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Two PhD scholarships on "Agrarian Alternatives in South Asia" at Heidelberg University (Cluster of Excellence „Asia and Europe in a Global Context"): http://www.asia-europe.uni-heidelberg.de/en/about-us/jobs/detail/m/two-phd-scholarships-on-agrarian-alternatives-in-south-asia.html Deadline : 10.03.2013
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The Cluster of Excellence “Asia and Europe in a Global Context” at Heidelberg University invites applications for two PhD scholarships (3 years +) within the Junior Research Group (JRG) C15 “Agrarian Alternatives: Agrarian Crisis, Global Concerns and the Contested Agro-Ecological Futures in South Asia.”

The scholarship will start on 1 April 2013 or as soon as possible thereafter, and is awarded for 3 years but may be extended after successful evaluation. The scholarship includes a stipend of EUR 1.200 per month, fully equipped work space, and access to travel funds. Stipends are not subject to income tax or obligatory social security contributions. Heidelberg University does not charge tuition.

The JRG ethnographically investigates contemporary South Asian experiments in agriculture and the search and struggle for agrarian alternatives in a context of agrarian and environmental crisis. The JRG is interdisciplinary in scope and combines theories from anthropology, agrarian studies, political ecology and postcolonial science studies. The successful applicants will be expected to complete an ethnographic Ph.D. dissertation based on field work in any region of South Asia focusing on one of the following fields (or their combination):

- Certified organic farming and fair trade
- Alternative agriculture and the revival of heritage
- Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their adaptation
- New cash crops, neoliberalism and state agronomy
- Seed banks, traditional varieties, agro-biodiversity conservation

For more information, please consult the project description or contact Dr. Daniel Münster.

Successful applicants will hold a Master’s degree in social/cultural anthropology or related disciplines (such as agrarian studies, rural sociology, human geography, development studies, political ecology, political science, science studies) and have received substantial training in qualitative and, especially, ethnographic methods. Successful candidates ideally have at least basic proficiency in a South Asian language. Very good spoken and written English is required, as the Cluster’s working language is English.

Applications must include a cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, a short proposal of the planned PhD project (max. 2000 words), and one letter of recommendation (sent separately). Heidelberg University is an equal opportunity employer and wishes to promote equality at all levels. Deadline for applications is 10 March 2013, though applications will be accepted until the positions are filled. Please submit your application electronically as a single PDF to the following address: daniel.muenster@asia-europe.uni-heidelberg.de