2 PhD Positions at the SNSF Project “The Divisive Power of Citizenship”

The Institute for European Global Studies at the University of Basel invites applications for two PhD positions (full time) starting immediately or according to agreement. They are part of the research project “The Divisive Power of Citizenship” funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). Applications can be submitted until April 24, 2019.

The two positions are part of the research project The Divisive Power of Citizenship of Prof. Dr. Madeleine Herren-Oesch funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The research project investigates the ambivalent elements of the granting or withdrawal of citizenship and the resulting problems for individuals in different historical contexts. The research design aims to analyze the tensions between nationalism, colonial privilege, racism and the construction of transcultural social structures in concepts of citizenship and in the practices of their application.

The research project is integrated into an interdisciplinary research environment of history, citizenship studies and international human rights law, and cooperates with a digital humanities interface. The historical case studies focus on the loss of citizenship and the danger of imprisonment for the misfortune of having ‘false’ citizenship between 1919 and 1945 – a time of simultaneous enforcement and destruction of citizenship.

Your position

You will contribute to the research project by writing a doctoral thesis on one of the two following topics:

  • “The Divisive Power of Loyalty and Citizenship: The French Case” (investigating the legislation of denaturalization in the case of France with a focus on the French Colonies).
  • “Enemy Aliens: Citizenship as a Privilege converts to Imprisonment” (investigating the international foreign communities in Asia during the Pacific War and the transformation of their members from a minority benefitting from colonial privileges into ‘enemy aliens’).Further, you will contribute to the organization of project activities (workshops, project events) and of the interdisciplinary research environment.
Your profile
  • MA thesis in a discipline relevant to the PhD research project
  • Experience with historical research
  • The PhDs can be pursued in History or in European Global Studies, depending on your profile and career plan
We offer you
  • Integration in an interdisciplinary research environment at the Europainstitut / Institute for European Global Studies
  • Participation at conferences with your own contributions
  • Reimbursement of travel costs relevant to the research project design (international archives)
  • The salary and the conditions of employment will be those of the University of Basel and the SNF
Application / Contact

Exclusively online applications are accepted. Please apply with a letter of motivation, a CV and the usual certificates (especially MA diploma). Please indicate which of the two projects you are interested in pursuing. The closing date is April 24, 2019. 

In case you have questions about the positions, please contact the scientific manager of the institute, Cornelia Knab (cornelia.knab@unibas.ch).