As a PhD student, you can make a difference
Before joining Stockholm University, Daniel Pinheiro Astone worked for the government for 10 years in total, both as a public servant and consultant. One of his best advice to someone who is interested in undertaking doctoral studies is to write about something that matters.
Hi there...
Daniel, Why did you decide to be a doctoral candidate?
I decided to take a career turn after spending about 8 years working in the government, as I wanted to study the root causes of social issues such as inequality and exploitation. I also enjoy working on my own so the possibility of doing independent research seemed very attractive (and still does).
What are you researching about?
I am studying the mechanics of value expropriation that results from the allocation of private property rights. It is an article-based (compilation) thesis developing in three stages. The first one focused on the harms that are caused by the exclusive nature of essential medicine patents but that are ultimately unaccounted for (i.e. the fact that people dying as a consequence of unaffordable medicine does not entail responsibility).
The second stage deals with theory building, reading the theory of property rights advanced by law and economics via Luhmann's systems theory. This aims at suggesting the relative value of a medicine patent uses the value of human lives as leverage so that commodification ends up incorporating human lives into market prices.
The third stage, still under development, advances the argument that the dynamics of value in the scope of transnational capital integration operates regressively. As such, the perception of "added value" entailed by global value chains is actually a register of the value that is extracted from the periphery of capitalism towards the centre. In other words, private property rights do not create value but only reallocate it, likely in the form of expropriation.
What do you do as a PhD student?
I use about half of my time with actual research work, either reading or writing. Some 25% is spent on outreach broadly understood (engaging with peers at Stockholm University, other scholars, authors and research centres, preparing applications and attending conferences etc). 20% of the workload is devoted to teaching and SCILJ activities. The remaining 5% falls into the endless void of procrastination.
What is the best thing about being a PhD student?
Diplomatically, the possibility of testing a range of arguments and methods within a group of highly committed scholars. Specifically, juggling the tension between thinking independently and having to reflect on the boundaries of established fields.
What is the most challenging part of being a PhD student?
The winter. Also, as an expat, the distance. If the candidate does not enjoy working alone (very, very broadly understood), this can definitely be a challenge.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested being a PhD student?
Write about something that matters. There is life outside legal dogmatics so do try something new. There is only so much an autophagic reading of the law can provide.
What do you want to do when you graduate?
I want to stay in academia. And to seize the means of production.
Last updated: February 3, 2023
Source: Department of Law