The UBC Centre for Climate Justice (CCJ) is seeking a Work Learn Research Assistant to assist on a research project working on mapping far-right climate politics across the United States, Canada, Argentina and Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Project Overview:
Gaston Gordillo is looking for an experienced graduate student researcher to assist with research for an Insight Grant project working on mapping far-right climate politics across the United States, Canada, Argentina and Aotearoa/New Zealand. The researcher will support research towards answering the following questions:
How are far-right movements and political leaders responding to localized climate disasters (floods, wildfire, extreme heat, and others)? What explanatory narratives, grievances, issue connections (e.g., linking climate to housing, cost of living, demographic change, etc.), and actions are they promoting in social and professional media? Who are the targets of these actions and grievances?
The researcher will support research about Argentina to identify and develop 2-4 case studies of far-right post-disaster responses in the country. Later work will include travel to Argentina to conduct interviews, and publish a paper based on their findings.
The ideal researcher will possess excellent investigative skills and be meticulously attentive to accuracy, detail, and organization. They will already follow politics/current events closely and have a strong interest and grounding in climate justice literature.
Responsibilities will include:
• Targeted fact finding, investigative research, and case study identification
• Producing longer term, in-depth research reports and literature reviews
• Maintaining extensive and searchable electronic research files
About the Position:
Term of Appointment: September – April
Max hours per Week: 10
Hourly wage: $26.02/hr to $37.36/hr depending on experience.
Qualifications
The researcher must be a registered UBC student and have experience or interest in researching far-right movements and political parties. Strong writing and investigative research skills are required, including:
– the ability to prepare in-depth research reports and literature reviews;
– targeted fact finding, investigative research, and news synthesis;
– detailed fact-checking of all projects, including building and maintaining relationships with experts to consult on factual questions;
– create visual materials for presentations including image research and slide design;
– attend and present research at team meetings;
– draft publications;
– search databases;
– maintain extensive and searchable electronic research files;
– use the library system and access hard to find documents.
The ability to speak and read Spanish will also be critical due to the location of the research in Argentina.
The researcher will have a proven commitment to the highest standards of accuracy, and must be comfortable interpreting, summarizing, and drawing on social and physical science research. The position also requires excellent time management skills, professionalism, and the ability to handle high-stress situations. Time sensitive deadlines require the ability to work flexible hours and to respond rapidly to requests.
Contribution to University Community
The Research Assistant will be supporting a significant new area of research and public engagement at the Centre for Climate Justice that maps how far-right climate agendas and discourses across geographical/climatic, political, and historical differences among our study sites, traces the evolution of internationally networked far-right climate agendas as they take distinct contextual forms.
The project combines historical and contemporary qualitative research to situate current far-right movements in a longer political lineage, to diagnose their implications for climate policy at multiple scales, and to inform effective climate policy responses to far-right agendas. The work examines how in these countries denialist positions exist, to varying degrees, in combination with economic, racial, and gender anxieties across diverse narrative themes and strategies, and how they come to influence policy (or not).
The Centre for Climate Justice is dedicated to building clear and accountable work processes and structures, to ensure that student positions are appropriate in scope and offer valuable learning opportunities and sufficient support for student creativity. We prioritize employee well-being and inclusivity in the workplace and are happy to accommodate diverse work styles and accessibility needs, including options for hybrid or remote work as well as designated office space. The Centre for Climate Justice is committed to creative an anti-racist work environment and regularly undertake self-assessments in line with the Indigenous Strategic Plan throughout the year.
Student Learning Components
Supervision & Training:
An onboarding process led by Gaston Gordillo and CCJ staff will ensure that the student understands the context of the research and how it contributes to the wider aims of the Insight Grant project. Regular research team meetings will be augmented by collaborative work platforms (Teams) for consistent communication, and additional meetings can be scheduled on an as-needed basis. The student has the option of working in person in the CCJ’s shared office. A performance check-in will be scheduled during the Work Learn appointment to identify strengths and areas of growth, and to enable the student to offer feedback and requests for any additional support.
The student researchers will be invited to lead or co-author all project outputs and to present research results at academic conferences in later years. Benefits to student researchers include:
• The research team’s extensive professional networks among journalists and policy makers across all focus countries, which will facilitate essential connections for interviews, policy and media research, and research dissemination
• International and interdisciplinary mentorship by a team of diverse researchers, with different professional backgrounds and career experience, located in four countries
• Training and experience in multi-sited, multi-method, longitudinal research, combining discourse and policy analysis, database construction, network analysis, interview and coding techniques, and qualitative data collection
• Familiarity with international environmental policy and governance process through virtual and in person observance at UNFCCC COP events
• Opportunities for first-author and co-authored publications, including academic and policy outputs.
Students will also gain experience in public- and policy-facing publication and research dissemination by working collaboratively with staff at the Centre for Climate Justice. Centre staff are skilled in public engagement and have large networks in movement and civil society organizations, and significant experience in research and policy communication. Centre staff will work with student researchers to prepare compelling written and audiovisual communication materials, effective social media strategies, and the final policy report.
Connections & Learning:
The student will be an active member of the Insight Grant, ideally continuing their work throughout the life of the grant (five years). They will work closely with the other research assistants to the project working with Naomi Klein, Gaston Gordillo and the external collaborators. They will also be invited to connect with additional members of the CCJ community, invited to attend internal and external CCJ events to get to know affiliate faculty and students and embed in the content of the CCJ’s work.
They will be given mentorship and support by Gaston Gordillo as well as other research leads on the grant both at UBC and located in Argentina and New Zealand.
The CCJ has a growing community of affiliated UBC faculty members and graduate students across many disciplines with whom the student will have regular opportunities to connect with.
Career Exploration:
This research will form a vital part of the outputs of the grant, contributing to publications, databases, and conferences in later years. They will also enhance their investigative skills as they relate to fact finding and checking throughout the duration of the research project.
As a key member of this small research team, this position offers a valuable opportunity to grow the student’s own research in collaboration with experienced academics with connections across fields and industries.
How to Apply:
Rolling Deadline.
Please apply by email to climate.justice@ubc.ca with “Mapping Far-Right Climate Politics RA Application” in the subject line of the email and include:
- Resume / CV
- Letter of Motivation (1 page)
- Writing Sample
- Unofficial Transcript
Due to the volume of expected applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.