Tobias ten Brink

The Learning Empire Research Unit is advertising a 4-year postdoctoral research position in International Relations / International Political Economy with a China focus for the project Raw Materials Empire: Imperial Practices in Overseas Mineral Extraction and Processing . The project is led by Dr. Wiebke Rabe (University of Bremen) and is part of a broader research environment at the Learning Empire unit, which supports early-career scholars through structured doctoral training, joint supervision, mentoring, workshops, writing retreats, and collaborative events. The postdoc will join a cohort of 10+ PhD researchers and postdocs. The research examines Chinese mineral extraction and processing of cobalt, copper, lithium, and nickel across three major regions: the Copperbelt , the Lithium Triangle , and Indonesia . It focuses both on Chinese strategies for mineral access and project expansion and on the agency of partner countries, with extended fieldwork in Latin America, Africa, and Asia . This opportunity is best suited to candidates with a background in International Relations , International Political Economy , or closely related social science fields, especially those interested in China studies, global raw materials, extraction politics, and transregional fieldwork. Deadline: 29 May 2026. To apply, review the job advertisement linked in the post and follow the application instructions provided there.

Goethe University’s Learning Empire research unit is advertising a PhD position in International Relations / International Political Economy with a China focus . The position is part of the research project “Economic Empire. Peripheralization along Chinese-led Green Value Chains” , led by Prof. Tobias ten Brink . The project examines the politico-economic consequences of China’s dominance in key green energy industries, with particular attention to the value chains for solar photovoltaics, electric vehicles, and batteries . The regional focus is Southeast Asia , especially Thailand and Malaysia . The Learning Empire research unit describes itself as a vibrant intellectual community focused on studying China’s global impact and training the next generation of China scholars. The doctoral environment includes structured doctoral training , joint supervision across projects , a mentoring scheme , a workshop program, writing retreats, and collaborative events. The post is part of a larger cohort of 10+ PhD researchers and postdocs , offering a strong interdisciplinary and methods-oriented environment. This is a doctoral opening ; no master’s or postdoctoral application is indicated in the post. The deadline shown in the post and careers page is 20 May 2026 . Applicants should check the full job advertisement for detailed eligibility criteria and application instructions.