Applications are now open for 7 fully funded doctoral (PhD) positions at the Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality” at the University of Konstanz, Germany. These positions focus on interdisciplinary research into the political causes and consequences of inequality, including perceptions of inequality, collective mobilization, political responses, and dimensions such as education, income, wealth, environment, rights, and privileges.
The scholarships are fully funded for 4 years (part-time 75% contracts under the German public sector pay scale TV-L E13), starting 1 October 2026. They are open to highly qualified graduates with an outstanding Master’s degree (or equivalent) in relevant fields. There is no application fee mentioned—applications are submitted free of charge via the university’s online portal. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.
Key Details:
- Degree Level: Doctoral / PhD
- Host Country: Germany
- Host Institution: University of Konstanz – Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality”
- Application Deadline: 15 April 2026
- Start Date: 1 October 2026
- Duration: 4 years
- Funding Type: Fully funded (salary-based employment)
- Open to all Nationalities
- Application Fee: None
All Available Positions (Please click on specific project to view details)
Two Independent PhD Positions
Work on your own research questions (defined with supervisor support) within the Cluster’s broad program. Connect with ongoing projects and the academic community. In your application, indicate potential research areas and preferred Principal Investigators.
Key Requirements:
- Excellent Master’s in political science, sociology, economics, linguistics, or related fields
- Experience with advanced quantitative or qualitative methods (preferably both, e.g., from your MA thesis)
- Interest in interdisciplinary inequality research
PhD Position – Working Group Comparative Political Economy
(Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Marius R. Busemeyer, Cluster Speaker)
Focus: Comparative education and social policies, political causes/consequences of socio-economic inequality, attitudes toward the welfare state. Choose your dissertation topic within the group’s agenda; contribute to ongoing projects. Includes teaching (3 SWS/semester, mostly BA level) and some supervision/admin tasks.
Example Dissertation Topics:
- Impacts of digitalization/automation on education systems and the welfare state
- Perceptions of different inequalities and their effects on political attitudes/behavior
- How “twin challenges” (green transition + digitalization) affect long-term investment policies
Key Requirements:
- Excellent Master’s in political science, sociology, economics, or social policy
- Experience with advanced quantitative or qualitative methods (preferably both)
- Some teaching experience (e.g., as tutor/TA) is welcome
PhD Position – Project: Inequalities in Climate Finance (ClimFin)
Investigate how financial constraints shape climate policies in vulnerable countries, and whether international climate aid reduces or deepens inequalities. Build a geo-referenced database of aid projects; use advanced stats for subnational analysis; conduct expert surveys on donor motivations.
Core Research Questions:
- How is climate mitigation/adaptation aid allocated in vulnerable regions?
- What impacts does this aid have on inequality in recipient areas?
- What motivates donors in allocating climate aid?
Key Requirements:
- Excellent Master’s (M.Sc.) in Political Science or equivalent
- Strong experience in advanced quantitative research methods
- Fluency in English
PhD Position – Project: Students’ Perceptions of Inequality and Fairness (PerFair 2.0)
Join an interdisciplinary team studying how beliefs about inequality and fairness influence pro-social behavior. Involve primary data collection (online surveys + distribution games with young adults), data processing/analysis, and publishing articles.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collaborate on PerFair 2.0 project
- Manage fieldwork/primary data collection
- Process and analyze survey data
- Publish scientific articles
Key Requirements:
- Excellent Master’s in quantitative sociology
- Advanced knowledge of quantitative survey methods and data analysis
- Interest in primary data collection or project management
- Excellent skills in statistical software (especially Stata or R)
- Excellent English
Two PhD Positions – Project: Mobilizing Climate Inequalities: From Perceptions to Participation (MOCLI)
(one in Sociology, one in Political Science)
Examine how unequal climate impacts (between/within countries) reinforce inequalities and spark mobilization or backlash. Study perceptions of climate inequalities, framing by movements/counter-movements, and effects on political participation/protest across countries.
Core Research Questions:
- When/why do climate inequalities trigger political engagement?
- How do climate movements/counter-movements frame inequalities and shape perceptions?
- How do political/social contexts influence these processes across countries?
Key Requirements:
- Excellent Master’s (M.A./M.Sc. or equivalent) in Political Science, Sociology, or equivalent
- Experience with advanced quantitative methods
- Experience or willingness to learn text-as-data methods (desirable)
- Fluency in English
- Ability to work independently and contribute to team research
