Doctoral Researcher Position in “Boundary Studies”

Kiel University - The Cluster of Excellence ROOTS

The Cluster of Excellence ROOTS (Social, Environmental, and Cultural Connectivity in Past Societies) at Kiel University in Germany explores the deep history of tightly intertwined social and environmental processes, in order to explain their long-term developments and to understand how they resonate into the present (https://www.uni-kiel.de/en/cluster-roots). ROOTS combines expertise from a wide array of disciplines ranging from archaeology to other natural sciences, life sciences, and humanities, creating a unique bridge between different scientific cultures.

The ROOTS experts are organized into six subclusters (Hazards, Dietary, Knowledge, Urban, Inequalities, Conflict), three supportive research platforms (Technical Platform, Data Management and Data Science Platform, Outreach and Dissemination Platform), as well as diverse central units (ROOTS Academy, Reflective Turn Forum, Methods Nucleus) to collectively pursue a research agenda targeting key parameters of socio-environmental connectivity related to (1) human subsistence and biodiversity; (2) inequality and conflict; (3) technology and environmental impact; (4) boundaries and well-being.

ROOTS will be housed in the ARCWorlds research building, which is currently being established at Kiel University, in a few years’ time. It will offer high-end infrastructure to realize innovative interdisciplinary research.

For its 2nd phase, ROOTS is offering a Doctoral Researcher Position in “Boundary Studies” (Subproject B4) starting 1st July 2026.

Profile: within ROOTS framework

The PhD project will address boundaries in their relation to social well-being in past societies. Boundaries – understood as social, environmental and cultural (and thus material and mental) phenomena – emerge from needs for security, belonging, and identity, but also from exclusion, prejudice, or xenophobia. They shape practices of coexistence, exchange, and movement between people and spaces, and are often linked to ecological conditions. The configuration, transgression, or disruption of boundaries – at, along, or between them – has direct consequences for individual and collective well-being.

Possible central research questions for a PhD project

• Which social needs have led to the emergence of boundaries in different past times and places?
• How have boundaries changed over time (e.g., stability, permeability, fragility)?
• Which social, environmental and cultural manifestations of boundaries (e.g., settlement structures, constructions of identity, inclusion/exclusion) can be identified?
• How are interactions between boundaries and parameters of social well-being (e.g., food security, health, participation) reflected?
• What is the relationship between “boundaries” and “connectivity,” and how do they influence long-term societal developments (urbanisation, migration, conflict, cooperation)?

The project offers the opportunity to contribute to a highly topical interdisciplinary research that connects questions of political economy, social inequality, identity, and resilience with archaeological and historical data. The dissertation is expected not only to produce empirical results but also to contribute to the general theoretical discussion on boundaries and social well-being.

Required qualification: Eligible candidates must hold an outstanding degree (MA, MSc or equivalent) in one of the thematic fields/disciplines represented in ROOTS.

This position (subproject B4) is part of a joint call for 9 doctoral and 5 postdoctoral positions within the Cluster of Excellence ROOTS.

The application deadline for all positions is December 15, 2025.

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