Postdoctoral Researcher in Internet Governance and International Law

About Us

Université Paris 8 is a central teaching and research hub in Île-de-France in the field of humanities. IFG Lab is the research laboratory of the French Institute of Geopolitics of the University Paris 8, founded in 2022. It was previously called the Centre de recherches et d’analyses géopolitiques-CRAG (Centre for Research and Analysis in Geopolitics), a host research team (EA 353) founded in 1989 at the University Paris 8.

Website: www.geode.science, www.geopolitique.net

Mission

Researchers and doctoral students at IFG Lab study territorial and digital power rivalries. Their research applies geopolitical methodologies (spatial analysis, stakeholder strategy, cartography, computer graphics) to various conflict situations. These include international conflicts (war, diplomacy, environmental conflicts, citizen involvement), intra-state conflicts (redevelopment, infrastructure projects, environmental conflicts, regionalist/nationalist movements, urban geopolitics, electoral rivalries), and digital conflicts (cyber conflicts, disinformation, geopolitics of digital technologies, international regulation of cyberspace).

The GEODE project (Geopolitics of the Datasphere), led by IFG Lab, specializes in the strategic challenges of the digital revolution. In 2020, it was awarded the title of Centre of Excellence for International Relations and Strategy by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces.

Frederick Douzet, director of GEODE, has won an ERC Advanced Grant (2022) for her project DATAROUTES. The postdoctoral researcher will be working full-time for the ERC project DATAROUTES.

Research Activities, Tasks, and Expected Results

Project Name: DATAROUTES (ERC Advanced Grant 2022)

Content of the research project:

DATAROUTES aims to map Internet data routes to understand how state and non-state actors' routing strategies shape cyberspace. It will analyze the significant security and policy issues this raises for the European Union. The project's goals are to measure and map Internet routes using open-source data through the DATAROUTES Border Gateway Protocol observatory. DATAROUTES will provide a platform for open access to its data and methodologies to encourage new research on the geopolitics of data routing.

Tasks to be performed:

• Conduct research in Internet governance and/or International/EU law applied to conflicts over Internet routing, Internet connectivity, and/or Internet sanctions.
• Publish scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and for science popularization.
• Participate in scientific and policy events such as conferences, colloquiums, roundtables, and workshops.
• Formulate policy recommendations.
• Organize conferences to disseminate research results.

Expected results:

• Publication of scientific and policy papers in academic journals and policy blogs.
• Participation in scientific conferences and colloquiums abroad and in France.
• Support for the activities of DATAROUTES and their organization (conferences, workshops, seminars).

Conditions of Service

Travel for fieldwork, workshops, and conferences approved by the principal investigator will be covered by the project.

Profil

Expected Training and Experience:

• PhD in Social sciences, Public International Law, European Law on digital issues, or Internet Governance.
• Depending on the PhD, sound knowledge in Public International Law, EU Law, or Internet Governance.
• Sound knowledge in the law of sanctions, international human rights law, telecommunications law, or Internet Governance.
• Good understanding of the Internet connectivity ecosystem.
• Experience in policy work would be an asset.

Expected Skills:

• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to manage a small team to conduct short and medium-term projects.
• Excellent aptitude for working in a multi-skills and multi-domain environment to foster cooperation and mutual understanding.
• Ability to conduct high-level academic research and formulate policy recommendations.
• Aptitude for using innovative methodologies (cartography, graphs, etc.) to support legal analysis.
• Self-motivation.
• Responsiveness.
• Excellent command of English; knowledge of French or another language is an asset.

Key skills/competency

• Internet Governance
• International Law
• EU Law
• Cyber Conflict
• Data Routing
• Geopolitics
• Policy Recommendations
• Academic Research
• Cartography
• Public International Law