This call for applications invites applicants for a pre-doctoral research position (doctoral candidate) (m/f/d) in the joint project “Worldmaking from a Global Perspective: A Dialogue with China” (funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF). The project is jointly conducted by researchers at universities in Berlin, Göttingen, Heidelberg, Munich and Würzburg.
We are seeking applicants for a position in project 1B “Social worlds: China’s cities as spaces of worldmaking“ (led by Prof. Dr. Björn Alpermann, University of Würzburg, and Prof. Dr. Elena Meyer-Clement, Freie Universität Berlin). The project investigates the political and societal effects of globalization in China’s cities. It analyses social interaction and communication processes as well as the role of China’s cities in global politics. The candidate’s doctoral project should relate to one of these topics. Our investigation of changing social worlds in China’s cities builds on intensive fieldwork in cooperation with Chinese researchers. The interdisciplinary analysis is linked to global debates in urban and globalization studies.
The early career researcher will work in a team with a postdoctoral researcher and Chinese and German research fellows in Berlin and Würzburg. The candidate will receive funding for conducting research in the PRC, Taiwan or Hong Kong and for participating in international workshops and conferences.
Job description:
- Contributing to social science research on China at the Institute of Chinese Studies, Freie Universität Berlin
- Participating in the project “Social worlds: China’s cities as spaces of worldmaking” within the joint project “Worldmaking from a Global Perspective: A Dialogue with China”, funded by the BMBF
- Collaborating with project members and fellows, and fostering the exchange between German and Chinese researchers
- Assisting in the organisation of the project’s conferences, workshops and transfer activities
Requirements:
Completed MA-level university degree (Master/Magister/Diploma) in Chinese Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Geography or a related discipline with a focus on China by the time of employment.
Desirable:
- Fluency in Chinese and English
- Excellent academic record and the ambition to conduct a doctoral project
- Verifiable interest in one or more of the following research areas: urbanization, urban sociology, population politics, globalization, global governance
- Willingness to conduct fieldwork in China
- Very good knowledge of social science research methods
- Ability to work independently in an interdisciplinary team of researchers