PhD position

The Department of History and the Europainstitut / Institute for European Global Studies at the University of Basel, Switzerland, invite applications for a fully funded, four-year (1 plus 3) PhD position in the Swiss National Research Foundation project "Feeding the Earth: Synthetic Fertilizers and the Remaking of Agriculture in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries". The position is to be filled as of June 1st, 2026. The project "Feeding the Earth" is a collaboration between the University of Basel, the University of Birmingham, and Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg. It enquires into the spread of synthetic fertilizers and the ways in which it transformed agriculture in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The use of synthetic fertilizers exploded over the twentieth century, boosting yields while fostering dependencies, land concentration, soil degradation, and water pollution. Despite their lack of sustainability and resistance from some farmers, synthetic fertilizers continue to dominate agriculture worldwide. As climate change, soil loss, and pollution compel a rethinking of food systems, this research project asks how societies in the past switched between different fertilizing regimes and adapted to changing conditions of agricultural productions. The project investigates the uneven transition from traditional to synthetic fertilizers in northern Europe, South Africa, Turkey, and Morocco, addressing the largely understudied global history of fertilizer adoption. The University of Basel will execute two case studies. The South Africa case study will be based at the Department of History (https://dg.philhist.unibas.ch/de/) and the Turkey case study will be based at the Europainstitut / Institute for European Global Studies (https://europa.unibas.ch/en/). Hereby we invite applications for the PhD position to work on the South Africa Study. The call for applications for the doctoral position on the case study on Turkey is published separately. Your position As a doctoral candidate you will work on the South African case study entitled "Synthetic fertilizers, contestations and alternatives in South Africa, c. 1900 to 1990". This sub-project studies the uneven spread of synthetic fertilizers in South Africa in the segregation and apartheid periods, inquiring into the ways in which agricultural modernization was embedded in racial, class, and gendered politics. It investigates how synthetic fertilizers were promoted, the ways in which knowledge about their usage was communicated, the economic and environmental controversies this generated, as well as the relations between the state, corporate players, and farmers in shaping fertilizer application. You will be expected to: - conduct independent archival research and oral history research on and in the geographical area of your work package and complete the dissertation within the funding period - publish one peer-reviewed article or book chapter and present your findings at international conferences - actively participate in advancing the project's overall research goals, collaborate closely with the whole team - help with admin tasks, conference organization, communication tasks, webpage content management. Your profile As a doctoral candidate, you are required to hold an MA degree (or equivalent) in History or a related discipline. You are fluent in English, our team's working language. Preference will be given to candidates who bring additional language proficiencies, such as Afrikaans, Xhosa, or another South African language. Experiences in archival research and a robust understanding of South African history are essential. Furthermore, you are collegial and open-minded, work well independently and have a talent for organization. Proficiency in MS Office is required. Finally, you are flexible to travel for the project, and you are able to take residence in Basel during your entire contract period. We offer you - attractive employment conditions in an intellectually stimulating research environment as a part of an international project team: you will pursue your dissertation project within a collaborative framework, affiliated as a member of the Basel Graduate School of History. - a thorough introduction process and ongoing support by peers - the position is fully funded for a duration of four years (1 plus 3 years). The conditions of employment follow the regulations of the University of Basel and of the Swiss National Science Foundation. Application / Contact We are looking forward to receiving your application by December 8th, 2025. Applications must be submitted exclusively via the University of Basel job portal. Applications need to include a letter of motivation, a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, diplomas / MA certificates, a scientific writing sample (max. 10 pages) and two referees (name and contact). The University of Basel is committed to increasing the number of women in its scientific personnel and encourages well-qualified women researchers to apply. It is anticipated that interviews will be held via videocall on 8/9 January 2026. If you have any questions about the position, please do not hesitate to contact Prof. Dr. Julia Tischler (Write an email). For further information on the Department of History, University of Basel: https://dg.philhist.unibas.ch/de/. For further information on the Europainstitut / Institute for European Global Studies, University of Basel: https://europa.unibas.ch/en/ Further job vacancies in this project: - see University of Basel job portal: https://www.unibas.ch/en/Working-at-the-University-of-Basel/Current-Vacancies.html - Position at the University of Birmingham: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/spreading-fertilizer-around-the-phosphatvilles-chemical-fertilizer-and-moroccan-agriculture-1920s-1970s/?p190596 Universität Basel 4000 Basel