项目介绍

2025年1月24日

The University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Human Reproduction Reloaded | H2R” explores the remaking of human (non)reproduction, the respective societal challenges, legal implications and normative perspectives. This interdisciplinary positioned URPP is hosted by the Faculty of Law and brings together researchers from six faculties as well as from various disciplines from the humanities, social, medical and natural sciences. The URPP’s phase 2 (2025-2028) revolves around three main research foci: family, kinship and gender; declining fertility and non-reproduction; and gene editing. More information about the URPP, the people involved, the research and the activities to date can be found here.

The PhD position is part of sub-project 3 that traces the global entanglements of human (non)reproduction through empirical, qualitative case studies from different parts of the world. The PhD position will be attached to the Chair for the Study of Religions with a focus on social sciences (Prof. Dr. Dorothea Lüddeckens).

Your responsibilities

• You will develop your own dissertation project within the field of deliberate childlessness with a focus on aspects of antinatalism and planetary health.
• You write a doctoral thesis in the field of the study of religion.
• You participate in the URPP’s events and actively take advantage of the opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange and interfaculty networking.
• You are able and willing to apply for a third-party-funding for your PhD thesis after a 3 year period.

Your profile

• You hold an excellent MA degree in the Study of Religion or a related discipline.
• You have a strong interest in the perspectives and experiences of people who opt for childlessness, in the planetary health movement and in changing conceptions of responsibility, kinship and family, fertility desires, and the respective global entanglements.
• Previous experience with ethnographic research and/or qualitative empirical methods is highly desirable.
• You are fluent in English as an academic working language and, ideally, in the language of your intended field site; fluency in German is desirable.
• You are an enthusiastic person with a community spirit and a strong sense of initiative and you are able und interested to work in an international and interdisciplinary environment.

Information on your application

Please attach the following documents (in a single PDF document) to the application form:

• your detailed CV, including – if applicable – relevant publications;
• brief outline of your project ideas, including problem statement, research question, methodology and relevance (approx. 2-3 pages);
• a letter of motivation;
• your (draft) Master’s thesis or, if not available in English or German, another substantial writing sample;
• academic transcripts (list of grades obtained) of Bachelor’s and Master’s.

Deadline for submission: March 3, 2025
Click on the “Apply now” button to submit your application.

Questions about the job

Prof. Dr. Dorothea Lüddeckens