The Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology is one of the world’s leading centres for research in social anthropology. Common to all research projects at the Max Planck 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 Research Group ‘How Terrorists Learn’ at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, led by Dr. Carolin Görzig, is looking for a
Quantitative Researcher
starting 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016
This project will investigate tactical, strategic, and operational learning of terrorist groups. Learning occurs in context, not in a vacuum. Answering the questions of learning from what or learning from whom, the project is designed to systematically analyse the three kinds of terrorist learning on three contextual levels: the micro level, the meso level, and the macro level. On the micro level, terrorist organisations learn from their own experiences. Terrorists scrutinise their past mistakes and successes. On the meso level, terrorists learn from other terrorist groups. Terrorist groups compete with or emulate other groups’ tactics, their strategies, and their operational innovations. Hezbollah’s suicide operations, for example, have been studied by terrorist organisations around the globe. On the macro level, terrorist groups are entangled in a violent competition with the state or they emulate state sponsors epitomised for example by training in how to use weapons or how to spread propaganda.
While the terrorism literature lacks primary data, this project will build on qualitative field research in the Middle East, Western Europe, the United States, and Sri Lanka. It capitalises on the accessibility of former members of terrorists groups who have reintegrated into society as well as the accessibility of prisoners.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
The quantitative researcher will calculate statistics (i.e. of terrorist attacks) using and analysing data from the Global Terrorism Database (http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/). The statistics will feed into the design of the questionnaires for subsequent qualitative field research.
For details of the research group see its homepage at: http://www.eth.mpg.de/3901243/rg_htl
Your Profile
Good skills in quantitative methods in social science in order to organise and analyse quantitative data, the ability to work in a team, and a good command of written and spoken English are required. The applicant should either be in possession of a Ph.D. in political science, sociology, criminology, statistics or a related discipline or submit evidence indicating that such a dissertation will be finished and submitted before the designated starting date.
Our Offer
The position is awarded for one year (pay scale TVöD 13). The workplace is Halle/Saale (Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany).
The Max Planck Society strives to employ more persons with disabilities and explicitly encourages applications. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society is committed to raising the proportion of women in underrepresented fields; we thus explicitly encourage applications by women.
Contact
Please submit your application electronically by 31 October 2015 following the link for vacancies on our homepage.
Applicants should send the following documentation:
- cover letter
- CV, including list of publications
- writing sample (chapter or article length)
- 1-2 page summary of Ph.D.
- photocopies of university degrees
- names of two referees
Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology
Personnel Administration
Janka Diallo
jdiallo@eth.mpg.de
Informal enquiries concerning the position may be directed to Carolin Görzig (goerzig@eth.mpg.de)
We look forward to receiving your completed online application under:
http://www.eth.mpg.de/de/vacancies_external.html?url=/Vacancies/269/Application/New/2%3Flang=eng
Further information on the research agenda of the Max Planck Institute is available on our website: http://www.eth.mpg.de