项目介绍

2025年4月8日

The Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies at the University of Zurich (UZH) is the largest center of research and teaching on Asia in Switzerland with about 100 employees. Its Chair in Social Science of Japan (lead by Prof David Chiavacci) invites applicants for a PhD position in the project “Agenda Setting and Framing of Immigration in Japan, 1975-2025”, financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

Your responsibilities

We seek a PhD candidate with a strong interest in media and political representation of labor immigration in Japan and in frame analysis. The research project will study the agenda setting and immigration framing in public and political debate in Japan from 1975 to 2025 and its consequences on immigration policy. The aim of the project is to clarify the shifts between different frames of immigration (for example, portrayal of labor immigration in the context of national identity, international reputation, public security, economic growth etc.) over five decades, the interrelation between media framing and political framing (in policy proposals, diet debates etc.) and the influence of their interaction on agenda-setting processes as well as immigration policymaking by blocking or enabling immigration reforms.

The PhD position includes the following responsibilities:

• Collaborating in the development and implementation of the research project with the other team members (Prof. David Chiavacci and Prof. Tobias Weiss [Sophia University, Tokyo])
• Developing and realizing a PhD project on agenda setting and framing of labor immigration in Japan based on your own research interests within the joint project

Your profile

• Excellent MA in social science research on Japan
• Solid training in social science methods
• Very good knowledge of Japanese and English
• Training and experience in frame analysis / content analysis advantageous, but not a requirement
• Previous studies and good knowledge of immigration to Japan advantageous, but not a requirement

What we offer:

• Employment (80 %) until end of September 2029
• Salary in accordance with SNSF guidelines (gross annual salary starting at approximately 50,000 CHF)
• Opportunity to develop and realize your own PhD research project
• Attractive funding for your fieldwork in Japan
• Cooperative and stimulating work environment with good infrastructure in a small and highly motivated team

Information on your application

Please upload your application as one pdf file to the UZH job portal:

• Motivation letter (including a short research statement)
• CV
• Diploma copies
• A sample of your work (e.g., a chapter of your MA thesis)

Candidates invited to an interview will be asked to submit a short research proposal and one reference letter at a later stage.

Closing date: 30 April 2025

Questions about the job

Prof. Dr. David ChiavacciProfessor in Social Science of Japan