Eva Swyngedouw

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) invites applications for a PhD position within the ERC-funded project EXPULSE, focusing on Urban Expulsion Regimes in Thessaloniki. The project is hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Department of Sociology, and the Brussels Institute for Social and Population Studies. The research investigates how urban expulsion regimes—particularly housing evictions—shape housing trajectories, urban citizenship, and socio-spatial inequalities in four European cities: Brussels, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Thessaloniki. EXPULSE 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. The project employs a comparative mixed-methods approach, combining 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 Thessaloniki, 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, 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 position is based at the Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene), offering a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive academic environment. VUB is committed to freedom, equality, and solidarity, and is a member of the EUTOPIA alliance of European universities. Eligibility and Requirements: Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in sociology, urban studies, geography, anthropology, or a related field. They should demonstrate an excellent academic track record, strong motivation, intellectual curiosity, and a rigorous work ethic. Fluency in English and proficiency in Greek are required, along with proven experience in qualitative research methods (interviews, ethnography, discourse analysis). Assets include prior research on housing insecurity, vulnerable populations, or street-level bureaucrats, and existing networks with housing movements or urban actors in Thessaloniki. Applicants must not have worked as an assistant paid from operating resources for more than 12 months. Non-EEA nationals must meet permit and residence requirements for VUB. Funding and Benefits: The position offers a full-time PhD scholarship for 12 months, extendable up to 48 months upon positive evaluation. The grant is linked to government scales. Additional benefits include telework allowance, cost-free hospitalisation insurance, full reimbursement of public transport commute, affordable campus meals, sports facilities, nursery discounts, and extensive leave arrangements. Application Process: Apply online via the provided link by 15 May 2026. Required documents include your CV (with two referees), motivation letter, a writing sample in English, and course transcript/diploma. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview in early June 2026 and must present a draft research proposal aligned with the EXPULSE project objectives. For questions about the job content, contact Prof. Eva Swyngedouw at [email protected]. For more information about VUB and EUTOPIA, visit the provided links.

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) invites applications for a PhD position within the ERC-funded project EXPULSE, focusing on Urban Expulsion Regimes in Amsterdam. The project is hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Department of Sociology, and the Brussels Institute for Social and Population Studies. VUB is a leading Dutch-speaking university in Brussels, renowned for its commitment to freedom, equality, and solidarity, and is a member of the EUTOPIA alliance of European universities. EXPULSE investigates how urban expulsion regimes—particularly housing evictions—shape housing trajectories, urban citizenship, and socio-spatial inequalities among low-income residents in four European cities: Brussels, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Thessaloniki. The project conceptualizes urban expulsion as the 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 Amsterdam, actively engaging with the project’s comparative framework. Key responsibilities include: analyzing state policies, legal frameworks, housing regulations, and public discourses shaping eviction governance; examining how eviction governance is enacted in everyday practices by street-level bureaucrats and private actors; and exploring the lived experiences of housing insecurity, including housing trajectories, notions of home, coping strategies, and access to urban citizenship among residents at risk of eviction. The home base for this position will be the Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene). Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in sociology, urban studies, geography, anthropology, or a related field. Essential qualifications include an excellent academic track record, strong motivation, intellectual curiosity, rigorous work ethic, fluency in English, proficiency in Dutch, and proven experience with qualitative research methods such as interviews, ethnography, and discourse analysis. Assets include prior research on housing insecurity, vulnerable populations, or street-level bureaucrats, and existing networks with housing movements or urban actors in Amsterdam. Applicants must not have worked as an assistant paid from operating resources for more than 12 months. Non-EEA nationals must meet permit and residence requirements for VUB. The position offers a full-time PhD scholarship for 12 months, extendable up to 48 months upon positive evaluation. The grant is linked to government scales. Additional benefits include extensive homeworking options, telework allowance or internet fee, cost-free hospitalisation insurance, full reimbursement of public transport commute, affordable campus meals, excellent sport and exercise facilities, nursery discounts, and exceptional leave arrangements. The effective result of the doctorate scholarship is subject to enrolment as a doctorate student at VUB. To apply, submit your application online via jobs.vub.be by 15 May 2026. Required documents include your CV (with contact details of two referees), motivation letter, a writing sample in English, course transcript, and diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni). The selection process involves an initial review of application files, followed by interviews for shortlisted candidates, who will be asked to present a draft research proposal aligned with the objectives of the EXPULSE project. For questions about the job content, contact Prof. Eva Swyngedouw at [email protected] . VUB is committed to reflecting the diversity of society and values talent regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability, or neurodiversity. The university offers a dynamic and stimulating international research environment, with opportunities for career development and continuous learning.

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position within the ERC-funded project EXPULSE – Urban Expulsion Regimes. Based at the Brussels Institute for Social and Population Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, this role offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research on urban expulsion regimes, housing trajectories, and socio-spatial inequalities across four European cities: Brussels, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Thessaloniki. The EXPULSE project investigates how contemporary forms of urban expulsion, particularly housing evictions, are produced, governed, and spatially distributed. It conceptualizes urban expulsion regimes as the dynamic interplay between state policies, housing market regulations, public discourses, and the everyday practices of bureaucrats and private actors involved in eviction processes. The research employs a comparative mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of eviction court data with qualitative interviews and ethnographic fieldwork. As the postdoctoral researcher, you will lead the quantitative and comparative work package. Your responsibilities include compiling, cleaning, harmonising, and analysing eviction court datasets across the four cities; developing comparative indicators of urban eviction rates; conducting advanced statistical and geospatial analyses using tools such as ArcGIS, SPSS, Stata, Python, and R; mapping and analysing the geographical distribution of eviction patterns; and examining similarities and differences in urban eviction regimes and their socio-spatial impacts. You will also integrate quantitative and qualitative findings into a broader comparative and mixed-methods framework, collaborating closely with the principal investigator and PhD researchers, and contributing to the theoretical development of urban expulsion regimes. The ideal candidate will hold a PhD in sociology, urban studies, geography, anthropology, or a related field, completed before the start date. Essential qualifications include strong quantitative research skills, experience with large or administrative datasets, proficiency in statistical and geospatial software, a strong publication record, and fluency in English. Experience with court or administrative data, cross-national or comparative research, and knowledge of local languages (Dutch, French, Spanish/Catalan, or Greek) are considered assets. Non-EEA nationals must meet the conditions for obtaining a valid permit for VUB and comply with residence requirements. The position is based at the Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) and offers a 12-month contract (extendable up to 36 months based on positive evaluation), with a salary linked to government scales. Additional benefits include extensive homeworking options, telework allowance or internet fee, cost-free hospitalisation insurance, full reimbursement of public transport commute, compensation for cycling, campus meal discounts, excellent sport facilities, nursery discounts, and access to training platforms. The VUB provides an open, diverse, and stimulating international research environment, with a strong commitment to equality and inclusion. To apply, submit your application online via jobs.vub.be by 15 May 2026, including your CV (with contact details of two references), motivation letter, one or two representative publications, and diploma (not required for VUB alumni). The selection process includes an initial review of application files, followed by interviews in early June 2026, where shortlisted candidates will present a draft research proposal aligned with the EXPULSE project objectives. For questions about the job content, contact Prof. Eva Swyngedouw at [email protected]. For further information about the VUB, its campuses, benefits, and strategic goals, visit jobs.vub.be . To learn more about the EUTOPIA alliance, visit eutopia-university.eu .