[ PostdoktorandInnen | Postdoc Positions ]

The Max Planck Institute is offering six positions (post-doctoral or PhD grants) in the Siberian Studies Centre. Deadline for application: November 20, 2009.

The Siberian Studies Centre conducts social anthropological research in several regions of the Russian Federation (the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russia). For the period 2008-2012, the Siberian Studies Centre's key activity is the Research Programme 'Conditions and Limitations of Lifestyle Plurality'. The overall goal of the programme is to describe: the preconditions and processes that lead to the differentiation of lifestyles; the scope and dimensions of social recognition, indifference or intolerance towards different models of behaviour; and the factors that facilitate the mainstreaming of such models and/or limit the diversity of lifestyle choices. In 2008-2009, members of the Siberian Studies Centre have been working on the conceptual and theoretical frames of lifestyle and formulated possibilities for focussing and operationalising research on this theme.

The task of the new team of researchers will be to develop, on the basis of previous and ongoing research at MPI, the methods and research instruments for a comparative study on spatial and/or visual aspects of lifestyles in contemporary Russia , to carry out fieldwork on the basis of this methodology, and to evaluate results in a comparative manner.

Research topics:

1. Changing habits of travelling;
2. Visual self-presentation;
3. Technological and infrastructural changes in relation to orientation, communication, social networks and identification.

Post-doctoral and/or PhD stipends should start on 1 March 2010 and end on 31 December 2012. PhD grants are generally awarded for 2 years, with the possibility of an extension (max. until 31 December 2012). We expect our PhD students to complete a one year period of fieldwork as part of their studies. Postdoctoral grants are for two years (an extension until 31 December 2012 is possible). Postdoctoral grants can only be awarded to scientists who have received their doctorate within the last ten years. The grants are not taxed and are free from social security stipulations.

Successful candidates are supposed to take residence in Halle.

Applicants should have an anthropological background and some field experience in Russia. Good reading, writing and communication skills in both English and Russian are essential. Other language skills would be beneficial. The institute aims at high level language competence. For successful candidates the acquisition of the languages of the areas studied and languages in which relevant literature is written is encouraged and facilitated. Courses in some languages, including German, can be arranged locally.

The Max Planck Society is committed to raising the proportion of women in under-represented fields; we thus explicitly encourage applications by women. Individuals with disabilities will be given priority, assuming equal qualifications.

There is no application form to be filled out. Applicants should submit:

• a cover letter (1 page);
• a Curriculum Vitae (2-3 pages plus a list of publications);
• an individual proposal (2-3 pages) on how they would tackle either a single of the above research topics or a combination of them.