Max Plank - two-year research position

The Max-Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Department of Socio-Cultural Diversity in Göttingen is
offering a two-year research position for a qualified Social Scientist (Ph.D in political science, political anthropology, political sociology or history) to work on the project ‘Conditions of conviviality and conflict’ to be based at the Institute and undertaken under supervision by Prof. Steven Vertovec together with Prof. Andreas Wimmer, Department of Sociology at UCLA.

This project seeks to enhance our knowledge of the conditions -political, social, economic - that are likely to enhance peace and conviviality between ethnic movements, parties, and leaders, even when ethnicity has been politicized and politics is perceived as a matter of power relations between ethnic communities and their leaders. Most research has so far focused on conflict, seeking to understand the circumstances under which ethnic tensions escalate into violence or even full-scale civil war. Much less attention has been given to the study of “negative” cases, i.e. situations in which one could expect competition
and conflict but in which peace and concordance prevail.

The researcher will be expected to address this question through a controlled comparison of pairs of cases that can be expected to display the same propensity for peace or conflict, but with dissimilar outcomes:
One country has traveled down the road of escalation and violence, while the other one has maintained conviviality and peace. To account for these differences, the project seeks to identify among other things: different patterns of protest, mobilization and de-mobilization; the occurrence or absence of state repression or strategies of co-optation; and different constellation of alliances with external actors.

Further information is to be found on our homepage www.mmg.mpg.de

Salary and benefits are according to the German public service pay scale (E 13 TVÖD Bund)

The Max Planck Society wishes to increase the participation of women wherever they are underrepresented; therefore, applications from women are particularly welcome.

Following its commitment to an equal opportunities employment policy, the Max Planck Society also especially encourages handicapped persons to submit their applications.


Interested scientists should send their applications in writing, including a CV, list of publications and addresses for references, by 12 February, 2010, to the following address:

Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity
Prof. Dr. Steven Vertovec
Hermann-Föge-Weg 11
37073 Göttingen
Germany