2 Macquarie University Research Excellence PhD Scholarships (MQRES)

Overview

The Legal Governance Concentration of Research Excellence (CORE) in the Macquarie Law School, Macquarie University, is offering two full time Macquarie University Research Excellence PhD Scholarships (MQRES) under the supervision of Dr Cameron Holley, a member of the CORE.

Please quote the allocation reference numbers 2011107 and 2011108 on your application form.

Two outstanding doctoral candidates are sought to undertake studies in either of the projects below. Both projects are focused on novel forms of governance that seek to address two of the greatest environmental challenges facing Australia and the international community: climate change and scarce groundwater resources.

Climate Project: Given the continuing failure of governments and multilateral treaties to deliver effective climate outcomes, this project investigates an emerging, but potentially powerful new ‘actor’ in climate governance regimes both in Australia and globally. These new actors take the form of climate change civil society movements (eg ‘Get Up’, ‘1 Million Women’, ‘350.org’ and ‘10-10’). The project examines the circumstances under which these new movements can shape law, policy and practice (eg direct action mechanisms, lobbying and partnerships) to produce effective and legitimate climate outcomes. The project aims to develop principles to guide these new movements to better influence climate law regimes and deliver improved climate outcomes.

Groundwater Project: This project responds to the recent call for a ‘water reform revolution’ to empower communities to collaboratively manage water buy-back and entitlements in Australia. The project will examine the circumstances under which collaborative forms of groundwater management are likely to be effective both as a standalone governance approach and as a component of wider legal and regulatory systems. It aims to provide necessary guidance and prescription to policy makers so they can deliver this ‘revolution’ and mobilise collaborative groundwater governance to achieve improved environmental outcomes for Australia.

The successful applicant will join an innovative team of researchers at Macquarie Law School who are undertaking inter-disciplinary research on contemporary issues related to legal governance and public policy.

There is a possibility that suitable candidates will spend a period of time travelling within Australia and overseas to conduct empirical research on civil society movements or examples of collaborative groundwater governance.

As a doctoral student, you will develop expertise in cutting edge environmental law and governance theory, gain experience in research design and methods (eg interviewing), and produce insights that may lead to improved environmental and social outcomes in practice.

Applicants should be available to start before the end of 2011. They should also have the following attributes:

■an undergraduate degree with first class honours in an appropriate discipline (such as law, legal studies, environmental science, the humanities, social sciences, or some combination of these areas), or equivalent research qualifications (such as publications or a Masters degree with a substantial research component);

■if they have not graduated already, they should expect to finish their undergraduate degree by the end of 2011;

■a strong interest in the projects mentioned above; and

■good written and verbal communication skills

For further information and discussion regarding this project, candidates are encouraged to contact Dr Cameron Holley: telephone: +61 2 9850 7863; email: cameron.holley@mq.edu.au

The scholarship pays a living allowance currently $22,860 per annum tax exempt (2011), and the tenure is 3.5 years full time, subject to satisfactory progress.

These scholarships are open to both domestic and international applicants, although only one is currently available for an international student.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation numbers 2011107 and 2011108 on your application.

Please quote Scholarization.blogspot.com on your application when applying for this scholarship