Beschreibung

An der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Stiftung Öffentlichen Rechts – RTG 2987 Mobility rights in the Global Context of Multiple Crises sind zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt 2 Stellen alsPhD researcher (all genders welcome)- Entgeltgruppe 13 TV-L - in Teilzeit mit 75% der regelmäßigen wöchentlichen Arbeitszeit zu besetzen. Die Stellen sind befristet bis 30.09.2029.Mobility Rights in the Global Context of Multiple Crises

Research Focus: Our RTG examines how mobility rights are being defined, challenged and transformed during a time when migration is often framed as a crisis. We investigate these developments on the basis of diverse regional and thematic perspectives.

Interdisciplinary Approach: As a PhD candidate, you will conduct your own research project related to one of our key research areas (RA), RA 1 „Limits of feasibility: The right to mobility in migration ethics“ or RA 5 „Language regimes, migration and mobility control“ (see below). By engaging with different disciplinary perspectives from the Social Sciences, Cultural Science as well as Law Studies, you will learn to understand legal dynamics and complexities in diverse migration policy-related fields. Our goal is to develop an innovative socio-legal framework which recognises how legal systems and societies shape one another.

What we offer:

Personalised supervision and disciplinary training
Collaborative interdisciplinary coursework
Career-development support and mentorship
Commitment to equal opportunities and diversity
Exchange with international experts, including two distinguished judges


The University of Göttingen and its Centre for Global Migration Studies, among other bodies, offer a vibrant research environment and access to different networks – from the local level for fieldwork or internship opportunities to international partnerships supporting research stays abroad.

We are seeking highly motivated candidates who wish to conduct their PhD training in a rich interdisciplinary environment. Previous research experience in collaborative contexts is beneficial. Successful applicants are expected to work together with others in this interdisciplinary environment by, among other things, sharing their own disciplinary perspectives, preliminary research insights as well as data with peers. They are also able to convince via excellent critical-thinking and communication skills.

Meeting the following prerequisites is expected:


Degree: Completed academic university degree (Master’s or equivalent, rated good or very good) in RA 1): Philosophy or RA 5): Sociology/ Cultural Anthropology/ (Intercultural) German Studies/ Linguistics
Language skills: Fluency in spoken and written English, as the RTG’s main working language. German or other language skills when required for the individual research proposal
Admission to the doctoral programme: Fulfillment of all requirements for doing a doctorate at the Faculty of Humanities. Please check the requirements for your respective discipline here: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/700894.html
Research proposal: Must be innovative, feasible and self-designed. Making a relevant contribution to the RTG’s overall foci as well as to RA 1 or RA 5 (see below) should be demonstrated, including via the promising implementation of cross-disciplinary socio-legal perspectives.
Subject-specific or methodological skills: Fulfillment of all requirements to conduct research in the relevant RA (see below). Please check the requirements in the description(s) of the RA you would like to contribute to.

Supporting material to be submitted (in English or German):


CV
Application letter (max. 1 page) stating your motivation for completing a doctorate as part of the RTG
An outline of the proposed project (max. 2 pages). Please clearly indicate which research area (RA 1 or RA 5) you wish to contribute to
A writing sample (10 pages in length, e.g. an excerpt from a Master’s thesis or other publications)
A list of publications (if applicable)
Proof of language skills (if required), such as relevant certificates
Certificate of the academic university degree (including transcript of records)
Names and contact information for two references
Answers to the questions listed in the application portal

Further information:
More information on the RTG 2987 can be found online at: www.uni-goettingen.de/rtg2987.
There you can find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the application process. If you have any further questions regarding the application process, please send an e-mail to: rtg2987@uni-goettingen.de.
If you have any questions regarding the advertised positions or RAs, please contact the main supervisor(s) involved (see the descriptions of RA 1 and RA 5 below).

Application deadline and procedures:
Please upload your application as one consolidated PDF file by 5 October 2025 via the University of Göttingen’s application portal (see below).
Depending on geographic distance and practical feasibility, applicants will be invited to attend interviews either in person or online. Travel expenses can be reimbursed up to an amount of 300 euros.

RTG 2987 is strongly committed to promoting equal opportunities and diversity. We consider diversity and a diversity of perspectives as particularly enriching of our work, especially from among those underrepresented in academia (or some of the disciplines involved in the RTG’s work). We therefore welcome applications from all individuals irrespective of gender, social status, religion, ethnic origin, nationality or migration background.

Research Areas (RA) for PhD project proposals
You can find an overview of the RTG’s key research areas here: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/research+areas/696116.html. Applicants are expected to contribute to:

RA 1. Limits of feasibility: The right to mobility in migration ethics
The aim of this RA is to analyse normative issues pertaining to migration ethics and to mobility rights in particular through the lens of non-ideal theorising. Possible research topics include (but are not limited to): which political-feasibility considerations give rise to legitimate constraints on migration (especially under the condition of multiple crises), and which do not?; what does it mean for a state to do its fair share within the international migration regime given that more and more refuse to do so?; how to do justice to the specific vulnerabilities of certain social groups (for instance with regards to gender, sexual orientation, religion and similar, as well as their intersections) in the context of migration?
Required subject-specific or methodological skills: Required subject-specific or methodological skills: Doctoral students in this RA are expected to have experience in normative theorising and a background in political, moral or social philosophy or political theory. Given the methodological focus on non-ideal theorising, a willingness to actively participate in and contribute to interdisciplinary discourse and to take empirical findings closely into account while engaging in normative theorising is also expected.
Supervisor/contact: Prof. Dr Christine Bratu, Seminar for Philosophy (christine.bratu@uni-goettingen.de).

RA 5. Language regimes, migration and mobility control
In this RA, we will explore the nexus of language (rights) and the governance of population movements by shedding light on how language requirements and testing procedures are intertwined with migration (control) rationales. Language (testing) regimes will be empirically analysed across EU member states in order to track changes in discourse and to question the underlying rationales of a restrictive language–participation nexus.
Required subject-specific or methodological skills: Doctoral students in this RA are expected to have experience in linguistic-discourse studies and knowledge on migration (governance) related topics. They should be trained in qualitative, ethnographic research methods. Knowledge of additional languages is appreciated.
Supervisor/contact: Prof Dr Andrea Bogner, Department of Intercultural German Studies (andrea.bogner@uni-goettingen.de).
Die Universität Göttingen strebt in den Bereichen, in denen Frauen unterrepräsentiert sind, eine Erhöhung des Frauenanteils an und fordert daher qualifizierte Frauen nachdrücklich zur Bewerbung auf. Sie versteht sich zudem als familienfreundliche Hochschule und fördert die Vereinbarkeit von Wissenschaft/Beruf und Familie. Der beruflichen Teilhabe von schwerbehinderten Beschäftigten sieht sich die Universität in besondere Weise verpflichtet und begrüßt deshalb Bewerbungen schwerbehinderter Menschen. Bei gleicher Qualifikation erhalten Bewerbungen von Menschen mit Schwerbehinderung den Vorzug. Eine Behinderung bzw. Gleichstellung ist zur Wahrung der Interessen bereits in die Bewerbung aufzunehmen.Bitte reichen Sie Ihre aussagekräftige Bewerbung mit allen wichtigen Unterlagen bis zum 05.10.2025 ausschließlich über das Bewerbungsportal http://obp.uni-goettingen.de/de-de/OBF/Index/76054 ein. RTG 2987 Mobility rights in the Global Context of Multiple Crises, For more information get in touch via e-mail:
rtg2987@phil.uni-goettingen.de or phone: +49 551 39 25358.Hinweis: Wir weisen darauf hin, dass die Einreichung der Bewerbung eine datenschutzrechtliche Einwilligung in die Verarbeitung Ihrer Bewerbungsdaten durch uns darstellt. Näheres zur Rechtsgrundlage und Datenverwendung finden Sie im Hinweisblatt zur Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO)