PhD: Identifying sustainability transition conflicts

Introduction

Are you passionate about understanding and addressing societal tensions in times of rapid societal change? Do you want to explore how citizen collectives can help navigate polarization and inequality resulting from sustainability policies and practices? Then this transdisciplinary PhD position may be the perfect step for you.

Job description

About the project

In this four-year PhD project, you will investigate how citizen collectives (CCs) act as early detectors and mediators of societal tensions in living environments in the Netherlands.
Societal transitions toward sustainability and justice are not without challenges or disputes and polarization often emerges - between political ideologies, economic interests, or social values. This project explores how CCs can identify and respond to these “transition tensions” - such as the conflict between urgent climate action and principles of equity - before they escalate, and how their community-based engagement can contribute to avoiding transition backlash and advancing just societal change.  

You will work with CCs that operate at the intersection of communities and societal change – both studying as well as helping design strategies for navigating tensions surrounding political ideologies and socio-economic disparities. Therewith you contribute to a broader understanding of how local, community-based organizations can offer solutions for larger societal divides. Using methods such as multi-criteria mapping and participatory action research, you will co-design interventions that help CCs recognize, discuss, and address these tensions.

A key outcome of the project will be the development of a “Pluralizer tool” - a practical and research-based instrument to help CCs in fostering transitions while navigating and embracing the inherent conflicts that arise.

Your role

As the PhD researcher, you will:

• Design and implement the research independently (with guidance from your promotors/supervisors).
• Collect and analyse longitudinal data that covers multiple CCs.
• Collaborate with other PhD researchers within the ECCO (Empowering Citizen Collectives) consortium, which brings together 11 PhD projects across Dutch universities.
• Work on academic publications and societal knowledge exchange.

What we offer

• A four-year, fully funded PhD position at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
• The opportunity to implement cutting-edge, societally relevant research that bridges sustainability transitions, polarisation and community-based action.
• Tailored research training and development through the Erasmus Graduate School of Social Sciences and the Humanities.
• Access to a vibrant community of PhD peers within the ECCO consortium and the Governance & Pluralism team, which helps you to find your way in academia at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Job requirements

We are looking for a curious and committed researcher with an affinity for transdisciplinary research carried out in close collaboration with citizen collectives. Ideally, you have some or all of the following characteristics:

• A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, including (but not limited to) social and cultural anthropology, public administration, sociology, political science, transition studies or social geography.
• A strong research interest in themes such as sustainability transitions, citizen collectives and/or societal polarisation.
• Experience with qualitative research, like ethnographic research, and/or participatory action research approaches. Comfortable in working in and with communities is a plus.
• Motivation to engage in both academic and practice-oriented research.
• Strong ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team.
• Excellent proficiency in Dutch as the research will take place in the Dutch context; mastering of the English language is also a must.
• Ability to express complex issues in a clear fashion, verbally and in written form.

Employment conditions and benefits

We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).

The start date of this position is 1 September 2026 and you will be based at Campus Woudestein in Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) and linked to the Erasmus School of Philosophy. The objective is that all PhDs in the ECCO consortium project will start at the same time to create a cohort of PhD's. This position is for 0.8 fte - 1 fte. The salary starts at € 3.059 gross per month Scale PhD on a fulltime basis (38 hours), in accordance with the CAO-NU. The contract is entered into for the duration of 1 year. Upon proven suitability an extension of the contract of 3 year is offered.

Everything else we offer you, you can find below!

-        Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre!

-        Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR, FAME or QuEUR.

-        Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget and free access to our university library.

-        Good pension with ABP that EUR contributes 2/3rds towards, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.

-        Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners, and our campus features a daycare (daycare not paid for by EUR).

-        Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the 30%-ruling if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme we will also help your partner find the right job for them.

Employer

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Faculty / Institute / Central service

Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB)
Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) combines various disciplines such as public administration, pedagogical sciences, psychology and sociology. In addition, the Erasmus University College is affiliated with the faculty. Within ESSB, we work in teams on education and research, emphasising interdisciplinarity, diversity, inclusion and sustainability. Together, we strive for societal and scientific impact.

ESSB distinguishes itself through inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary research, in which academics and students work together on complex social issues. Thanks to this approach, ESSB successfully attracts national and international research subsidies and funds, with which we continuously strengthen and renew our education and research.

ESSB serves almost 6,000 students annually with a wide range of bachelor's and master's programmes and has more than 600 employees. These programmes are highly rated by students and alumni. Within ESSB, developing new insights and realising positive societal impact are central, always with a focus on people and society.

Visit our website for more information about the faculty, and click here for more information about our academic teams.

Group

Team Governance and Pluralism
The Governance and Pluralism team studies complex, multi-value, and multilevel issues related to various societal challenges. We take the pluralistic nature of these challenges as a given and approach them from various social layers, lifestyles, and identities. We investigate how these complex societal issues can be addressed through different forms of governance, such as public-private partnerships, multilevel collaborations, community initiatives and triple helix partnerships. Our team’s work is highly regarded by (inter)national colleagues, civil society organisations, policymakers, and governments. This is reflected in their visibility within design, impact, and academic research projects and programs.

For more information, please visit our website.

CollectieveKracht is a knowledge platform for and by citizen collectives across all sectors: from energy to housing, from healthcare to food. The platform connects citizen collectives with each other and with stakeholders such as scientists, policymakers, financiers, and networking organizations. The platform emerged from collaboration between the Social Enterprise and  Institutions for Collective Action research team  (Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam School of Management) and a broad base of network organizations and citizen collectives from a wide range of sectors.

Department

Team Governance and Pluralism
The Governance and Pluralism team studies complex, multi-value, and multilevel issues related to various societal challenges. We take the pluralistic nature of these challenges as a given and approach them from various social layers, lifestyles, and identities. We investigate how these complex societal issues can be addressed through different forms of governance, such as public-private partnerships, multilevel collaborations, community initiatives and triple helix partnerships. Our team’s work is highly regarded by (inter)national colleagues, civil society organisations, policymakers, and governments. This is reflected in their visibility within design, impact, and academic research projects and programs.

For more information, please visit our website.

Applying

Please submit your application, consisting of a motivation letter and CV, before the vacancy closing date.

The selection procedure consists of 2 interviews. Interviews are expected to be held in mid-January and mid-February 2026.

You can find more information about the EUR on our website www.eur.nl. Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained by contacting one of the promoters: prof.dr. Jurian Edelenbos (edelenbos@essb.eur.nl) at ESSB, or prof.dr. Julia Wittmayer (wittmayer@drift.eur.nl) at ESPhil.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Persons of all gender identities or expressions, sexual orientations, religions, ethnicities, ages, neurodiversities, functional impairments, citizenships, or any other aspect are welcome to apply and join the EUR community.