The Herder Institute's Map Collection is seeking to fill a PhD position as part of the project "The World Map 1:2,500,000 (Karta Mira) as a Vehicle of Socialist Globalisation. Potentials and limits of scientific standardisation and international cooperation, 1958-1989" (PhD position / Wiss. Mitarb. m/f/d, E 13 TV-H, up to 75%, duration: 36 months). The project is funded by the DFG (German Research Foundation) and the PhD position is scheduled to start on 1 November 2024.
The Herder Institute specialises in the history and culture of East Central Europe. It conducts its own research on the basis of its extensive collections, for example in the field of historical geography and cartographic history.
Your tasks as part of the project will include
- Research in German and international archives and libraries;
- Writing a qualification thesis (dissertation);
- Participation in the preparation of the project's own workshops with international partners;
- Participation in academic conferences.
The following requirements are desirable for working on the project:
- A master’s degree in history, geography or a related discipline;
- methodological knowledge in the field of Critical Cartography / Critical Geography;
- good knowledge of English;
- Interest in archive and library research and willingness to write a dissertation.
Historical background:
The 1:2,500,000 world map (Karta Mira) was created between 1958 and 1989 with a total of 262 sheets as a joint project of the socialist countries of Europe. Their aim was to use the Karta Mira to develop a socialist perspective on globalisation. The Karta Mira was supposed to overcome the previous problems with the ("capitalist"?) International World Map 1:1,000,000 (IMW) and to develop their own procedures for collecting geographical information and data as well as for standardisation and cartographic generalisation. Within the framework of the DFG project, we explore these challenges of map production in order to examine competing concepts of globalisation during the East-West conflict.
More information about the Karta Mira:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Map_1:2,500,000
and about the IMW:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Map_of_the_World
The Herder Institute pursues the goal of professional equality between women and men. We therefore strongly encourage qualified women to apply. Applicants with severe disabilities will be given special consideration if they are equally qualified. The Herder Institute sees itself as a family-friendly organisation. Applicants with children are welcome. We offer, for example, the opportunity to work partly from home, flexible working hours and a parent-child room if required at short notice.
For further information on the position, please contact
PD Dr. Christian Lotz (christian.lotz@herder-institut.de).
Please send your application with the usual documents (letter of motivation, curriculum vitae in tabular form, certificates) exclusively by e-mail in the form of a single PDF file to the administration of the Herder Institute by 30 September 2024 under the reference number HI2024WM-KM (bewerbung@herder-institut.de). The job interviews will take place in October 2024, either on site in Marburg or digitally in a video conference format. We ask for your understanding that the Herder Institute cannot reimburse any costs for traveling to and from the interview.
Contact:
PD Dr. Christian Lotz
Herder Institute for Historical Research on East Central Europe – Institute of the Leibniz Association
Gisonenweg 5-7
D-35037 Marburg
+49 6421 184-142
christian.lotz@herder-institut.de
https://www.herder-institut.de/