.
The shortlisted applicants will be informed about the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant will be given the opportunity to comment on the composition of the committee and - later on - their assessment.
Once the recruitment process is completed, all applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.
Application
To apply for the position go to www.ruc.dk/en/job/
Only applications in English are accepted.
Applications must include:
1. Cover letter (no more than 2 pages)
2. CV (no more than 5 pages)
3. Documentation of education including grades from Master’s programme or equivalent
4. PhD project proposal (no more than 5 pages)
5. Your time schedule of the PhD project
6. If applicable: Documentation for any research experience, work experience or publications.
Please submit your application no later than November 9, 2025.
Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration.
Roskilde University wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.