The end of oil and the Global South
Ethnographies of oil extraction and future policies in a decarbonizing world
Opportunities for candidates from Latin America and the Caribbean
CLACSO and the S-OIL project (The End of Petroleum and the Global South: Ethnographies of Oil Extraction and Policy Futures in a Decarbonising World), based at the Ekopol Research Group of the University of the Basque Country (EHU) and the Transnational Institute (TNI) in Amsterdam, invite researchers from the region to apply for doctoral positions funded by the European Research Council (ERC). The program, to be carried out between 2026 and 2031, proposes comparative research on the economic, political, and social challenges faced by hydrocarbon-exporting countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean in the context of the decarbonization of the global economy. The S-OIL project is led by Uruguayan researcher Daniel Chavez (Ikerbasque Research Professor, EHU) and integrates theoretical perspectives and methodological tools from political economy, social anthropology, and related disciplines to analyze how hydrocarbon-rich states in the Global South are confronting the global energy transition.
Latin American and Caribbean nominations
Between one and two of the doctoral positions will be reserved for candidates from Latin America and the Caribbean. Within the framework of this call for applications, CLACSO will offer research stays at one or more research centers in the region linked to its institutional network, as well as academic mentoring and logistical support for fieldwork, in accordance with the research lines of the S-OIL project in the region's oil and gas producing countries.
- Master's degree in social sciences, law or humanities, and proven research experience in areas related to the project's objectives.
- Special consideration will be given to prior experience in the study of extractive industries, state-owned enterprises, the political economy of development, or the configuration of the state in oil-exporting countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
- English language proficiency: an essential requirement for application, given the transregional and comparative nature of the S-OIL project.
- Pre-registration through the platform GAUR of the EHU: from September 1 to 25, 2026.
- CLACSO and S-OIL suggest that those with academic degrees awarded by universities outside the European Higher Education Area should start the apostille and authorization application procedures with the EHU Postgraduate Commission as soon as possible, since these processes usually take longer than the pre-registration window.
- Recommended contact the S-OIL team as far in advance as possible, in order to coordinate the academic endorsement and the application for the predoctoral contract in parallel with the admission.
Application and contact
Interested researchers can write to [email protected] to express their interest. More information is available on the S-OIL project website: https://soilproject.eu
Registration closes September 25th
