The program is based on the observation that the world exists in a continual state of “repair.” This perspective challenges the dominant modern narrative of progress and innovation, which often obscures histories of violence, exploitation, and environmental destruction that have accompanied it. Instead, the program views crises, ruptures, and disruptions not as endpoints but as starting points for new ways of thinking and acting.
“We are delighted to continue our partnership with our colleagues at the University of Melbourne, with whom we previously had a highly successful and rewarding collaboration through the minor cosmopolitanisms Research Training Group,” says Anja Schwarz, a professor of British cultural studies at the University of Potsdam and spokesperson for the new program. “The University of Melbourne is consistently ranked as Australia’s leading university and among the world’s top 40 universities.”
During the initial funding period, the program will train two cohorts of doctoral researchers who will earn a joint degree. Each cohort will consist of twelve doctoral candidates. Six will be funded by the DFG for three and a half years and employed by the University of Potsdam, while six will receive doctoral scholarships from the University of Melbourne for the same period. Participants will begin and complete their doctoral studies at their home institution. Over the course of the program, however, they will spend two full years training together—one year at the University of Melbourne and one year at the University of Potsdam.
Contact: Prof. Dr. Anja Schwarz, Institute of English and American Studies
Phone: +49 331 977-1046
Email: anja.schwarzuuni-potsdampde
Media information 06-01-2026 / No. 044