With the increasing visibility of the side effects of the economic success of cities, such as rising inequality, segregation and housing unaffordability, issues of justice and inclusiveness have come to the fore more prominently. This does not only apply to the here and now, inclusiveness also relates to future generations and therefore stretches towards the concept of sustainability. However, visions and policies usually do not seem to excel in clarity and consistency, nor do they seem consistently applied and performed in succeeding operational plans.

This project is aimed at analysing how (local) governments deal with notions of justice and inclusiveness in their exercises of 'futuring', which can be defined as 'attempts at shaping the space for action by identifying and circulating images of the future'. In this study, we are both interested in the how visions of the future emerge and circulate, but also in what they 'do', how and under which circumstances they become effective in day-to-day planning decisions. This should be focused on topical urban issues such as housing affordability, transport poverty and energy poverty.

This PhD project combines insights from planning, futures studies and normative philosophy in order to further the concept of 'just futuring'. In doing so, we envision to achieve both academic and societal impact. The latter is strengthened through an intensive collaboration with PBL the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, where the candidate will be partially based and the research hub Transforming Cities (Strategic Theme Pathways to Sustainability).

Activities include:

• developing a conceptual perspective on 'just futuring', which combines the literature on 'futuring' with the literature on justice and 'the just city';
• carrying out empirical research into historical and contemporary case studies on energy, housing or/and mobility;
• presenting (intermediate) insights at academic conferences and in academic journals;
• contributing to the societal and policy debate, both through public interventions and in workshop settings.

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate who has:

• a Master's degree in spatial planning, human geography, public administration, sociology or applied philosophy or an adjacent discipline;
• the ability to speak and read Dutch or the willingness to learn this in a short period of time;
• proven research skills, both methodologically and conceptually;
• an interest in working on the science-policy interface;
• the ability to write academic texts as well as texts for a wider audience in English;
• an interest in doing in-depth empirical research.

You will be based at the Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning and also part of your time at the PBL the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. The project is a collaboration between the PBL the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and the hub Transforming Cities (Strategic Theme Pathways to Sustainability). The supervisors are Prof Edwin Buitelaar (promotor, UU/PBL) and Dr Peter Pelzer (co-promotor, UU).

You will be offered a full-time position (1.0 FTE), initially for one year with an extension to four years in total upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period. The gross salary ranges between €2,395 in the first year and €3,061 in the fourth year of employment (scale P according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% per year. In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions, including an attractive retirement scheme, (partly paid) parental leave and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). More information about working at Utrecht University can be found here.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major societal themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.

Utrecht University's Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth's core to its surface, including man's spatial and material utilisation of the Earth - always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

The Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning has its focus on the enhancement of long-term economic developments of cities, how to cope with social inequalities and how to ensure a healthy urban living. Research on these topics takes place within our research program “Urban Futures: Transitions Towards Economic and Social Sustainability for Cities”.

The Transforming Cities hub focuses on sustainable solutions for cities. Together with societal stakeholders, the researchers of the hub work to understand how cities change and how sustainability transformations can be accelerated. Our ambition is to find solutions that help cities to transform into sustainable, healthy and equal places.

PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency is the national institute for strategic policy analysis in the fields of the environment, nature and spatial planning. PBL contributes to improving the quality of political and administrative decision-making by conducting outlook studies, analyses and evaluations in which an integrated approach is considered paramount.