We offer a two years post-doc position at GEODE (CNRS-Toulouse, France) starting in March 2020 and focusing on the following topic: « Old-growth forests : understanding the human/nature relationship through the science/policy interface ». A PhD in Environmental Anthropology or in Science and Technology Study is required. Profiles of geographers might also be considered. The mission will be on the supervision of Ruppert Vimal.

Context 

This postdoc is part of a European project untitled : « The last European old-growth fir-BEech forests : a loNg-term and global stuDY for their better understanding, conServation and management (BENDYS). Old-Growth Forests (OGFs) in Europe represent less than 1 % of the forested land but are still considered as a major issue for biodiversity conservation. Funded by the ANR (Agence National de la Recherche), this project aims at questioning the state of reference of these forests as a basis for their environmental management. Following an interdisciplinary approach based on various disciplines such as archaeology, dendrochronology, palynology, history and ecology, it aims to understand past and current trajectories of these ecosystems in Romania and in France.

Topic of the post-doc

This post-doc is included in an extra task focusing on the relationship between the production of scientific and technical expertise on the one hand and the implementation of conservation policies on the other hand. It aims to question the process involved from biodiversity as a study object to biodiversity as a political issue. Here, knowledge is conceived as socially embedded. It does not only reflect the environment but also contributes to shaping it.

Following, two different scales (study sites in Romania and in France and European scale), the study will mainly focus on two broad and interdependent questions: i) How are considered the OGFs and, accordingly, which public policies are implemented? ii) How can we explain such perception based on the state of knowledge, its construction and its mobilization for action?

Conditions

• We offer a two years position at GEODE in Toulouse (http://w3.geode.univ-tlse2.fr/) starting beginning of 2020 (between February and April).
• A PhD in environmental anthropology or in science studies is required. Profiles of geographers might also be considered.
• The net salary will be about 2030 euros per month.
• The contract will be on the supervision of Ruppert Vimal (Vanessa Py-Saragaglia is the leader of the project).

Several missions in the French Pyrenees and in the Romanian Maramures region will be conducted. A good level in English is required. French and/or Romanian skills would be appreciated but are not mandatory.

Application

Please send a detailed CV, a cover letter and two contacts for recommendation to ruppert.vimal@univ-tlse2.fr

before the 30^th of November 2019