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Dear colleagues, The LATTS (Laboratoire Techniques, Territoires et Sociétés) research centre of the Paris-based Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées offers a 3-year Ph. D. Grant as detailed below. Please be kind enough to circulate this email to potential applicants and any colleagues who may be interested in this research opportunity. Apologies for any cross-postings. Ph. D. Grant: LATTS, Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (Paris) (starting October 2007) The Capital City : Financialisation, real estate and city-regions development: an international comparison Ph. D. supervisor: Dr. Ludovic Halbert, CNRS researcher at LATTS Context: Over the last ten to fifteen years, large firms have outsourced the management of their office park encouraging the development of a real estate sector that is becoming more international, more professional and more financialised. This participates in a concentration of an increasing amount of capital in large metropolises where commercial real estate is fast-growing and fast-changing. Global city-regions are thus becoming the support of a financial geography of which relatively little is still known today. Consequently, investments in commercial real estate (offices, warehouses, etc.) tend to shape the forms and the modalities of the production of metropolitan spaces. According to market 'rules' or in the framework of public-private partnerships, the geography of international real estate investments needs to be addressed, especially in the light of the two contemporary debates on i) Sustainable Urban Development and ii) the Societal Responsibility of Firms (i.e. investment funds). The project: The research will analyse the transformation of metropolitan spaces and the modalities of their production in the light of the changes happening in the commercial real estate sector, with a particular interest in on-going financialisation processes. Strategies and representations of the main actors of the real estate industry will be observed (promoters, commercial agents, asset managers). The research will be multi-scalar (inter and intra-city-regions), comparative (between several metropolises, including the Paris Ile-de-France region) and inter-disciplinary (finance, geography, planning, economy and sociology), according to the specificities of the LATTS centre. Profile: Applicants will have achieved (or be about to achieve) a social sciences Master's degree in an area such as planning, geography, economics/finance or sociology. They should be familiar with qualitative research methodologies (documentary research, interviews), although a grasp of basic statistics and cartographic tools would also be positive. There are no restrictions on nationality. The working language will be English, but knowledge of (or a willingness to learn) basic French will be beneficial. A solid sense of rigour and a hard-working capacity will help the applicant to successfully develop an innovative and intellectually demanding research project. Prior research experience concerning real estate, financialisation, location strategies of firms, etc. will be looked upon favourably. Applicants should be willing to work in several city-regions in Europe and perhaps in Asia. Practical information: The successful applicant will receive a fully equipped office within LATTS and full access to library facilities. The Ph. D. grant amounts to 1 400 euros net per month for a period of 3 years starting in October 2007 or as soon as possible thereafter. For further information and details of how to apply, please contact Ludovic Halbert ([log in to unmask]). Applications should be received before 25th July 2007. Best Regards, Ludovic Halbert