Post-Doctoral position

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Post-Doctoral position

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Job description

Offer DescriptionThe ANR-funded ECOS Project (The Emotional Consumption of Vulnerable Spaces) brings together a research team from three academic partners: the LUMEN laboratory at the University of Lille, the IREGE laboratory at Université Savoie Mont Blanc, and the MRM laboratory at the University of Perpignan Via Domitia.The project aims to investigate individuals’ emotional experiences in response to visible environmental changes and how these experiences shape lifestyles and consumption practices. In the context of the Anthropocene, rapid and profound environmental transformations are generating new forms of vulnerability-particularly emotional-which remain insufficiently studied. Concepts such as eco-anxiety (Neckel & Hasenfratz, 2021) and solastalgia (Albrecht, 2019) articulate the psychological and identity-based impacts of environmental degradation on individuals and communities. Emotional vulnerability alters consumption patterns, relationships with objects and spaces, and the market logics that emerge as a result.Emotions play a central role in consumption dynamics (Kozinets et al., 2017), influencing choices as well as the development of sustainable attitudes and behaviours (Cherrier et al., 2012). In response to anxiety and disorientation triggered by environmental transformation, individuals may turn to nostalgic and heritage practices (Loveland et al., 2010) or engage in eco-responsible and alternative lifestyles (Balsiger, 2016). Meanwhile, industries such as tourism, real estate, and agriculture are adapting their offers to meet new emotional and environmental expectations (Higgins-Desbiolles, 2018).The ECOS project thus aims to analyse the interactions between emotional experiences, the perception of environmental and territorial vulnerability, and the adaptation of consumption practices, adopting a socio-cultural perspective on consumption and markets.The project will rely on an extensive qualitative data collection effort across four French territories considered particularly vulnerable for different reasons: glacier retreat in Savoie, coastal erosion in Martinique, drought in the Pyrénées-Orientales, and extreme climate events in the Pas-de-Calais. Environmental transformations are visibly impacting these areas at various scales. A multi-sited ethnographic approach will guide fieldwork in these locations, allowing researchers to take into account the socio-cultural, economic, biological, climatic, and geographical characteristics of each context. Data collection will include longitudinal semi-structured interviews and participant observation with local residents, tourism and agricultural workers, associations, and public institutions involved in or affected by environmental changes.The project pursues three main research objectives:

• To study the emotional experiences, affective repertoires, and new forms of vulnerability individuals face in response to environmental transformations;
• To analyse how these transformations impact socio-cultural, economic, and ecological dynamics, including the roles played by human and non-human stakeholders;
• To explore ways of reimagining territories and shared resources (commons) to collectively envision possible futures in the Anthropocene.

As part of the ECOS project, the postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for conducting fieldwork in two of the study’s selected regions (Pyrénées-Orientales and the Alps).The research will be guided by a qualitative and inductive approach, combining:

• In-depth ethnographic fieldwork in territories undergoing significant environmental change;
• In-depth interviews with individuals affected by such changes (residents, tourism workers, farmers, etc.);
• Analysis of economic and institutional dynamics, considering the emotional and ecological vulnerability of the studied regions.

Where to apply E-mail[email protected]RequirementsResearch Field Management sciences Education Level PhD or equivalentSkills/Qualifications

• Strong interest in research on consumption, markets, and environmental and ecological transition/redirection (with a PhD in a related field);
• Expertise in qualitative research methods and the ability to conduct in-depth empirical investigations;
• Multidisciplinary theoretical knowledge in the humanities and social sciences (socio-anthropology, management studies, geography, history);
• Excellent analytical and writing skills;
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a research team.

Specific RequirementsThe postdoctoral appointment is structured in two 12-month phases. The researcher will be affiliated with the IREGE laboratory (Université Savoie Mont Blanc) during the first year, and with the MRM laboratory (University of Perpignan Via Domitia) during the second. Each phase will be governed by a separate employment contract, though the scope of work will remain consistent. The postdoctoral researcher is expected to collaborate closely with all three project teams throughout the duration of the appointment.Internal Application form(s) neededOffre d’emploi_POST DOCT 2025_IREGE_ANR ECOS.pdfEnglish(860.14 KB – PDF)Additional InformationWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute USMB / IAE / IREGE Country France GeofieldContact CityChambéry WebsiteStreetRue Marcoz, 27 Postal Code73000 E-Mail[email protected]STATUS: EXPIREDShare this page

Expected salary

Location

Chambéry, Savoie

Job date

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:36:54 GMT

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