Deadline: 31 August, 2012
Open to: Candidates from the disciplines of History, Anthropology, Law, Sociology, Political Science, and Area Studies
Fellowship: 10 to 15 international fellows will receive a monthly stipend, which can be individually negotiated, and are obliged to work at the research center in Berlin.
Description
The International Research Center “Work and Human Lifecycle in Global History” at Humboldt University in Berlin, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) invites scholars to apply for 10 to 15 international research fellowships (senior scholars and postdoctoral candidates) for the 2013-2014 academic year.
The Center conducts research into work with a special focus on work as a concept and on its performativity. Although the end of the work society has occasionally been proclaimed in western industrial societies, it takes nothing more than a glimpse at these societies to realise that this claim is simply based on a narrow definition of work as wage labour. Trans-cultural perspectives and definitions that go beyond purely instrumental descriptions of the concept of work confirm its high social, cultural and economic value as well as the large variety of categories with which it is possible to approach the subject.
Research at the IGK is based on a comparative, interdisciplinary perspective which is deployed as a means of studying the ways in which different societies throughout the world at different times have embodied the term ‘work’ with meaning; and how different concepts of work are linked to each other by the various ways in which the actual performance of work is expressed. The conceptual discourse on what can meaningfully meant by ‘work’ and the meanings which are embodied within the concept of work itself are central to research at the IGK. These aspects first need to be clarified before any robust statements with regards to history, social theory or interpretations of the present can be made. In addition, the IGK deploys a global and far-reaching chronological perspective to study the diversity of industrial and non-industrial, as well as capitalist and pre-capitalist realities.
Eligibility
Candidates especially from the disciplines of history, anthropology, law, sociology, political science, and area studies are welcomed to apply. Applicants should be at the postdoctoral level or senior scholars. The IKG centre would like the proposed projects to employ a historical and transregional perspective. Also, please do not only focus on work/labour, but also on life course. Possible topic areas are, among others, the household, loss of work, the relationship between work and non-work, as well as free and unfree labour. We welcome proposals about all regions of the world and especially those that look at comparisons, conflicts, relations between different regions. A global history perspective is not required; keeping an open mind to such ideas, however, is highly desirable. The fellowships will begin on 1 October 2013 and end on 31 July 2014. Shorter fellowship terms will be possible.
About the Fellowship
Fellows will receive a monthly stipend, which can be individually negotiated, and are obliged to work at the research center in Berlin. A fully equipped office will be provided as well as organizational help for visa, housing, etc. During the fellowship, candidates are also encouraged to introduce their work to wider audiences within Berlin’s scientific community.
Application
Please use the electronic form on the official website (or access the link directly)
You will be asked to provide information regarding your biography, the research project you intend to work on during your fellowship as well as details on your current research. Post-docs should provide the names of two referees in addition to that.
Please note that only electronically submitted applications can be accepted! Application deadline: August 31, 2012
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Felicitas Hentschke
T: +49 (0)30 / 2093-70206 ; F: -70210
Email: felicitas.hentschke@asa.hu-berlin.de
or visit the center’s website
