Doctoral position in practical philosophy, with a focus on economic ethics and/or environmental ethi

Reference number PAR 2026/638 The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 58 000 students and 6800 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future. At the Department of Philosophy, Linguistics, and Theory of Science (FLoV) within the Faculty of Humanities, we have around 120 employees and a teaching volume that includes around 350 full-year students. We are engaged in numerous large international and interdisciplinary research projects in areas such as theoretical and practical philosophy, logic, linguistics, computational linguistics, language technology, and theory of science. Our research has many applications and collaborations with other scientific fields. We educate philosophers, logicians, linguists, language technologists, theorists of science, historians of philosophy, and teachers of philosophy. The department also conducts doctoral education and development work within its various academic domains. If you are interested in working in an international, dynamic and collaborative environment, FLoV offers an inspiring setting for research and education. Read more about us [here.](https://www.gu.se/en/flov)Our department offers postgraduate education in six subjects. Our research environment is international, with several recognised research projects and our staff representing over twenty countries. Read more [here.](https://www.gu.se/en/flov/doctoral-studies) General information about being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university's doctoral student pages. [https://www.gu.se/en/doctoral-studies](https://www.gu.se/en/doctoral-studies) ## **Project description** We are now looking for a doctoral student to join the department’s [Financial Ethics Research Group](https://www.gu.se/en/research/financial-ethics-research-group). The research group consists of philosophers and economists dedicated to ethical and political issues raised by money and finance (in the broadest sense). The group’s previous projects have been on topics such as sustainable business, ethical investment, banking for the poor, digital currencies, climate metrics, and the value of biodiversity. More specifically, the doctoral student will be connected to the research program [Sustainable Finance Lab](https://www.sustainablefinancelab.se/), which is a collaboration between several Swedish universities that is funded by Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency. The program explores various aspects of how to make markets and money into a positive force for sustainable development. The doctoral student is expected to do research in economic ethics and/or environmental ethics. Economic ethics is the application of moral or political philosophy to critical issues in business organizations or the economic system. Environmental ethics is the application of moral or political philosophy to critical issues in the relationship between humans and non-human environmental systems. The research area should be understood broadly so as to include subtopics like business ethics, the political philosophy of markets, ethics of commodification, ethics of climate change or biodiversity, collective action problems, and the philosophy of (environmental) economics. Any applications related to these subfields are welcome. The applicant must describe a more specific research question within this area that they intend to explore. Some examples of potential research questions are: - What moral duties do commercial firms or banks have to mitigate climate change? - Do consumers have a duty to buy sustainable goods, or invest in sustainable firms? - How should societal institutions (such as central banks or the monetary system) be set up to promote biodiversity? - Is the state justified in coercing market participants to mitigate climate change? - What is the relationship between sustainability and human rights? - Are current conceptualizations of sustainability in terms of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria adequate? ## **Duties** Doctoral studies comprise four years of full-time study. The candidate’s main responsibilities will be to write a doctoral dissertation in the area outlined above, and to complete obligatory course work. The doctoral student may also undertake a limited amount of teaching, administration or research not directly connected to her or his dissertation topic (but not more than 20%). Such duties extend the position accordingly. The candidate is expected to carry out the work in Gothenburg and to participate on a regular basis in the department’s activities, especially the seminars in practical philosophy. And expected to take an active part in the activities of the Financial Ethics Research Group, including meetings, seminars and conferences. The working language within the group is English. There will be funds available for travel and shorter visits to other universities. ## **Eligibility** We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations. Doctoral education requires general eligibility and, where appropriate, specific eligibility as set out in the general syllabus for the subject. The general eligibility requirements for doctoral studies are: 1. having completed a degree at second-cycle level, or 2. the fulfilment of course requirements totalling at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits must be at second-cycle level, or 3. the acquisition of equivalent knowledge in some other way, either in Sweden or abroad. The specific entry requirements for practical philosophy are: 4. 30 higher education credits in practical philosophy as a second-cycle subje