GIGA: Postdoctoral Research Fellow (m/f/d) - Comparative politics with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa
The GIGA seeks to appoint a
Postdoctoral Research Fellow (m/f/d) in Comparative politics with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa
Applications are invited for a full-time position, with an initial contract of three years and the possibility of another three years after successful evaluation and depending on the availability of funds. The successful applicant should start as soon as possible. The position is designed for further professional qualification as defined in § 2 WissZeitVG (Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act). The salary is commensurate with EG 13 TV-AVH / TVöD.
The successful candidate will work on key questions and challenges in comparative politics with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Potential research areas include but are not limited to autocratisation and democratisation, domestic politics and/or institutions, external actors, comparative political economy, the comparative study of conflicts, questions of misinformation or repression, and the political challenges arising from digitalisation. We expect the candidate to outline a corresponding research agenda.
The successful candidate will become a member of the GIGA Institute for African Affairs (IAA)https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/the-giga/institutes/giga-institute-for-african-affairs and one of GIGA’s four cross-regional GIGA Research Programmes (RP): Accountability and Participation (RP1)https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/the-giga/research-programmes/accountability-and-participation, Peace and Security (RP2)https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/the-giga/research-programmes/peace-and-security, Globalisation and Development (RP3)https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/the-giga/research-programmes/globalisation-and-development, or Global Orders and Foreign Policies (RP4)https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/the-giga/research-programmes/global-orders-and-foreign-policies.
The candidate is expected to conduct excellent research with real world relevance and, accordingly, to participate in knowledge exchange and outreach activities (media engagement, policy advisory activities). There are no teaching obligations for this position, but it will be possible to teach at one of GIGA’s partner universities.
More details are available at the website of the GIGA: https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/career/postdoctoral-research-fellow-m-f-d-comparative-politics
Prof. Dr. Thomas Richter
Lead Research Fellow | Head of Research Programme "Accountability and Participationhttps://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/the-giga/research-programmes/accountability-and-participation"
German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies
Neuer Jungfernstieg 21 | 20354 Hamburg / Germany
+49-(0)40-42825-528 (phone) / -547 (fax)
thomas.richter@giga-hamburg.demailto:thomas.richter@giga-hamburg.de
https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/
Honorary Professor at Leuphana University Lüneburg
thomas.richter@leuphana.demailto:thomas.richter@leuphana.de
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Recent Publications
Kleinschnittger, Janosch, Thomas Richter, Katrin Brettfeld, and Peter Wetzels. 2025. “Antisemitische und Muslimfeindliche Haltungen in Deutschland: Entwicklungen seit dem Jahresbeginn 2023.” In MOTRA-Monitor 2023/2024, eds. Uwe Kemmesies, Peter Wetzels, Beatrix Austin, Christian Büscher, Axel Dessecker, Swen Hutter, and Diana Rieger. Wiesbaden, 130–53. https://doi.org/10.57671/ISBN.978-3-911329-01-9_2025_MOTRA.
Smidt, Hannah, Jessica Johansson, and Thomas Richter. 2024. „Civil Society Under Attack: The Consequences for Horizontal Accountability Institutions.” Studies in Comparative International Development https://doi.org/10.1007/s12116-023-09423-x.
Bazoobandi, Sara, Jens Heibach, und Thomas Richter. 2024. „Iran’s foreign policy making: consensus building or power struggle?“ British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 51(5): 1044–67. doi:10.1080/13530194.2023.2189572https://doi.org/10.1080/13530194.2023.2189572.