We invite applications for two interdisciplinary PhD positions in the environmental humanities
at the intersection of literary and cultural studies, the social sciences, and biodiversity
communication.
The two PhD positions are part of a larger research project on the cultural perception of
biodiversity, focusing specifically on biodiversity narratives. The project systematically
examines how biodiversity is represented, narrated, and justified across science, politics, and
culture – particularly in literature. At its core, the project investigates how biodiversity acquires
value through narratives – not only in instrumental or ethical terms, but also through aesthetic
and affective dimensions. Insights gained from this analysis will be used to inform future
approaches to biodiversity communication. The focus is on the German-speaking world and
Switzerland.
Both dissertations will analyze existing narratives and discourses about biodiversity in different
societal contexts. One PhD project (PhD 1) will focus on representations of biodiversity, the
other (PhD 2) on the justification of biodiversity values and biodiversity conservation.
The project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and led by Prof. Dr.
Claudia Keller, a cultural and literary scholar based at the Environmental Sciences and
Humanities Institute (UniFR_ESH) at the University of Fribourg. This highly interdisciplinary
institute coordinates and promotes research and teaching in environmental and sustainability
studies, providing a unique space for reflection and dialogue on these issues in Switzerland.
