Research Fellow in East European and Eurasian Studies
The Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu invites applications for two 30-month postdoctoral Research Fellow positions within the ERC-funded project Empire of Solidarities (EMPSOLID), led by Dr Catherine Gibson.
EMPSOLID moves beyond traditional centre–periphery models by examining horizontal connections across the Romanov Empire and beyond. Focusing on grassroots charitable initiatives, it explores how individuals, associations, and communities mobilised voluntary donations to support people beyond their immediate localities, sometimes crossing social, ethnic, and regional boundaries.
The project investigates how such philanthropic solidarities operated within an imperial context: at times encouraged by the state to foster loyalty, yet also restricted or suppressed when perceived as politically sensitive. In this way, it places private charity at the intersection of social practice and imperial governance.
The research team—comprising the Principal Investigator, three postdoctoral researchers, and a PhD-junior research fellow — will analyse examples of intra-imperial charitable activity from 1855 to 1914. By mapping these networks, the project aims to generate new perspectives on the empire’s spatial history and the role of private charity in shaping imperial communities.
We particularly welcome candidates with expertise on the Caucasus and/or Central Asia, though applications focusing on other regions of the Romanov Empire are also encouraged.
Relevant research themes include (but are not limited to):
- Business philanthropy.
- Muslim, Jewish, and Catholic charitable practices.
- Migration- and refugee-related charity.
- Case studies of organisations, networks, or individuals.
Research questions may include:
- What intra- and extra-imperial philanthropic initiatives emerged, and what roles did they play in everyday life?
- How did support for “distant strangers” relate to local forms of charity?
- Who were the main actors and institutions, and how were fundraising and aid organised and regulated?
- Which causes attracted support, and where were the limits of solidarity?
- Were these initiatives reactive or did they foster longer-term connections?
- How did imperial authorities respond to and regulate charitable activity?
Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies is ranked 151–200 globally in Politics and International Studies (QS, 2025). The institute has an international staff and a dynamic research environment with seminars, workshops, and visiting scholars. It is home to the Centre for East European and Eurasian Studies (CEURUS) and organises the annual Tartu Conference on East European and Eurasian Studies.
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