Position Available

The graduate school Regional Regulation of Religious Plurality in Comparative Perspective (RePliV), funded by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the Center for Religious Studies (CERES) at Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the Center for Religion and Modernity (CRM) at the University of Münster are offering

10 Doctoral Positions
(01 January 2021 – 31 June 2024, salary level TV-L E13, 75%)

to be filled and divided equally between the two locations (Münster and Bochum). The positions are subject to the final approval of the third-party funder.

The graduate school Regional Regulation of Religious Plurality in Comparative Perspective (RePliV) investigates religious plurality and its regulation on different levels and the resulting uncertainties that occur in various areas of society from a comparative perspective. The focus is on the generation of knowledge about the processes and challenges of religious pluralization as well as associated regulatory practices and their consequences. The graduate school also encourages the self-reflective exploration of the conditions and possibilities of transdisciplinary knowledge transfer and the production of application-oriented material. In cooperation with experts from the field, questions are developed, needs for action are identified and solutions to practical problems ("good practice") are formulated.

The graduate school is building on the work of an already completed phase, in which religious plurality and its regulation in North Rhine-Westphalia and its effects on different areas of society were investigated. In the new graduate school, religious plurality and its regional regulation will now be studied comparatively. This includes, for example, comparisons between regions and countries, as well as comparisons at the social macro-level (relationship between religion and other social sub-areas), at the organizational meso-level (associations, religious communities, etc.) and at the interactive micro-level (e.g. dialogue initiatives). For the second phase of the graduate school programme, ten doctoral candidates are being sought to undertake projects that will examine the religious-political regulation of religious plurality, the way in which different social actors deal with religious plurality (self-regulation), and/or forms of knowledge transfer with regard to the regulation of religious plurality from a comparative perspective. Potential PhD topics may consider the different social fields in which religious plurality may pose a challenge.

These include, for example:

  • education (e.g. religion in textbooks/schoolbook research/pupil laboratories, further training on how to deal with religious plurality)
  • law (e.g. recognition of religious communities, religious regulations)
  • business (e.g. diversity management in companies, religious diversity and labour market participation)
  • civil society (e.g. religion and voluntary work, religious charities, religious and secular discussion initiatives)
  • culture (e.g. knowledge transfer in museum exhibitions, religion and gender)
  • politics (e.g. religious plurality in administration, local and regional policy and politics regarding religious plurality)
  • media (e.g. representation of religious plurality in the media, representation of religion)
  • religion (e.g. dealing with non-denominationalism, the relationship between Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities)

Applications are also welcome from applicants with doctoral projects relating to the regulation of religious plurality from a comparative perspective beyond the above-mentioned subject areas.

The doctoral candidates will follow a structured study and qualification programme and should have a strong interest in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work and knowledge transfer. Interdisciplinary open-mindedness, a sensitivity to topics of practical relevance, as well as an interest in religion-related research are therefore desired and should be evident from one’s curriculum vitae.

Successful applicants will be required to have a very good diploma, master's degree or state examination in religious studies, history, educational science, linguistics, media studies, political science, law, social and cultural psychology, urban geography, sociology, economics, theology, Jewish studies, Islamic studies or related disciplines as well as a background involving interdisciplinary studies. Very good German and English language skills are required.
Applicants are requested to submit the following documents in a single PDF file:

a) a letter of motivation outlining the intended research topic and providing a detailed explanation of the applicant’s interest in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and knowledge transfer (max. 2 pages)
b) a CV containing details of your academic career
c) a 5-page exposé of the planned doctoral project
d) copies of relevant certificates

The University of Münster is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing the proportion of women academics. Consequently, we actively encourage applications by women. Female candidates with equivalent qualifications and academic achievements will be preferentially considered within the framework of the legal possibilities. The University of Münster is committed to employing more staff with disabilities. Candidates with recognised severe disabilities who have equivalent qualifications are given preference in hiring decisions, although some restrictions related to the access to laboratory facilities may apply.

We look forward to receiving your detailed application, which you should send by e-mail (as a single PDF file) to maren.freudenberg@rub.de by 25 September 2020.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr Maren Freudenberg: maren.freudenberg@rub.de.