8 PhD positions/ PhD grants and 1 Postdoctoral position

Department II of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology has the opportunity to offer 8 PhD positions/ PhD grants and 1 Postdoctoral position, starting 1 October 2011 (or as soon as possible thereafter). Two positions for new PhD students are to be filled in each of the following four areas:

Historical Anthropology

Kinship and Social Support in China and Vietnam

The Global Political Economy of Cultural Heritage

Traders, Markets, and the State in Vietnam
In addition to the available PhD positions/grants, one postdoctoral position is available for this group.

General Requirements: Good field research skills, the ability to work in a team, and a good command of written and spoken English are required. Acquisition of the German language is encouraged, especially if there is relevant literature on the research topic in German. Prior field experience in the designated research location and knowledge of the relevant national and local languages are an advantage; in some cases it may be possible to extend extra support for the necessary language acquisition. The workplace is Halle/Saale.

PhD grants and positions are generally awarded for 2 years, with the possibility of up to four six-month extensions. The postdoctoral position is for 2 years, with a possible one-year extension. The Max Planck Society is committed to raising the proportion of women in science; we thus explicitly encourage applications by female researchers. Individuals with disabilities will be given priority, assuming equal qualifications.

There is no application form. Applicants should send the following documentation:

  • a cover letter
  • a CV including a list of publications
  • a two-page summary of the proposed research, which should demonstrate clear links both to the applicant’s previous work and qualifications and to the respective research field
  • photocopies of university degrees
  • a writing sample (e.g. a thesis chapter or a publication in either English or German)
  • names of two or three referees, whom we may contact

Please send applications electronically to: http://www.eth.mpg.de/cms/de/vacancies/data/WissenschaftAbtII_2011.html

Submitted by Christoph Brumann