The DFG graduate school “Innovation Society Today” at the Technische Universität Berlin, Germany, is pleased to advertise 2 visiting fellowships. The fellowships are available for a period of three months, from October/November to December/January 2018/19.
The Graduate School addresses the following key question: How does the innovation society constitute its transformations reflexively as innovation? In order to answer this question we need to clarify how innovation and novelty are brought forth reflexively by a multitude of actors distributed in and across innovation fields, i.e. action fields which are constituted around specific, innovation-related issues (like e-mobility or bank-regulation) by actors interacting with each other referring to the issue of the field. Such innovation fields often are located between different areas of society (e.g. between science, industry, and the public realm). In the process of societal transformation, innovation becomes an increasingly reflexive, heterogeneously distributed, and ubiquitous phenomenon. Reflexivity in innovation relates to the ongoing and systematic production and reproduction of novelty in society based on a growing body of knowledge. Heterogeneously distributed innovation signals a shift from the individual entrepreneur to innovation produced in actor networks. Ubiquity of innovation signifies that novelty is no longer restricted to the traditional spheres of science and economy; rather, it has become a generalized imperative in modern society (innovation society).
By following an extended notion of innovation, the graduate school strives to develop a sophisticated sociological view on innovation, which is more encompassing than conventional economic perspectives. Our doctoral students are currently undertaking a series of case studies to promote a deeper and empirically founded understanding of the meaning of innovation in contemporary society and of the social processes it involves. More information about the graduate school can be found on our website: http://www.innovation.tu-berlin.de (click on the flag at the top of the page for an English version).
The fellowships are aimed at late-stage doctoral candidates/early career scholars. We offer a monthly grant of € 1,500 (tax-free, accident insurance cover; health insurance is, however, not included), as well as travel costs to and from Berlin at the beginning and end of the stay. Visiting fellows are expected to contribute to the discussions and activities of the graduate school, including an active role in workshops and seminars. This will also include a presentation of current research during one of the seminars, as well as the drafting of a report on research findings once the stay is over.

The program is affiliated to the department of sociology, but applications from political science, history, philosophy, economics, STS and other fields that deal with innovation in society are encouraged. Applicants should, however, be able to present a primary research interest in at least one innovation-related field that allows investigations of the characteristics (reflexivity, heterogeneity, and ubiquity) of innovation societies. Particularly those scholars who investigate innovation fields in societies that diverge in relevant dimensions from Germany (e.g. Global South) or who investigate innovations in unexpected or divergent spheres of society (e.g. religion) are encouraged to apply.

Applications should be in English and state in what way the applicant is expected to profit from the interaction with our graduate school, and vice-versa, as well as the preferred time period for the stay. They must also include (1) a CV (including publications and language skills), (2) copies of academic diplomas, (3) a short description (max. 3 pages) of the doctoral project in progress or, for post-docs, another project the applicant wants to progress on during his or her stay, (4) a (confidential) academic letter of recommendation from one university professor (for doctoral candidates, this should be a thesis supervisor), that should be sent under separate cover by the professor to the address below.

Please note that we can only accept applications via email, preferably as a single PDF document. The letter of recommendation should be sent by the referee directly to us by email.
The deadline for applications and letters of recommendation is August, 19th, 2018. Please submit all documents to the following email address: jobs@innovation.tu-berlin.de.
If you have any questions, please contact the graduate school’s academic coordinator, Susann Schmeißer, at susann.schmeisser@tu-berlin.de.