FZRBs Doctoral School "Communities and Networks"

We are delighted to announce that in June 2025, our doctoral program, the Doctoral School of the Diaspora Studies Research Network, was officially integrated into the university's Graduate Academy.

The international Doctoral School "Communities and Networks" has grown out of the research network's doctoral colloquium, which was established in 2023 at the Research Centre for Religion and Education (FZRB), a key development area within the university's "Liberty" profile line. The "Communities and Networks" doctoral school will begin its work in the 2025 winter semester.

The program explores how interculturality, economics, religion, and education shape and are shaped by the cultural, religious, and social identities of diaspora communities in pluralistic societies. A central focus is the specific role that religious education can play in the development of modern societies. The school will shed light on the complex interactions between tradition and modernity, and faith and secularism in regional and transnational contexts. Particular attention will be given to the educational challenges and opportunities for these communities, as well as the role of religious institutions in fostering cultural continuity and social mobility.

The doctoral school is characterized by a transdisciplinary approach that combines perspectives from theology, educational sciences, sociology, anthropology, peace and conflict studies, human geography, and history and communication sciences. It pursues a non-Eurocentric perspective, covering a broader range of diaspora experiences from regions such as the MENA region and Southeast Asia. The focus is on the empirical investigation of the lived realities of diaspora communities and their networks.

Research priorities include migration, identity, cultural transmission, transnational networks, intergenerational and family dynamics, and religious practices within diaspora communities. The school aims to establish a vibrant academic community where transdisciplinary approaches can flourish, bringing together its pre- and post-doctoral researchers and faculty members. It seeks to make a significant contribution to the field of diaspora studies and enrich the global discourse on migration and cultural exchange.

The doctoral school is led by speakers from three faculties: Prof. Dr. Michael Wermke (Faculty of Theology), Prof. Dr. Sebastian Henn (Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences), and Prof. Dr. Christoph Vatter (Faculty of Philosophy). The English-language doctoral school currently includes ten pre- and post-doctoral researchers from seven countries. The doctoral school is open to the participation of other interested parties. We warmly welcome you!

Contact:

Rawan Tahboub (Coordinator)

Email: rawan.tahboub@uni-jena.de