Two Open PhD Positions in Environmental Humanities - Exploring Biodiversity Narratives

Particularité

We invite applications for two interdisciplinary PhD positions in the environmental humanities at the intersection of literary and cultural studies, the social sciences, and biodiversity communication.
The two PhD positions are part of a larger research project on the cultural perception of biodiversity, focusing specifically on biodiversity narratives. The project systematically examines how biodiversity is represented, narrated, and justified across science, politics, and culture – particularly in literature. At its core, the project investigates how biodiversity acquires value through narratives – not only in instrumental or ethical terms, but also through aesthetic and affective dimensions. Insights gained from this analysis will be used to inform future approaches to biodiversity communication. The focus is on the German-speaking world and Switzerland.
Both dissertations will analyze existing narratives and discourses about biodiversity in different societal contexts. One PhD project (PhD 1) will focus on representations of biodiversity, the other (PhD 2) on the justification of biodiversity values and biodiversity conservation.
The project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and led by Prof. Dr. Claudia Keller, a cultural and literary scholar based at the Environmental Sciences and Humanities Institute (UniFR_ESH) at the University of Fribourg. This highly interdisciplinary institute coordinates and promotes research and teaching in environmental and sustainability studies, providing a unique space for reflection and dialogue on these issues in Switzerland.

Domaine d'activité

PhD 1: Biodiversity Representation

Objectives and tasks:

The PhD project (monograph or cumulative dissertation) will include the following tasks:

• Cultural and literary analysis of biodiversity narratives in science, society, and culture
• Theoretical and methodological development of approaches to analyzing and assessing biodiversity narratives and the values they convey
• Systematize the various forms of biodiversity representations in the various fields
• Interdisciplinary reflection on the role of biodiversity narratives in communication and public understanding
• Organization of workshops and conferences, as well as editorial work within the project framework
• Collaboration with other research groups at the UniFR_ESH Institute and the Department of Geosciences

PhD 2: Biodiversity Justification

Objectives and tasks:

The PhD project (monograph or cumulative dissertation) will include the following tasks:

• Cultural and literary analysis of biodiversity narratives in science, society, and culture
• Conduct semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from biodiversity science and policy on biodiversity narratives and different forms of justification for biodiversity conservation, followed by the transcription, coding, and qualitative analysis of the interview data.
• Systematize and critically reflect on biodiversity narratives and their ethical justifications from textual and interview data
• Interdisciplinary reflection on the role of biodiversity narratives in communication and public understanding
• Organization of workshops and conferences, as well as editorial work within the project framework
• Collaboration with other research groups at the UniFR_ESH Institute and the Department of Geosciences

Exigences

Postes vacants | Environmental Sciences and Humanities | Université de Fribourg

Exigences linguistiques

autre: English

Date d'entrée en fonction:

-01.06.2026

Renseignements:
Claudia Keller

Date limite de réception des offres:
13.03.2026

Adresse d'envoi: