IIS Postdoctoral Fellowship Announcement, Institute of International
Studies, UCB
2008-09
UC Berkeley’s Institute of International Studies (IIS) welcomes
applications for a 2008-2009 post-doctoral fellowship relating
to the theme: Global Energy Transitions: The International Political
Economy and Security Implications of a Shift Away from Fossil Fuels.
IIS seeks a fellow whose research will contribute to the following
question: What are the global political, economic, and security
implications of a partial shift from fossil fuels to other energy
sources? (biofuels, nuclear, other renewables)
The reigning assumption in policy circles is that reducing American
dependence on fossil fuels would enhance America’s freedom
of action and be almost entirely a good thing from a geopolitical
perspective. For example, it would reduce US dependence on authoritarian
regimes, constrain funding for terrorist organizations, slow global
climate change, and free up potentially dangerous transportation
choke points around the world.
Is this conventional wisdom robust? For example, an alternative
view is plausible: ‘complex energy interdependence’ of
the type we have now constrains geopolitical action in desirable
ways, re-distributes wealth in patterns that are stabilizing to
the global economy, and creates shared interests among otherwise
highly competitive great powers.
What is certain from previous historical experience is that global
energy transitions – for example from coal to oil – had
profound and long-lasting implications not only for global energy
markets, but also for military and corporate strategy, environmental
and economic policy, and ultimately, international politics.
The objective of this post-doctoral fellowship is to promote analytically
sophisticated research that both questions assumed premises, and
also evaluates other political, economic, and military consequences
of such a shift – both intended and unintended.
Examples of questions of interest include (but are not limited
to):
- How will U.S. reduction in fossil fuel consumption impact global
demand especially given the rise of many developing countries,
including China?
- How would exporting oil states and organizations such as OPEC
strategically react to global shifts away from fossil fuels or
to massive investment in such possibilities?
- What are the political and security implications of a reduction
in energy rents for petro-authoritarian states? Does such a shift
lead to incentives for diversification and reform, or to nationalism,
destabilization, radicalization, and even war?
- What does the current global map of U.S. energy dependencies
look like, and what would the map look like given a shift to
other energy sources? Would the world become dependent on new
regions, countries, or commodities?
- Would an increase in global nuclear energy lead to greater
nuclear proliferation risks or new dependencies on uranium producers
and enrichers?
- What are the global strategic and policy implications of new
green technologies, property, and patent innovations?
Over the coming years, policy and public debates surrounding energy
security and diversification will likely intensify. IIS envisions
that this post-doctoral fellow will contribute to the advancement
of our knowledge about global energy shifts, and engage actively
in scholarly and policy debates on these topics. While at IIS we
expect that the post-doctoral fellow will participate actively
in the institute, and engage with graduate students and faculty
on campus interested in related energy research.
UC Berkeley offers a unique environment to pursue this research
agenda, as home to multiple institutes, departments, and programs
devoted to the study of energy, environment, technological innovation,
and international politics, including the Institute for International
Studies, the Energy and Resources Group, the Institute of the Environment,
and the newly formed Energy Biosciences Institute.
Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
The post-doctoral fellowship will begin on September 1, 2008 and
go through June 30, 2009 (10 months).
The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity
Employer committed to diversity in its staff, faculty, and student
body, and invites all qualified people to apply, including minorities
and women, veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Applications from all disciplines in the social science and humanities
are encouraged.
Doctoral degrees must be in hand by August 15, 2008. Application
packages should include a two-page CV, a transcript, two letters
of recommendation, a two-page dissertation summary, and a five-page
written statement. The statement should include your experience
researching energy-related themes and/or working in energy policy,
as well as a proposed research question(s), methodology, and publication
goals for academic year 2008-2009.
Please mail complete application package (CV, transcript, dissertation
summary and project statement) to the address below. We cannot
review incomplete packages. The two letters of recommendation may
be sent separately also to the address below.
Heather White
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Institute of International Studies
215 Moses Hall #2308
Berkeley, CA 94720-2308
Inquiries may be sent to Heather White, heatherwhite@berkeley.edu.
Do not email application materials.
Deadline: The deadline for all applications is Friday,
April 4, 2008. Awards will be announced by the beginning of May.
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