The Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology is one of the leading centres for research in social anthropology. Common to all research projects at the institute is the comparative analysis of social change; it is primarily in this domain that its researchers contribute to anthropological theory, though many programmes also have applied significance and political topicality.

The Department “Law & Anthropology” is offering positions for Doctoral Students in the field of Memory and Transitional Justice

Background
The Max Planck Graduate Center initiative brings together leading faculty from multiple Max Planck institutes and their partner institutions to offer outstanding doctoral programs in a set of topical research areas. By offering innovative, research-oriented doctoral training across different locations, the Graduate Centers realize synergies beyond conventional forms of graduate education. In this framework, the fellowship titled “The intergenerational memory of mass atrocities: The missing piece of transitional justice and alternative dispute resolution” is a multidisciplinary exploration of the importance of recognizing and addressing the memory of violence in post-conflict transitional justice and peacebuilding efforts.

The project involves an approach combining three central disciplines, namely law, anthropology and political science. Only by bringing together expertise in these three disciplines is it possible to identify phenomena relating to procedures and “judicial truth” (the field of law), the use of memory (political science), as well as transmission, rituals and collective mourning (anthropology).

This call invites research proposals that address the long-term impact of political violence on victims and their descendants in a variety of contexts. A particular attention will be paid to the way narratives and emotions related to past violence are transmitted from one generation to the next. The research within the dissertation project should consist of studying the scope and limits of both judicial and non-judicial processes empirically to deal with mass atrocities and undertake detailed comparisons.

Prerequisites
₋ an academic degree (master’s or equivalent) in law, political sciences, or anthropology in hand at the time of taking up the position (1 January 2022), with outstanding results;
₋ evidence of serious interest in memory studies and transitional justice;
₋ willingness to conduct comparative research;
₋ very good command of written and spoken English;
₋ evidence of proficiency in the relevant languages;
₋ an intrinsic interest in team work.

Our offer
Positions are to start if possible on 1 January 2022. They are awarded for three years, with the possibility of two six-month extensions (pending a positive evaluation). Employment will be on a full-time contractual basis. The workplace is Halle/Saale (Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany).

Please note that the Max Planck Institutes do not award doctoral degrees. Doctoral students must therefore enroll at a university in or outside Germany. The choice of the university will be agreed jointly by the successful applicant and the director of the Department of Law & Anthropology.

The Max-Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.
The Max Planck Society strives to ensure gender equality and diversity. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

Application procedure
Please submit your application materials electronically by 15 November 2021 by following the link for vacancies on our homepage (under ‘Career’), or by going directly to the online application form using the link below.

Applicants are asked to submit the following materials
₋ cover letter;
₋ curriculum vitae, including a formal record of university courses and list of publications (if any);
₋ copies of university degrees
₋ a succinct description (3 to 5 pages) of the proposed doctoral project
₋ two to three detailed letters of recommendation from professors, teachers, or professional supervisors who are well acquainted with the work of the applicant (letters to be sent directly to the Department at marencakova@eth.mpg.de).

If you have further questions regarding the application procedure, please contact:
Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology
Personnel Administration
Janka Diallo (jdiallo@eth.mpg.de)

We look forward to receiving your completed online application under:
https://recruitingapp-5034.de.umantis.com/Vacancies/424/Application/New/2

Further information on the research agenda of the Max Planck Institute is available on our website:
http://www.eth.mpg.de