MPIWG 2 Short-Term Postdoctoral Fellowships┋Histories of Knowledge and Collective Life in Africa

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) is a research institute of the Max Planck Society (MPG) with currently two research departments, several independent research groups, and a graduate school. At the MPIWG, around 150 scholars from all over the world investigate the sciences past and present, working together on a collective, collaborative, and transdisciplinary basis. The MPIWG is renowned worldwide as a hub for reflection on the role of the sciences in politics and society. It is located in southwestern Berlin, close to the campus of the Free University Berlin and other research institutions.

Researchers in the Department on Knowledge Systems and Collective Life, led by Dr. Etienne Benson, use historical and ethnographic methods to study the relationship between knowledge systems and forms of collective life in the past and present. We seek to foreground neglected histories, trace cross-cultural connections, engage with diverse publics, expand the boundaries of the political, challenge conventional definitions of science and technology, critically reflect on our own political and ethical commitments, and experiment with new methods and media.

Building on the MPIWG initiative “An African History of Knowledge and Science beyond Academic Conventions” (2022-2024), the department is offering up to 2 short-term fellowships (1-6 months) for scholars working on histories of knowledge and collective life in Africa starting September 1, 2025, or later.                             

These fellowships aim to support scholars at all career stages whose research projects are closely related to the department’s core research themes and current working groups (see https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/research/departments/dept-ii). We are particularly interested in hosting fellows who are based at African universities and research institutions.

These fellowships (with stipend) are part of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) Fellowship Program. Please visit the program site to find out more about the types of fellowships (Predoctoral, Postdoctoral, Research, and Senior Research fellowships), the fellowship conditions, and the application procedure. Note that applications for Africa-related fellowships in the Department on Knowledge Systems and Collective Life should be submitted through a special application portal using the link below.

Your application                                                                                    

Please submit your application with complete documents (as stated on the program’s website), preferably without a photograph, through the special application portal for this call (not through the general department portal):

https://recruitment.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/position/29032448

Applications must be received by May 1, 2025 (23:59 CEST). Please note that we can only accept electronic applications submitted through the portal.

Inquiries

For any questions about the fellowship or the application process, please contact Dr. Kerstin Hinrichsen: khinrichsen@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de

Address

Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte, Boltzmannstraße 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany