PhD-Position in Social Anthropology

• Wann 12.10.2026 to 31.10.2026 (Europe/Berlin / UTC
  200)

Department of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies (ISEK)

in the research project “

Bildung:

Ethnographies of Boundaries and Experiential Epistemologies in Philosophical Practice

Starting date 01 February 2027 (or by mutual agreement). The position is limited to four years.At the Chair of Prof. Dr. Johannes Quack.

The successful applicant will join a collegial, dynamic, diverse and internationally oriented team. Our research is ethnographically grounded, theoretically informed and invested in research partnerships with the regions we work in.
About the Project
This project uses an ethnographic approach to explore how the desire for a 'good life' and the wish to realise Bildung ideals (understood as a holistic form of self-cultivation) impact the training process and subsequent implementation of skills for 'philosophical practitioners'. Philosophical practitioners organized internationally in the early 1980s in response to critiques of academic philosophy's detachment from daily life. They share the conviction that both modern academic philosophy and religious traditions have failed to fulfil their roles in providing moral and spiritual guidance, and in leading people towards reflective, self-formative lives.

Our research examines how the ideal of Bildung is shaped, negotiated and implemented by practitioners within an academic education system that has historically privileged disembodied intellectual discourse over embodied praxis. We also explore how epistemic boundaries and institutional distinctions between philosophical and religious forms of knowledge, authority and practice are established. Presumably our research will be in Norway and Austria.

We offer

An innovative and collaborative academic environment, excellent opportunities for research (including financial support), start-up funds to develop your profile and visibility, financial support for the hosting and attendance of conferences and workshops, strong administrative backing, and a motivated and collegial department and faculty interested in academic exchange.

Terms of employment

The position offers attractive working conditions and a salary according to SNSF regulations (80% Position at the University of Zurich). The position is limited to four years.

Your responsibilities

• Planning and realization of a PhD project, including ethnographic fieldwork
• Organizational and administrative tasks in the framework of the project, contribution to the overall aims of the research project by participating in regular meetings and organizing workshops
• Active participation in Department's activities (colloquia; collaboration in media outreach)
• Presentation of research results at workshops and international conferences & Publishing
• Collaboration with institutions and relevant stakeholders
• Contribution to science communication for a non-academic audience.

Your profile

• MA degree in Social Anthropology or related disciplines
• Experience with qualitative methods and ethnographic fieldwork, preferably an emerging publication profile
• Desired, but not necessary are theoretical and empirical interests in the fields of the anthropology of religion, anthropology of ethics, in European societies and philosophy
• High proficiency in English and preferably German
• Excellent organizational and communication abilities
• Ability to work independently as well as in collaboration with the team
• For the duration of the contract, weekly presence at the Department is expected during the term.