International Max Planck Research School on Retaliation, Mediation and Punishment
(IMPRS REMEP)
Call for Applications:
Criminal Law, Criminology
The Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Freiburg i.Br. offers, in co-operation with the University of Freiburg, in accordance with the conditions of the Max Planck Society for the support of young researchers several doctoral research positions (employment contracts) within the areas of Criminal Law and Criminology
Freiburg, Germany (Freiburg i.Br.)
as of 1 December 2015 or later
for the conferral of a doctorate degree in law (Dr. jur.)
(limite: 30 Sept. 2015)
These doctoral positions are granted in the context of the interdisciplinary program of the International Max Planck Research School on Retaliation, Mediation, Punishment (IMPRS REMEP). The research school aims to attract young researchers educated in law (in particular, criminal law) and criminology.
The doctoral students will carry out their studies mainly in Freiburg under the supervision of Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Ulrich Sieber, director at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law https://www.mpicc.de/en/home/sieber.html or Prof. Dr. Roland Hefendehl, director of the Institute for Criminology and White Collar Crime of the University of Freiburg https://strafrecht-online.org/. He or she will participate in the training program offered by the IMPRS-REMEP and can make use of the facilities and infrastructure of the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law and/or the Institute for Criminology and White Collar Crime. The structured and interdisciplinary curriculum requires participation in several joint seminars to be conducted together with the doctoral students who are affiliated with the IMPRS-REMEP partner institutes in Halle/Saale and Frankfurt/Main. During these seminars, all students shall achieve cross-disciplinary knowledge in order to develop a common understanding of the overall research agenda and to be able to mutually understand and discuss their doctoral theses from the perspectives of all relevant disciplines. Working language of the training program is English. The dissertation may be written in English or German. The final oral exam in law (“Rigorosum”) is being done on German law in German. The scientific supervision of the doctoral students will be carried out by the Max Planck Institute and the University of Freiburg. Cross-disciplinary dissertation projects may be co-supervised by a member of the academic staff from a partner institute. Also, foreign doctoral students may choose to earn their doctorate from their home institution abroad.
Dissertation Topics
The research agenda has its focus on the fundamental question common to the disciplines of social sciences and humanities regarding how peace, social order and human security are negotiated, constructed, maintained and re-gained. In particular, in the context of conflict and post-conflict societies, traditional approaches to reconciliation and mediation are being adopted, amending, and partially replacing, well-established systems of punishment mainly based on concepts of retaliation. The subject must have a clear link to the basic question of the impact of criminal law in the context of social control, its existence or absence, and probable substitutes for (formalized) penal control. Cf. http://www.remep.mpg.de/
Doctoral students who wish to collaborate with Prof. Roland Hefendehl shall focus their research proposal on the following research question:
Different political and economic systems and the way in which they seek to govern through criminal law In accordance with critical criminological thinking, criminal law is an instrument used to stabilize sovereign authority. The pertinent question is: does a homogenous principle for the application of criminal law exist across the political spectrum or do different political (e.g., conservative or leftist) political systems and economic systems (e.g., neo-liberal or socialist) refine and apply criminal law in a fashion that is tailored to their own ideological requirements. This question may be addressed from a variety of different academic disciplines, including critical criminology, sociology, economics, legal anthropology, and history; this is a factor that greatly influences the profile of the current position. Indeed, a comparative perspective and experience with other political and/or economic systems would prove most helpful. Indispensable requirements for the position are a solid background in and knowledge of the tasks and functionality of criminal law.
Applicants for all positions are expected to develop their research questions independently, and to specify those in their proposal. Proposals with a comparative perspective and/or an inter-disciplinary approach will be considered with priority.
Application requirements
Completion of a law degree at a German university or completion at an equivalent university abroad. First or Second German State Law Exam with a minimum overall grade of "vollbefriedigend" (according to the examination regulations "JAPrO" of the State of Baden-Württemberg), or an equivalent degree with an equivalent grade ("with distinction") from abroad.
Submission of a substantive proposal for a dissertation topic linked to the research agenda of the IMPRS-REMEP.
Solid proficiency in the English language. In addition, students should have at least some basic knowledge of the German language and demonstrate willingness to improve it.
The IMPRS-REMEP seeks to reach a composition of at least 50 percent foreign doctoral students. Thus, foreign candidates with a foreign degree are explicitly encouraged to apply. Recognition of equivalence of foreign degrees is to be determined by the doctoral committee of the Faculty of Law of the University of Freiburg, in accordance with the criteria laid out by the Central Office for Foreign Education at the Secretariat of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs ("Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen im Sekretariat der Ständigen Konferenz der Kultusminister der Länder").
Application documents
Cover sheet addressed to the International Max Planck Research School on Retaliation, Mediation and Punishment at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Freiburg i.Br.
- European style curriculum vitae (http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/) in German or English. It should include information on all previous research activities.
- Copy of Secondary Education certificate with a list of subject areas. The documents must be officially translated into German (preferably) or English and a copy of the original supplied.
- Copy of certificates relating to the First and, where applicable, Second German State Law Exam(s) from lawyers. From foreign graduates, copy of all university certificates with a list of all grades, including the overall grade, the average grade and the university certificate of graduation. The documents must be officially translated into German (preferably) or English and a copy of the original supplied.
- Substantive/meaningful proposal for a research topic (5 pages), preferably in English, structured into
- a) relevance of the proposed topic in the context of the overall research agenda of the IMPRS-REMEP,
- b) state of preparation,
- c) aim of the project, d) probable links to other disciplines,
- e) methodology,
- f) proposed timeline,
- g) intended time of completion of the dissertation.
- It is intended that doctoral students, when participating in the research program in a regular manner, will be able to complete the program within a three year period.
- Two letters of recommendation from two senior scientists (to be written in English or German). These letters should include information as to previous research experience, and vouch for the ability of the applicant to undertake doctoral studies at the Research School.
Applicants who do not speak English as their native language and who are unable of demonstrating good proficiency in English language in any other way must prove their skills through language examination certificates. In particular, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or TOEFEL are recognized.
Applicants who do not speak German as their native language should be capable to demonstrate basic knowledge of German, e.g., through a certificate German language ("Zertifikat Deutsch", ZD). Proficiency in German language is not a formal precondition for application. However, subject to university regulations, German is mandatory for the final oral doctoral exam in law. If necessary, access to external language courses can be arranged.
Presentation of officially authenticated copies of the original certificates etc., with regards to Nos. 3 and 4 above, is only necessary once a decision has been made to admission.
Application dates
Application documents must be submitted electronically no later than by 30 Sept. 2015 to the following email address: coordination@remep.mpg.de (maximum 5 MB per E-Mail). Please refrain from sending postal applications.
Applicants will be invited to personal interviews, telephone or videoconferences in Freiburg upon prior notification. The selection procedure should be completed by 31 Oct. 2015. The applicants will be informed of the selection results in writing. During the selection procedure we ask applicants to refrain from contacting the Institute with regards to the results of the procedure. An absolute right to financial support does not exist. The Max Planck Society and the University of Freiburg endeavor, wherever possible, to employ disabled persons, and applications from such persons are expressly called for. The Max Planck Society and the University of Freiburg also desire to increase the proportion of women in areas where they are underrepresented. Women are therefore expressly encouraged to apply.
Financial support
Financial support is granted in accordance with the guidelines of the Max Planck Society in the form of a doctoral contract. The financial support regarding the doctoral contract corresponds with public service organizations (up to 50 per cent of the payment group 13 degree 1 of the General Framework Agreement on Public Services, "Tarifvertrag Öffentlicher Dienst", TVöD). Financial support will be granted for a period of three years, with a possibility of two subsequent extensions, each for a duration of six months.
Inquiries
Further information on the research program of the IMPRS REMEP can be acquired at www.remep.mpg.de, of the MPICC at https://www.mpicc.de/en/home.cfm and of the Institute for Criminology and White Collar Crime at https://strafrecht-online.org/ . For additional inquiries, please write to : C.Hillemanns@mpicc.de.
