The DFG-sponsored International Graduate Research Program (IGK 1705/1) “The World in the City: Metropolitanism and Globalization from the Nineteenth Century to the Present” is now accepting applications for the following fellowships and positions during its second phase, beginning May 1, 2015:
12 Fellowships for PhD Candidates
(1,365 Euro / month for a maximum of three years)
1 Post-doc Position
(Salary determined by qualifications TV-L E 13/14, full time, two years)
Metropoles have always been dense and complex spaces characterized by heterogeneous populations, central economic and political functions, as well as by an abundance of material and cultural resources. Furthermore, the historical and contemporary development of modern metropoles is intrinsically tied to processes of globalization. Our graduate research program investigates the globality of metropolitan regions through the specific connections these cities have forged with other parts of the world. Based on the hypothesis that metropolitanism grows out of the diversity of transnational and transregional urban networks, our program analyzes not simply internal urban developments, but the external relationships that have shaped metropolitan developments from the nineteenth century to the present and into the future.
The specific focus of the second phase (2015-2018) centers on notions of temporality. Urban developments are premised on change; hence, in addition to space, questions of time should be central to our thinking about the urban. By temporality we mean not only the past, present and future, but also temporal rhythms, global timespaces, the structuration of daily practices (24/7), the rationalization of work and leisure time, and the globalization of temporal regimes and their effects on urban areas as well as uneven temporalities, the meanings of memory, heritage-making, technologies of urban time keeping, urban seasonality and many more. We are looking for doctoral and postdoctoral projects that pose innovative empirical and conceptual questions to shed new light on the temporal or space/time dimensions of urban developments in the past, present or future on a global scale. Our interdisciplinary program covers the following four research areas: architecture and urban planning, migration and mobility, knowledge transfer and communication, and environment and sustainability. Young scholars working in the disciplines of history, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, political science as well as from related fields such as architecture, landscape architecture, and city and regional planning are welcome to apply.
“The World in the City” program, which started in 2012, is a unique collaboration among nine universities in Berlin, New York, and Toronto. This residential program is based at the Center for Metropolitan Studies at the Technische Universität Berlin. The other associated universities are Humboldt Universität Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Columbia University New York, City University of New York, Fordham University New York, New York University, University of Toronto, and York University Toronto. Together we organize annual conferences, workshops, and other forms of academic exchange. Chosen fellows concentrate on their individual projects, but they also collaborate in several ways such as the weekly colloquium where fellows present their own work, a public lecture series, and seminars as well as reading groups on specific topics relevant to the fellows' course of study. Each fellow is supervised by three professors from our consortium (the first advisor has to be from Berlin, for more information please visit our website) Besides their requisite field work, every fellow also has the opportunity to spend a few months at one of our partner universities in order to get acquainted with other academic systems.
Eligibility Requirements: PhD candidates must complete their qualifying degree (MA, Magister, Diplom) by May 2015. Postdoctoral applicants must have successfully completed their PhD (degree in hand) by May 2015. The program languages are English (and German). All applicants must be proficient in English. Applicants must also be proficient in any other languages necessary for their proposed research projects.
Application Materials: application form (available for download on our website), letter of intent (max. 1 page), research proposal (5-8 pages), CV, transcripts, the names and email addresses of two potential referees. Please email your application files in one compiled document entitled 'yourlastnameIGK2014' to: igk@metropolitanstudies.de
For further information on the content of the program please visit our website www.metropolitanstudies.de and click on “DFG Graduate Research Program 2012-2016.”
Application Deadline: September 30, 2014.
Interviews with shortlisted candidates will be conducted in early December.
The Technische Universität Berlin (TU) is proud to bear the certification of “Audit family friendly university.” The TU is an equal opportunity employer. Women are especially encouraged to apply. The positions are appropriate for the disabled. Applications by disabled candidates with equal academic qualifications will be prioritized.