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The ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE (Centre for Research on Architecture, Society & the Built Environment) Department Architecture at ETH Zurich has a position for a PhD candidate (100%) ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE (Dr. Monika Kurath, main applicant), and the Institute of Geography and Sustainability (IGD) at the University of Lausanne (Prof. Jean Ruegg, co-applicant) successfully gained the support of the Swiss National Foundation (SNF) to undertake a research project entitled: „Re-thinking zones: a comparative study of urban planning cultures“. The successful candidate will directly contribute to this research project through his or her PhD thesis. The research is located at the interface of urban studies, and science and technology studies (STS). It focuses on zoning as a major tool of land use planning and as a device that interplays with urban development and contributes to building a planning culture. Zoning is conceptualized as a non-human actor in an “actor-network-theory” sense that frames and is being framed by a specific planning culture. This project analyses planning cultures in comparing the cities Vancouver (Canada) and Zurich (Switzerland). Both cities use zoning as a planning instrument, yet the way zoning links technological knowledge to various processes of urban development and shapes the urban discourse is different. Additional cities can be included in the research. The proposed study is qualitative and comparative, and will employ a mix of methods comprising participant observation of urban planning authorities and qualitative interviews with planning experts. We offer an exciting interdisciplinary project in a newly-created research group. The successful candidate will work at ETH Zurich, closely with colleagues from both ETH Wohnforum at ETH-Zurich and IGD at UniL, and will do case study research on Zurich and one or two additional cities. We are looking for a talented young researcher with a Master’s degree in social sciences, STS, urban studies or a related field who has a strong interest in urban development issues and land use planning. Knowledge of qualitative methods is requested as well as an interest in STS theory and methods. Skills and commitment to work in an interdisciplinary group are required. German and English language proficiency is expected. For further information https://pub.refline.ch//845721/2924/++publications++/1/index.html