Missions

A call for applications is open for a postdoctoral position in the humanities and social sciences as part of the ANR PREcare project – Precarity and Solidarities in Small and Medium-Sized Cities (https://precare.hypotheses.org).
This project brings together around fifteen researchers and academics (from UMR Géographie-Cités, Université Gustave Eiffel, INED); the French Red Cross is also a partner (via the Red Cross Mobilities Program). The research domains involved include geography, urban planning, and demography.
The goal of this postdoctoral contract is to analyze the role of public and associative actors in solidarity initiatives targeting people in precarious situations in small and medium-sized cities.
The recruited candidate will be integrated into a collaborative research program (ANR) within a geography and planning research unit, UMR Géographie-Cités (UMR 8504), located at the Condorcet Campus in Aubervilliers.
They will receive support from the entire team throughout their participation in the project. Scientific supervision will be provided by Christophe Quéva (Associate Professor at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne), along with a postdoctoral committee including representatives of the project's various work areas.

Activités

The research will focus on several objectives:
• Identifying key public and associative actors and solidarity mechanisms in France, focusing on one or two thematic areas relevant to the candidate's expertise (e.g., employment support, housing, integration, service provision, food aid, etc.)
• Designing and conducting fieldwork with public and associative actors (at national, regional, departmental, and local levels, depending on a research site to be defined with the candidate)
• Processing and analyzing interviews
• Presenting research progress and findings in internal team seminars (potentially including invited stakeholders)
• Preparing a publication based on the work conducted during the project
Additional tasks will allow the candidate to collaborate with the entire team:
• Participating in the follow-up of a local survey conducted as part of a Master 2 Urban Planning workshop
• Contributing to collective discussions regarding a local survey with people in precarious situations.

Compétences

• PhD in the humanities and social sciences, preferably in geography, urban planning, or sociology
• Proficiency in qualitative research methods, especially semi-structured interviews
• Willingness to work in a collaborative, interdisciplinary setting
• Excellent writing skills in French (scientific articles, research reports, synthesis notes, etc.)
• Strong oral communication skills (for interviews, oral presentations, etc.)
A good understanding of public policy and/or the associative sector is appreciated, particularly in addressing inequality and precarity.
The recruited candidate is also expected to contribute to building networks with the public and associative actors involved (e.g., by inviting them to team seminars, organizing roundtables, disseminating the team's work, etc.).

Contexte de travail

The postdoc is part of a collaborative research project (ANR PRC) involving multiple research units (UMR Géographie-Cités; ACP, LATTS, LVMT laboratories; INED) and the French Red Cross. More broadly, the project continues a series of research initiatives focused on small and medium-sized cities, such as: “The Retraction of Services and Commerce in Small and Medium-Sized Cities” (2015–2019, coordinators: S. Baudet-Michel, S. Fol, and Quéva) ; “Rethinking Small and Medium-Sized Cities” (2020–2023, coordinators: M. Delage and S. Weber)
A large portion of the team has been collaborating for several years. Within UMR Géographie-Cités, the ANR project bridges two teams—CRIA and PARIS—bringing together urban planners and geographers.
Scientifically, the postdoc will contribute to expanding knowledge on the role of public and associative actors in combating precarity in small and medium-sized cities. The work will help identify, through qualitative research, the forms and locations of solidarity outside major metropolitan areas.
The work environment (workspace, fieldwork, etc.) will be provided by the host unit (UMR Géographie-Cités, Condorcet Campus).

Contraintes et risques

Short trips within France are expected to conduct interviews with public and associative actors. Travel and accommodation costs will be covered.
Autonomy and the ability to work with various stakeholders are essential. Weekly meetings with the supervising team will be held.

Informations complémentaires

Application Package (in French):
• A cover letter
• A detailed CV
• PhD defense report
• One or two publications
• A research project proposal (max. 5 pages)