{"id":63400,"date":"2025-09-25T10:51:38","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T10:51:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opportunitiesforyouth.org\/?p=63400"},"modified":"2025-09-25T10:51:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T10:51:38","slug":"esrc-phd-studentship-opportunity-at-the-university-of-cambridge-climate-urbanism-sustainability-for-the-affluent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opportunitiesconnect.com\/?p=63400","title":{"rendered":"ESRC PhD Studentship Opportunity at the University of Cambridge: Climate Urbanism \u2013 Sustainability for the Affluent"},"content":{"rendered":"

The University of Cambridge, in collaboration with Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), is delighted to announce a fully funded 3.5-year PhD studentship<\/strong> as part of the ESRC Cambridge Doctoral Training Partnership (CAM-DTP). Starting in October 2026<\/strong>, the project will investigate the critical question: Does climate urbanism, in its current form, primarily sustain the lifestyles of the affluent while marginalising vulnerable groups?<\/em><\/p>\n

This timely research will be supervised by Dr. Charlotte Lemanski<\/strong> (University of Cambridge, Department of Geography) and Dr. Rosie Robison<\/strong> (Global Sustainability Institute, ARU, Cambridge campus). It offers a unique opportunity to engage with urgent debates at the intersection of urban sustainability, climate justice, and social inequality.<\/p>\n

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Research Focus<\/h2>\n

Urban centres worldwide are at the forefront of the push toward net zero. Policies such as promoting renewable energy, retrofitting housing, encouraging cycling, and developing 15-minute cities are heralded as pathways to more sustainable futures. However, emerging critiques\u2014captured in the idea of climate apartheid<\/em>\u2014suggest that these strategies may disproportionately benefit privileged groups, protecting their lifestyles and assets while sidelining those already disadvantaged.<\/p>\n

The PhD will interrogate this tension through comparative case studies in the UK and South Africa<\/strong>. The research will explore how sustainability interventions\u2014such as transport innovations, water reuse systems, and energy transitions\u2014can reinforce or challenge existing inequalities. By focusing on both affluent and marginalised urban communities, the project seeks to reveal whether \u201cclimate urbanism\u201d is unintentionally reproducing inequality under the banner of sustainability.<\/p>\n

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Methodological Approach<\/h2>\n

The project is rooted in qualitative research methods<\/strong>, providing rich insights into lived experiences, policies, and practices. Possible approaches include:<\/p>\n