Call for applications for a 4 year salaried Doctoral position in international humanitarian law at Lund University, Sweden, focusing on ‘The Impact of Military Training Practices on Targeting Law’.
 
Salaried doctoral candidate in International Humanitarian Law
 
Starting 1 September, applications are invited for a salaried doctoral position in public international law within the framework of a project on ‘The Impact of Military Training Practices on Targeting Law’. The project is financed by a grant of the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation. In the Nordic context, the Faculty of Law hosts one of the most dynamic research environments in international law, with a large group of researchers exploring the interaction of theory and empiry in this field.
 
Ideally, targeting rules in International humanitarian law (IHL) should be logical, unambiguous and straightforward to implement. However, this is not the case, as earlier research at our Faculty has shown. It is entirely conceivable, though, that the shortcomings of these international norms are compensated for when states implement them. Of particular interest is the question how states train military decision-takers in targeting, and how decision-taking is proceduralized. The objective of the present project is to establish a)whether six select states have developed norms or patterns of conduct that complement international norms on targeting; b) in what way these norms or patterns of conduct affect the material propositions in international norms on targeting; and c) whether such norms or patterns of conduct overlap amongst states covered by the project.
 
A Memorandum explaining central features of the project can be downloaded here. It should be consulted before formulating your application. Your own project description shall be kept within the limits of the project objective set our above without necessarily being constrained by the detailed choices made in the Memorandum. By way of example, you may very well propose a method for the empirical study different from that identified in the Memorandum. Or, to provide a further example, you might wish to add more detailed research questions within the framework of the project objective set out above. Your ability to suggest original and scholarly adequate solutions to problems encountered within the project will be an important factor in the selection process.
 
For more information, please consult the website of the Lund University Faculty of Law On 1 September 2011 or thereafter. The advertisement can be accessed via the Lund University website. The deadline for applications is 22 September 2011.