Two PhD positions in the TRIBECA project

About the role

The Faculty of History, Art and Area Studies, Institute of African Studies at Leipzig University offers two PhD positions within the TRIBECA project. The project investigates the historical development of corporate social responsibility as a transnational cause. Positions start on 1 September 2026 and are funded at 65% of a full‑time salary (TV‑L group 13) for up to three years.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct comparative archival research on multinational enterprises in colonial and post‑colonial contexts.
• Analyse corporate archives (e.g., Bata, Hoffmann‑LaRoche) and related governmental documents.
• Apply interdisciplinary methods, including ethnographic, prosopographical and quantitative approaches.
• Develop a doctoral dissertation that contributes to the project’s overarching argument.
• Publish research findings in peer‑reviewed journals and present at international conferences.
• Collaborate with the international research team and attend regular project meetings.

Required profile

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in History, African Studies, Business History, or a related discipline.
• Strong interest in corporate social responsibility, post‑colonial development, and transnational history.
• Excellent academic writing skills in English.
• Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.

Required skills

• Archival research techniques.
• Quantitative and qualitative historical analysis.
• Proficiency in academic English (reading, writing, presenting).

What we offer

• Fixed‑term, 65% funded PhD position (TV‑L group 13).
• Access to extensive corporate and governmental archives.
• International research environment with French‑German collaboration.
• Travel funding for conferences and archival visits.
• Supervision by experienced scholars (Marie Huber, Tristan Oestermann).