PhD Fellowships, Martin Luther University, Germany (2018)

The guiding subject matter of Society and Culture in Motion (SCM) is the study of the motion and transformation of ideas, artifacts, and models in space, time and between social fields. New technological, political, judicial, as well as economic frameworks have increasingly trans-local and quite often global meanings due to their translations into local contexts. GS SCM aims to devise concepts that allow for the description of these translation processes, paying particular attention to creative strategies of adaption, transformation, and redeployment of traveling epistemic or normative elements. The aim is to understand the reflexive and stimulating potentials in experiences with unfamiliar cultural or social orders.

Consequently, the primary concern goes beyond the migration of people as an economic and political process in order to focus on the challenges and chances that symbolic and normative elements in motion bring about.

From this perspective, they expect interdisciplinary research projects on aspects of creative resistance, adaptation, and camouflage that can be identified as forms of translation of traveling ideas and models. The focus could be on historical and social as well as transdisciplinary movements.

Why they offer Ph.D.s?
- Trans-disciplinary seminars and workshops on various subjects;
- Presentations and talks by visiting scholars;
- Workshops related to key skills training;
- A framework for discussing dissertation projects;
- In addition to the grants, the GS SCM offers additional financial support for grantees with children;
- The GS SCM can also contribute to fieldwork expenses (if applicable). If this kind of support is required, then it should be stated and explained in the research proposal;

The GS SCM programme is not only directed at the GS SCM grantees; a number of other Ph.D. students and junior researchers are continuously taking part in the programme.

Eligibility

Potential Ph.D. students must hold:
- an MA degree (equivalent to the German MA) in social sciences or humanities;
- an equivalent degree entitling the holder to take up Ph.D. studies in Germany;
- in order to fully participate in and take advantage of the GS SCM’s activities, continuous presence of the students in Halle is required;

Grants
- The Graduate School “Society and Culture in Motion” (GS SCM) offers 1.500 EUR/month grant for Ph.D. students;
- For applicants outside the Schengen Area, the School offers assistance in obtaining visas;
- Travel expenses for those individuals coming to Germany (in order to take conduct research in Halle) can be paid for.

Further details:
PhD Fellowships, Martin Luther University, Germany (2018)