Doctoral Researcher – Energy Entanglements & Pipelines

About the role

The Institute for Eastern European Studies at Freie Universität Berlin is launching a DFG‑funded research group on Energy Entanglements in Eastern Europe. The sub‑project “Communicating Pipes” seeks a doctoral researcher (predoc) to investigate the multifunctional role of pipelines as technical infrastructure, media, and symbolic objects.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct a discourse‑historical and media‑theoretical analysis of political rhetoric and artistic representations of major pipeline projects (e.g., Soyuz, Urengoy‑Uzhgorod, Nord Stream, Druzhba).
• Develop and write a doctoral dissertation on the pipeline topic within the sub‑project’s framework.
• Contribute to an anthology of materials on pipeline issues.
• Participate actively in sub‑project and group academic events, workshops, and conferences.

Required profile

• Completed MA or equivalent in Eastern European Studies, Slavic Studies, Comparative Literature, Media Theory, Cultural Studies or a related field.
• Excellent English (C1) and Ukrainian or Russian (C1) language skills.
• Basic proficiency (B1) in Belarusian, Czech, or Polish is advantageous.
• Willingness to acquire basic German within the first year.

Required skills

• Strong analytical and research skills in discourse‑historical and media‑theoretical methods.
• Ability to produce scholarly written work (doctoral thesis, anthology contributions).

What we offer

• Opportunity to join an interdisciplinary, internationally funded research group.
• Access to academic networks across literature, cultural studies, political science, history, sociology, and economics.
• Participation in high‑visibility conferences and publications.