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What does the future hold for commons practices? What challenges do government, civil society and the private sector face?
A round table discussion with citizens, politicians, business owners and the general public.
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Commons in Brussels: 5 discussion evenings, 5 Thursdays in a row. All discussion sessions will be held at Muntpunt, starting at 19:00.
They’re popping up everywhere. Particularly in towns and cities. And especially in Brussels. Commons! An English term that refers to a group of people who collaborate on some predefined ‘common good’. That common ‘good’ could be anything: collective compost heaps, communal vegetable gardens, material banks, savings banks etc.
Commons appear to be used for more than just communal leisure activities. Indeed, commons enable citizens to take control of society. Commons consequently position themselves alongside public and private sector initiatives.
Can specific citizens' initiatives truly make a big impact?
During the 5 discussion evenings, we’ll talk to citizens' initiatives that are keen to share their experiences, experts who understand the wider context and the general public who will have the opportunity to ask critical and probing questions.
For a JPI Urban Europe project on Positive Energy Districts, Cosmopolis is looking for a motivated researcher.
The TRANSPED-project establishes a learning network with Positive Energy Districts and neighbourhoods that have ambitious goals in terms of a sustainable energy transition, with cases in Brussels, Stockholm, Lund, Tirol and Graz . The aim is to understand how urban energy strategies can be locally embedded, monitored and upscaled to realise a radical shift towards a more sustainable, democratic and just urban energy system.
As researcher on this project, you will collaborate with local partners in Brussels and with the international project partners. You’ll shape a co-creation process with the stakeholders involved, organise and participate in international workshops and online meetings. You will also perform several research tasks, such as elaborating case studies about the energy projects, writing policy recommendations and/or scientific articles and reports. You’ll be supported by motivated colleagues at Cosmopolis.
Cosmopolis is looking for a candidate with experience or affinity with the topic of sustainable urban development and just energy transition. Familiarity with the Brussels stakeholder context is an advantage. You can work independently, are communicative, and like collaborating with a diverse group of partners.
It is possible to combine this position with a PhD trajectory, but this is not mandatory. The position can be fulltime for a shorter period, or parttime for a period up to 2 years. The conditions and content of this position will be designed in dialogue with the candidate. The project will be launched in February 2021.
Are you interested in this position and would you like to know more about this vacancy? Please send an email to fabio.vanin@vub.be en griet.juwet@gmail.com The official vacancy and application procedure will be communicated in due time.