The chair group Philosophy at Wageningen University, The
Netherlands, is seeking applications for a PhD position (fully employed) for a
study on ETHICAL ISSUES IN RELATION TO PREVENTION OF ZOONOSES
Zoonoses -
infectious diseases that may spread from animals to humans - are one of the
great challenges to global public health. Some important zoonoses such as avian
influenza, Q-fever, MRSA, and BSE find their origin in livestock, and
protection against these diseases will also affect food production. Certain
infections however also spread from companion animals or wild animals to humans
(toxoplasmosis, Lyme, etc.). A variety of measures can be taken to reduce the
risk of zoonoses: extra hygienic measures in farms and food production,
vaccination of animals, administration of antibiotics to infected animals,
prophylactic use of antibiotics, isolation of farms, and the culling or hunting
of animals that are sick, exposed, or otherwise risk spreading infection.
Societal debates about these issues often focus on the easily polarized
conflict between safeguarding public health versus serving the interests of
agriculture and livestock farming. Although this conflict cannot be ignored,
such a conceptualization easily obscures other dimensions of the risk of
zoonoses. Other values and actors are at stake as well. Values like animal
welfare and integrity, biodiversity, and environmental values, and actors like
citizens (who consume meat and dairy products, and often appreciate living
close to nature), food producers, and government. Moreover, a highly polarized
debate may create obstacles to finding policies that are reasonable and fair to
all stakeholders.
In this project we analyze a number of ethical issues in
relation to the prevention and control of zoonoses. The general research
question is how we as a society can responsibly deal with the risks of zoonoses.
The emphasis is on dealing with infection risks from animal husbandry. The
project includes an inventory of dilemmas in different contexts (health care,
infectious disease control, livestock farming and nature conservation), an
analysis of responsibilities of stakeholders, and a series of practical ethical
case discussions. The project will be designed in such a way that it can take
emerging cases of zoonoses into account. A more general theme will be how far
we should go in eliminating risks. How should we weigh protection against risk
reduction against other values, such as privacy, animal welfare and integrity,
and a viable and sustainable farming?
Dilemmas concerning the prevention of zoonoses also raise
a number of more theoretical questions in ethics, for example concerning the
relationship between collective societal responsibility and responsibilities of
individual parties (companies, consumers, farmers, hunters); the question how
to deal with ethical dilemmas in non-ideal conditions (e.g. the - rapidly
increasing - global demand for meat and animal production); and questions
concerning the desirability and feasibility of overcoming conflicting interests
through ethical reflection and deliberation. The project specifically aims at
interaction with such fundamental questions.
WE ASK
- Master's degree in philosophy or applied ethics, with
special interest in human and animal bioethics.
- Very good study results.
- Affinity with interdisciplinary research, particularly
combining philosophical and empirical approaches
- Good writing and presentation skills in English;
knowledge of the Dutch language is an advantage.
- An interest in assisting in teaching activities.
WE OFFER
We offer you fulltime employment (38 hours a week) for 18
months with a possible extension of 30 months after positive evaluation. The
gross salary is € 2.083,- per month in the first year and increases to €
2.664,- per month in the fourth year. (based on fulltime employment). In
addition, we offer a holiday bonus of 8% and an end-of-the-year bonus of 8.3%
of your annual salary.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information please contact Professor Marcel
Verweij (marcel.verweij@wur.nl>).
APPLICATION
You can apply till 15 September 2014 (extended deadline).
Candidates should upload the following information on the website https://www.wageningenur.nl/en/vacancy/PHD-Ethical-Issues-in-relation-to-prevention-of-zoonoses-2.htm
- Letter of motivation
- CV, including GPA (average grades) in your last study
- Two reference letters
- A (maximum 600 words) text in which you explain your
vision on this topic and reflect on philosophical questions that you consider
to be important in the study.
PHILOSOPHY @ WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY
The Chair Group Philosophy at Wageningen University works
on ethical and other philosophical issues in relation to the Wageningen domains
of healthy food and living environments. In these domains we have research
projects in animal and environmental ethics, public health ethics, and
responsible innovation. Projects often involve cooperation with societal actors
like governments, public health authorities, and research institutes like the
RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the
Environment).http://www.wageningenur.nl/en/Expertise-Services/Chair-groups/Social-Sciences/Philosophy-Group.htm
The Chair Group is embedded within the section
Communication, Philosophy and Technology: Centre for Integrative Development in
the Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University.
