PhD Studentship (Fully Funded) in Politics and International Relations (Jonathan Rock Rokem)

The Urban Geopolitics of Climate Change

Faculty of Social Sciences

Funded PhD Project (UK or International Students)

Funding provider: Northeastern University London (NU London)

Subject areas: Urban politics, International Relations, Cities, Climate Change

Project start date: April 2025

Supervisors (*lead):

• Jonathan Rock Rokem (Northeastern University London)
• Yaniv Voller (University of Kent)

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Politics and International Relations

Northeastern University London

As part of a major investment, Northeastern University London (NU London) has multiple, fully-funded PhD studentships available to accelerate its interdisciplinary research in the humanities, social sciences, and computing, maths, engineering and natural sciences. Each scholarship is fully-funded for three and a half years (UKRI rates) and includes full course fees, an annual stipend (including an additional London allowance) and associated costs, such as training.

NU London is both a UK university governed by UK higher education regulations, and the European campus of Northeastern University – a large, top-tier research intensive, Boston-based institution. Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is known for its high-impact research, aimed at solving problems across the globe. Interdisciplinarity, experiential learning, and connection to partners beyond academia are at the heart of the Northeastern University ethos. Northeastern received $230.7m of external research funding in 2022, and is the recognized leader in experience-driven lifelong learning. It has campuses across the United States and Canada (in Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; Portland, Maine; Oakland, California; San Francisco; Seattle; Silicon Valley; Arlington, Virginia; the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Toronto and Vancouver). Whilst the PhD will be a UK qualification, students will have the opportunity to engage with and visit the Northeastern University network overseas as part of their London-based doctoral studies, providing a truly unique and highly sought-after dimension to their research training.

The Project

This PhD project will research urban climate inequality in selected cases engaging with establishing urban geopolitics as a conceptual lens to capture climate disparity in cities. The research will analyse climate impacts at the urban scale with an emphasis on marginalized areas and groups, and the interaction between historic socio-political contestations and emerging dynamics of urban-level climate action. Potential case studies can span the global ‘South’ and ‘North’, including large metropolitan areas and second-tier urban regions that reflect much of the current trend of urbanization. The aim is to demonstrate how diverse urban scales and regional positionings face different junctures of the climate emergency.

The project will use qualitative and quantitative research methods including GIS computational network analysis and space syntax methods. To build a more informed and synergetic landscape of the politics and policies affecting the geopolitics of urban climate.

The successful candidates will:

• Have a proven, strong educational background in politics, international relations and urban studies or a related subject (see eligibility criteria)
• Be excited and inspired by the proposed project area
• Be a self starter
• Have good communication skills
• Have an inquiring mind and be willing to challenge themselves
• Have former experience in mixed methods research and GIS modelling

The successful candidates will benefit from a brand new campus on the banks of the River Thames next to Tower Bridge. This is an interdisciplinary, vibrant research environment with international collaboration and networking opportunities and dedicated research space. It will form the hub of a highly experienced, multi-institution supervisory team from NU London, Northeastern University and the University of Kent. In addition, successful candidates will benefit from the unique connection to the wider Northeastern University network in North America, providing a range of additional research opportunities and learning resources.

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in early March 2025. Candidates are welcome to contact the NU London supervisor with informal enquiries before the application deadline: 20th February 2025 (jonathan.rokem@nulondon.ac.uk)

Eligibility

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject - 2:1 or 1st (essential)
• Master’s degree in a relevant subject (optional)

English Language requirements:

If applicable – IELTS 7 overall (with a score of at least 6.5 in each individual component) or equivalent.

Nationality

Applications are open to UK and international students. Please indicate if you are likely to require a visa on your application. We are unable to support visa costs

Funding

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees, an annual stipend and an additional London allowance (set at UKRI rates) for 3.5 years.

International travel

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees, an annual stipend and an additional London allowance (set at UKRI rates) for 3.5 years. For the 2024/2025 academic year the annual stipend is £21,237. Annual increments will be in line with UKRI rates.

How to Apply

Please submit a CV and a Covering Letter stating how you meet the requirements and why you are interested in the proposed research project by clicking on the ‘Apply’ button above.

Please reference your application “R131491”