PhD position on Sámi democratic engagement in the energy transition

at  University of Lapland

We are looking for a postdoctoral student to join a Nordic research consortium “Sámi democratic engagement in the energy transition: advancing justice, legitimacy and participatory governance” funded by the NordForsk Green Transition call.
The position will be located in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland.
The successful PhD candidate will be appointed for 24 months to investigate policy, regulatory, and institutional barriers to the meaningful and appropriate involvement of Sámi communities. They will conduct fieldwork as part of the project, attend the project meetings and/or workshops and work toward their dissertation. The specific topic of the dissertation will be determined in collaboration with PI Kuokkanen, who will also act as the PhD supervisor.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This interdisciplinary, community-driven project will investigate Sámi democratic participation as a crucial element for the legitimacy of the energy transition in Norway, Sweden, and Finland, with four interconnected objectives:

• developing a locally relevant articulation of ‘just transition’ in Sápmi;
• analysing the impact of national permitting practices and EU-level corporate due diligence initiatives on enhancing Sámi democratic participation within existing national regulatory frameworks;
• exploring systemic and structural changes needed at local, regional, and national levels for a just and legitimate energy transition in Sápmi; and
• identifying strategies and best practices to facilitate Sámi democratic participation, justice, and legitimacy in the energy transition in the short and long term.

The project addresses a demonstrated democratic deficit in the Nordic countries concerning Sámi participation in resource development projects and legislative efforts. The project also advances the theory and practice of Sámi democratic engagement by incorporating gender as a central analytical lens in assessing Sámi democratic engagement vis-à-vis the energy transition. The research engages with deliberative theory, in particular feminist deliberative theory, which critiques standard deliberative theory for its limitations and omissions related to gender and other forms of marginalization, advocating for more pluralistic democratic deliberation. The project is informed by structural justice theory, focusing on the underlying structures and systems that produce and perpetuate social inequalities.
The research employs a range of methods, including qualitative interviews, focus groups, and community surveys, as well as innovative approaches such as collaborative, intersectional, gender-sensitive policy design and Indigenous futurities. The anticipated results will provide new knowledge for implementing an equitable transition, contributing to the development of a socially sustainable energy system

Please refer the Job description for details