Freie Universität Berlin - Fachbereich Philosophie und Geisteswissenschaften - Institut für Philosophie
The CRITICAL AGENCY project (funded by the DFG Emmy Noether programme) explores critique as it is manifest in critical encounters: critique as shaped by two logics – the logic of analysis and the logic of resistance. Such critique does not always land as critique, some critics are systematically ignored, some talk past each other, and sometimes people have limited access to the resources needed to develop a critical stance. In such cases, critical agency, i.e. the capacity to form and put forward critique that is actually taken up as critique, is limited. The research group explores what critical agency consists in and what circumstances promote or inhibit it. It pays special attention to the roles that understanding and ignorance – on the part of the critic(s), the addressee(s), and the bystanders – play in critical encounters. In order to answer philosophical questions that arise from our real-world practices, it theorises critical agency with the help of ethnographic resources, such as thick descriptions, field work, interviews, etc. The project thereby develops an ethnographically informed political epistemology that studies the interaction between socio-political and epistemological aspects of critical agency.
Research assistant (postdoc) (m/f/d)
full-time job
limited to 2,5 years
salary grade (Entgeltgruppe) 13 TV-L FU
reference code: DM_PostDoc_2025
Working field:
- Research and publication activities in the following areas: social and political philosophy, critical theory, political (i.e. feminist and critical race) epistemology, social epistemology, ethnographically informed philosophy
- Focus on theories of resistance and analysis and on methodological issues in ethnographically informed philosophy
- Collaboration with the project leader (resulting in joint paper publication) on how to evaluate critical projects and the role that the interaction of the two logics of critique (resistance and analysis) plays in it
- Content-related and organisational support of the project leader, mentoring of the doctoral student, participation in the activities of the CRITICAL AGENCY research group
The research work can be carried out as part of a philosophical habilitation project or in the form of article publications for further academic qualification.
Requirements:
Completed university degree and doctorate in philosophy on a topic relevant to the project.
Desirable:
- Experience in collaborative research projects
- specialised focus and knowledge in the areas of philosophy relevant to the project (documented by academic publications), especially knowledge in the fields of social and political philosophy and critical theory
- experience in ethnographic field work and/or access to an ethnographically interesting field (e.g. through activist work). Willingness to develop your philosophical project in an ethnographically informed way (e.g. working with an ethnographic case study, using ethnographic literature, etc.)
- excellent written and spoken English
- ability to achieve good work results even under time pressure and ability to work in a team
- sound knowledge in all or some of the following areas of philosophy: social philosophy, political philosophy, critical theory, political (i.e. feminist, critical race) epistemology, social epistemology, ethnographically informed philosophy, ethnography. Interest in questions of philosophical methodology and interdisciplinary co-operation with anthropologists
- publication experience (articles, editing special issues, anthologies, etc.).
How to apply:
Please enclose with your application two writing samples: your dissertation (or a chapter of your dissertation) and a journal article. Please also submit a detailed outline of your own research project (5-7 pages) on a topic relevant to the position.
For further information, please contact Mrs. Dr. Deborah Mühlebach (d.muehlebach@fu-berlin.de).
Applications should be sent by e-mail, together with significant documents (incl. above mentioned documents), indicating the reference code, no later than April 14th, 2025 in PDF format (preferably as one document) to Mrs. Dr. Deborah Mühlebach: henrietta.schiffer@fu-berlin.de or postal to
Freie Universität Berlin
Fachbereich Philosophie und Geisteswissenschaften
Institut für Philosophie
Dr. Deborah Mühlebach
Habelschwerdter Allee 30
14195 Berlin (Dahlem)
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Freie Universität Berlin is an equal opportunity employer.
Facts
ID: 192621
- Site:
-
- Berlin (Berlin, Germany)
- Type:
- Research assistant
- Duration:
- limited to 2,5 years
- Part-/Full-time:
- full-time job
- Starting date (earliest):
- At the earliest possible
- Remuneration:
- Entgeltgruppe 13 TV-L FU
- Scope:
- Research
- Field of studies:
- Philosophy
- Working language and expected level:
-
- German (Fluent in speech and writing)
- English (Fluent in speech and writing)
Actions
Apply
- Closing date:
- 14/04/25
- Reference number:
- DM_PostDoc_2025
- By email:
- henrietta.schiffer@fu-berlin.de
- By post:
- Freie Universität Berlin
Fachbereich Philosophie und Geisteswissenschaften
Institut für Philosophie
Frau Dr. Deborah Mühlebach
Habelschwerdter Allee 30
14195 Berlin (Dahlem)
Contact
- Contact person:
- Dr. Deborah Mühlebach
- Contact email:
- d.muehlebach@fu-berlin.de