Call for application: Doctoral Position (June 2018-May 2022)

The Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO) of Berlin announces the opening of a research position for a doctoral candidate, as part of a research project on: “Religion, Morality and Bokon West Africa: Students Training for a Good Life (Remoboko)”.

 The doctoral candidate will be based at a West African university, either in Niger or  Nigeria.The French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA) located at the University of Ibadan (Southwest Nigeria) will collect exclusively applications from candidates registered in the following institutions: University of Ibadan and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. IFRA will provide logistical support and part of the scientific supervision.

The stipend will be 600 euros/month, health insurance included.

ZMO is an interdisciplinary research institute focusing on the history, societies and cultures of Asia, Africa, and the wider Middle East. It examines reciprocal influences and connections across the Global South, notably between Muslims and their neighbours, while putting these into the context of North-South relations. The centre currently employs about 30 research fellows, most of whom are historians, scholars of Islamic Studies, and anthropologists, from a variety of countries.

The research position will be part of the collaborative research project Remoboko, which includes other doctoral and post-doctoral researchers and examines the role of religion on university campuses in Niger and Nigeria. Applicants must have an M.A. degree by the time of application. Priority will be given to candidates in anthropology, sociology, history and cognate disciplines. Knowledge of local languages is desirable and knowledge of Hausa, in particular, will be an advantage. Women are particularly encouraged to apply.

Applications in English or French should include a CV, a short writing sample, and a 2-page letter of motivation, including a statement on how the candidate would want to contribute to the project.

The selected applicant will sign a full-time doctoral student contract after agreement with her/his supervisor. The stipend is renewed yearly after positive evaluation of the progress he/she has made. He or she will spend 3 months/year at the ZMO in Berlin.

The contract would start on June 1, 2018, or soon thereafter, and run through May 31, 2022.