PhD Student in Urban Expulsion Regimes (ERC Project EXPULSE) – Barcelona Fieldwork Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Sociology, and the Brussels Institute for Social and Population Studies invite applications for a PhD student position within the ERC-funded project EXPULSE – Urban Expulsion Regimes. This research project investigates how urban expulsion regimes shape housing trajectories, urban citizenship, and socio-spatial inequalities among low-income residents in four European cities: Brussels, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Thessaloniki.

EXPULSE addresses the deepening housing crises and widening urban inequalities by examining contemporary forms of expulsion, especially housing evictions. The project conceptualizes urban expulsion regimes as the dynamic interplay between state policies, housing market regulations, public discourses, and the everyday practices of street-level bureaucrats and private actors involved in eviction processes. Using a comparative mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative analysis of eviction court data with qualitative interviews and ethnographic fieldwork involving institutional actors and residents at risk of eviction.

The successful candidate will conduct in-depth research in Barcelona, actively engaging with the project’s comparative framework. Key responsibilities include:

• Studying urban expulsion regimes “from above”: analyzing state policies, legal frameworks, housing regulations, and public discourses shaping eviction governance.
• Studying urban expulsion regimes “from below”: examining how eviction governance is enacted in everyday practices by street-level bureaucrats and private actors (e.g., landlords, welfare offices, judicial courts, police, and bailiffs).
• Exploring lived experiences of housing insecurity: investigating housing trajectories, notions of home, coping strategies, and access to urban citizenship among residents at risk of eviction.

The Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base, with fieldwork conducted in Barcelona. The position offers the opportunity to contribute to a high-impact, comparative European research project and to develop expertise in urban sociology, housing studies, and mixed-methods research.

Applicants should hold a relevant Master’s degree and demonstrate experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods. Strong analytical and communication skills are required, and proficiency in English is necessary. Knowledge of Spanish or Catalan is considered an asset. Motivation to conduct fieldwork in Barcelona and engage in comparative research is expected.

For further details and to apply, visit the university’s job portal using the provided link. Prepare your CV, motivation letter, and academic documents as part of your application. The position is based at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, with research activities in Barcelona, Spain.