Conditional upon approval by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO) (Berlin) invites prospective PhD students and researchers to apply for two research positions (part-time) for the programme ‘Crossroads Asia’.
The selected candidates, while based at ZMO, will also be members of the research and competence network ‘Crossroads Asia’, sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and coordinated at the University of Bonn. The competence network is an interdisciplinary research programme that draws on expertise of scholars of several German universities and also of the Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO) in Berlin. The network seeks examine and rethink the interactions between social configurations and mobility in, and between the neighbouring regions of South and Central Asia.
The programme emphasises the following research paradigms:
1) It looks at concrete thematically defined causal and functional relationships or ‘figurations’ in a ‘post-area studies’ approach that cuts across conventional regional boundaries.
2) It centres on ‘mobility’ as the overarching perspective for the competence network that relates to the three focal aspects of ‘conflict’, ‘migration’ and ‘development’ structuring three dedicated working groups.
REREQUISITES AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE
The fellowships are intended for researchers from the various disciplines of social sciences and humanities, with previous knowledge of the area and preferably relevant language skills, who wish to develop their research career. They will be able to work independently, while being part of a group, and meet the targets set in the general programme. They will be expected, at the end of their research period, to make an original contribution on the subject and disseminate the results to the public. Besides, the candidates based at ZMO will need to have a good command of English Marked as ‘Crossroads Asia’, applications outlining the necessary disciplinary (history, political science, sociology, anthropology) and linguistic qualifications can be submitted in English to PD Dr. Dietrich Reetz and Dr. Antía Mato Bouzas at Zentrum Moderner Orient, Kirchweg 33, D-14129 Berlin. They should contain a letter of motivation, a project outline (max. 3 pages), CV, copies of relevant university diplomas, a sample of academic writing (e.g. parts of MA thesis, article, etc.) and a letter of recommendation by one university instructor.They will be reviewed from 10 December 2010, until the positions are filled. Remuneration will be according to Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst (TvöD), grade 13, (50%) (http://oeffentlicherdienst.info/tvoed/bund/). Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview between 15 and 20 December 2010. Applications should not contain any original materials, as the documents will not be returned.