Aesthetics of Democracy Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, in collaboration with TU Darmstadt in Germany

Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, in partnership with TU Darmstadt, is offering 12 fully funded PhD positions within the Research Training Group (RTG) “Aesthetics of Democracy,” supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The program explores democracy as a way of living together, focusing on its aesthetic and sensory dimensions through interdisciplinary research in art, culture, media, literature, and philosophy. Doctoral researchers will join an international academic environment with partnerships across five continents, interdisciplinary supervision, workshops, labs, and conferences in the vibrant Rhine-Main region. The program welcomes candidates from disciplines such as aesthetics, American studies, art history, comparative literature, film and media studies, German studies, modern history, philosophy, Scandinavian studies, and sinology.

Applicants must have an excellent Master’s degree completed by April 2026, submit a 10-page interdisciplinary research proposal, and demonstrate strong English proficiency. The funding covers a 48-month contract at 65% part-time (E13 TV-G-U / TV-TU-Darmstadt), salary according to German public sector rates, tuition, and research support. Applications are due by November 14, 2025, and should include a CV, certificates, two letters of recommendation, motivation letter, and research proposal, submitted as a single PDF to [email protected]. For more details, visit https://lnkd.in/gBRe3bg2 or https://aesthetics-of-democracy.de/.