Due to the corona-crisis it is not possible to get to know the new colleagues of ESPhil, therefore I would like to introduce Erica Yu. Erica is a PhD candidate at Erasmus School of Philosophy/EIPE. We would like to welcome Erica in the ESPhil community and hope to meet her soon at the campus.
Where are you from?
Quezon City (which is in Manila), the Philippines.
Where did you do your studies/What did you study?
I studied Economics for my bachelor’s degree at Ateneo de Manila University, then did the Research Master in Philosophy and Economics here at EIPE/ESPhil.
Why did you choose Erasmus School of Philosophy to do your PhD?
While I was doing my Research Master at EIPE/ESPhil, I really enjoyed the vibrant and intellectually stimulating community. It was a place where you could learn from so many different perspectives, and where I also felt like I was also contributing my own. Then after all the serious work is done, people are always up for doing something fun (whether it’s sports, movies, karaoke, dancing; you name it).
On the more serious side, I also really enjoyed writing my Research Master’s thesis on democratic legitimacy and the use of technologies in participatory policy making with my supervisors Constanze Binder and Stefan Wintein. The opportunity to continue doing research on the same topics with them at EIPE/ESPhil as a PhD presented itself, and I just went for it!
What is your research about?
My research is broadly about democratic deliberation and decision-making about complex and divisive issues that societies face today. Think: migration policy, energy transitions, and dealing with a pandemic without sacrificing too much economic damage. On the one hand, there are a variety of conflicting perspectives and positions that we should take into account when deliberating and making decisions about these issues. On the other hand, a definite decision has to be made and something has to be done. These two considerations can conflict with each other: The more conflicting perspectives we let into the discussion, the harder it is to make a decision. Likewise, the simpler we make the discussion and decision-making process, the less perspectives and positions are able to be considered. What I will try to do in my research is to explore ways to navigate this tension.
What are your expectations of the PhD?
I definitely expect to be challenged and brought out of my comfort zone. I think being a good student and being a good research are quite different things, and while I think I’ve grown to be a good student there’s a lot for me to learn about being a good researcher.
What are your first impressions of the Erasmus University and the city Rotterdam?
I’ve lived here for the past two years, so it’s not really a first impression anymore. But I enjoy the quirkiness of Rotterdam (especially the architecture) and the diversity of the people and the cuisines. It’s definitely a very cultural city, with lots of things going on in terms of movies and concerts. It’s both very urban, but also very green (and blue, since it’s by the river). I think Erasmus University is the same as well: quirky, diverse and rich culturally. I’m very happy to be spending 4 more years here!