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5 Thinking with Wetlands PhD Positions 2027: TV-L E13
Five DFG PhD Positions in “Thinking with Wetlands” at the University of Augsburg
13 min read
Updated
NBy Naman Kumar
Page Summary⌄
Five paid PhDs: Each position is TV-L E13 at 65% for four years.
Research: Environmental history and wetland history across five defined subprojects.
Eligibility: MA, MSc or equivalent with very good grades in History or a related field with historical expertise.
Languages: Applications can be submitted in English or German; non-native German speakers must acquire German during the first two years.
Deadline:11 December 2026; positions start 1 April 2027.
Table of Contents
The University of Augsburg is recruiting five doctoral researchers for the DFG-funded research group “Thinking with Wetlands. Histories from the Quaking Zone, 1630–1997.”
Each PhD researcher will work on one defined historical project examining relationships between people, states, science, environments and wetlands across Central and Western Europe.
The available projects cover:
- coastal marshes in England and Europe
- wetland improvement and colonial governance in Bukovina
- the history of “swamp air”
- Bohemian peat spas and balneology
- wetland protection in Bavaria.
Each position is funded as a 65% TV-L E13 research-associate appointment for four years.
Thinking with Wetlands PhD Positions at a Glance
Information
Details
Programme
Thinking with Wetlands. Histories from the Quaking Zone, 1630–1997
Provider
University of Augsburg / German Research Foundation
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Faculty
Faculty of Philology and History
Research environment
Institute for European Cultural History and partner units
Location
Augsburg, Germany
Number of PhD positions
5
Position type
Paid research associate / doctoral position
Salary grade
TV-L E13
Employment percentage
65%
Contract duration
4 years
Start date
1 April 2027
Degree required
MA, MSc or equivalent
Academic standard
Very good grades
German
Can be acquired during first 2 years if not native
English
Working language of research group
Application language
German or English
Proposal
Max. 1,500 words
Projects per application
1 or maximum 2
Deadline
11 December 2026
Interviews
From January 2027
The research group is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and investigates the history of wetlands in Central and Western Europe between 1630 and 1997.
What is “Thinking with Wetlands”?
“Thinking with Wetlands” is a DFG-funded interdisciplinary research group examining how societies have understood, transformed, exploited, feared, protected and lived with wetlands.
The project focuses on landscapes such as:
- marshes
- swamps
- peatlands
- floodplains.
Instead of treating the history of wetlands simply as a transition from “wild nature” to “cultivated land,” the research group studies the more ambiguous and contested relationships between humans and wet environments.
The programme asks how wetlands shaped:
- state-building
- scientific knowledge
- health
- technology
- environmental policy
- ideas of progress
- ideas of loss.
Why are wetlands important to this research?
Wetlands are ecologically valuable environments.
They can:
- protect coastlines
- store carbon
- filter water
- support biodiversity.
At the same time, large areas of wetlands in Central and Western Europe were historically drained, transformed and cultivated in the name of:
- public health
- modernisation
- agricultural development
- technological progress.
“Thinking with Wetlands” examines these transformations historically while also looking for alternative practices and perspectives that have often received less scholarly attention.
What are the five PhD projects?
Applicants must apply to one specific project or, at most, two of the five advertised projects.
PhD Project 1 — Coastal Marshes in England and Europe
Experiencing Wetlands: Coastal Marshes as Contested Landscapes in England and Europe in the 17th and 18th Centuries
This project focuses on coastal wetlands and the ways people living in or observing these environments perceived them.
A central case study is the East Anglian Fens.
The project places the English Fens within wider European developments and asks how wetlands became spaces shaped by competing ideas, expectations and social norms.
This project may particularly suit applicants interested in:
- early modern history
- environmental history
- landscape history
- British or European history
- history of perception
- human-environment relations.
PhD Project 2 — Bukovina, Wetland Improvement and Imperial Rule
Bukovina and Its Natural Characteristics: Vertical Civilising for Wetlands and Peoples
This project investigates land improvement and drainage in Habsburg Bukovina.
The broader Thinking with Wetlands research page describes this work as an investigation of Meliorationen, or state-driven drainage and soil-improvement programmes, as part of internal colonisation and imperial state building.
The project examines how environmental intervention became connected with ideas of:
- civilisation
- colonial governance
- state authority
- territorial development.
This project may suit applicants interested in:
- Habsburg history
- Central and Eastern European history
- imperial history
- colonial history
- environmental history
- state-building.
PhD Project 3 — Swamp Air
Swamp Air: The Investigation and Partial Disenchantment of an Uncanny Atmosphere, 1700–1866
This project studies the historical idea of “swamp air.”
Wetlands were long associated with unhealthy or mysterious atmospheres.
The project examines how people scientifically investigated these environments and how interpretations of swamp air changed between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The wider research group has, for example, highlighted eighteenth-century experiments connected to Alessandro Volta and inflammable gas collected from wetlands.
This project may be especially relevant for applicants interested in:
- history of science
- history of medicine
- environmental history
- atmospheric history
- history of chemistry
- sensory history.
PhD Project 4 — Bohemian Peat Spas
Healing in the Peat Bath: West Bohemian Spa Towns, Balneology and Body Politics in the 19th and 20th Centuries
This project investigates how peat and wetlands shifted historically from being understood as sources of disease to becoming associated with therapeutic healing.
The wider project describes this as a transformation from materia peccans to materia medica.
The project examines peat baths in West Bohemian spa towns and explores the relationship between:
- health
- medicine
- landscape
- balneology
- bodies
- environmental perception.
It may particularly suit applicants interested in:
- medical history
- history of health
- spa culture
- Central European history
- environmental humanities
- body history.
PhD Project 5 — Otto Kraus and Wetland Protection in Bavaria
Swamp by Swamp: Otto Kraus and Wetland Protection in Bavaria, 1905–1984
This project examines the development of wetland conservation in Bavaria through the work of Otto Kraus.
The wider research programme uses Kraus as a starting point for examining how visions, arguments, media strategies and political practices shaped the emergence of wetland protection in one of Germany's wetland-rich regions.
This project may be particularly relevant for applicants interested in:
- conservation history
- German history
- environmental politics
- twentieth-century history
- environmental movements
- history of nature protection.
Do I choose my own PhD topic?
Not completely. Each doctoral position is tied to one of the five predefined subprojects.
You need to submit an implementation proposal explaining how you would develop one of those projects.
You may apply for one project or a maximum of two projects.
This is therefore different from an open-topic PhD where applicants submit an entirely independent dissertation proposal.
Your proposal should work within the scope of the advertised project while demonstrating your own historical questions, sources, methodology and research approach.
What should the 1,500-word proposal include?
The vacancy requires an implementation proposal of maximum 1,500 words for one or at most two subprojects.
The official posting does not publish a mandatory subsection structure.
A strong implementation proposal would normally make clear:
- which project you are applying for
- your specific research question
- relevant historiography
- likely primary sources
- geographic and chronological scope
- methodology
- why the project is feasible
- how your approach contributes to Thinking with Wetlands.
These are practical proposal-writing recommendations rather than an official scoring template published by Augsburg.
Can I apply for two different projects?
Yes. The university explicitly allows applications covering a maximum of two projects.
You should make the relationship between your expertise and each selected project clear in your proposal.
Do not submit a generic environmental-history proposal that fails to engage with the defined project.
Who can apply?
You need a completed MA, MSc or equivalent university degree with very good grades.
The programme is particularly aimed at applicants with degrees in History but also welcomes candidates from related fields with historical expertise.
Do I need a History degree?
No, not necessarily. The vacancy explicitly states that applicants from related disciplines can qualify if they have historical expertise.
This could potentially include relevant backgrounds in areas such as:
- cultural studies
- environmental humanities
- history of science
- area studies
- anthropology
- related humanities disciplines.
However, your application needs to demonstrate that you can conduct historically grounded research.
Can I apply with an MSc?
Yes. The university explicitly accepts:
- MA
- MSc
- equivalent degrees.
An MSc applicant should still demonstrate the historical knowledge and research skills required for the chosen project.
Do I need a minimum GPA?
The official vacancy does not publish a numerical minimum GPA.
It requires very good grades.
You should therefore not present a fixed threshold such as 1.5, 2.0 or an international GPA equivalent unless the university publishes one.
Can international applicants apply?
The vacancy does not publish a nationality restriction.
The research group describes itself as interdisciplinary and international and applications can be written in either English or German.
However, the advertisement does not explicitly state “all nationalities are eligible.”
It is therefore most accurate to describe the opportunity as internationally oriented with no nationality restriction stated, rather than claiming unrestricted international eligibility without qualification.
Do I need German before applying?
Not necessarily. If German is not your first language, the research group expects you to acquire German-language skills during the first two years of the programme.
This is an important distinction.
The vacancy does not state that non-native German speakers need to submit a German-language certificate such as:
- TestDaF
- DSH
- Goethe C1.
However, individual projects may require additional language skills depending on their archival sources.
Do I need English?
English and German are both working languages of the research group.
The vacancy does not state a formal English test threshold such as IELTS or TOEFL.
Because the programme is international and collaborative, you should be able to work academically in English.
Will I need other languages?
Possibly. The vacancy explicitly states that individual projects may require additional language skills.
For example, archival research relating to England, Bukovina, Bohemia or Bavaria may involve different source languages depending on the chosen project and period.
The official vacancy does not publish a fixed language matrix for each subproject.
Is this a paid PhD?
Yes. Each of the five positions is a salaried academic-employment position.
The salary classification is TV-L E13 at 65%.
This is therefore more accurately described as a paid doctoral research position than a scholarship.
The vacancy does not publish one exact monthly gross salary amount.
Is the employment full-time?
No. The advertised employment level is 65%.
The salary is therefore based on 65% of the applicable TV-L E13 employment level.
The official posting does not state a specific weekly-hour figure.
How long is the PhD contract?
Each position is funded for Four years.
This is comparatively long for a German humanities doctoral employment contract and provides a defined four-year period for completing the doctoral project.
When do the positions start?
The research group and doctoral contracts begin on 1 April 2027.
This is the stated start date for all five positions.
What is the structured doctoral programme?
The research group states that doctoral researchers will participate in a structured doctoral programme.
The public vacancy does not publish a detailed curriculum.
However, doctoral researchers are expected to participate actively in:
- joint research projects
- research-group events
- interdisciplinary exchange
- collaborative formats.
Is interdisciplinary work required?
Yes. The vacancy explicitly expects applicants to be willing to participate in interdisciplinary dialogue and collaborative formats.
This is central to the programme because Thinking with Wetlands combines:
- environmental history
- political history
- history of science and technology
- environmental humanities.
What research methods does Thinking with Wetlands use?
The research group says it primarily uses historical methods of critical source analysis for working with primary sources.
The broader research group also experiments with approaches such as:
- phenomenological methods
- walking as method
- environmental and sensory engagement with landscapes.
The exact methods used in your dissertation will depend on your individual subproject.
What documents do you need?
The University of Augsburg requires several documents.
1. Online application form
You must complete the official digital application form.
2. Motivation letter
Your motivation letter must be maximum 400 words.
3. Implementation proposal
You need a proposal of maximum 1,500 words for one or a maximum of two subprojects.
4. CV
Your CV must be maximum two pages.
5. Degree certificates
Submit copies of your university degree certificates.
6. Academic writing sample
You must submit either your academic thesis or another substantial piece of your own scholarly writing, such as seminar paper, peer-reviewed article, book chapter.
Do I need a recommendation letter?
No recommendation letter is listed among the required application documents in the official vacancy.
Do not add referees or recommendation letters as mandatory unless the application portal separately requests them.
Do I need to submit my Master's thesis?
Not necessarily. You can submit your academic final thesis or another longer scholarly text written by you.
The university gives examples including a seminar paper, a peer-reviewed article and a book chapter.
This is useful if your thesis is unavailable, unsuitable or not written in a language appropriate for the application.
Can the application be in English?
Yes. Applications can be submitted in English and German.
This applies to the overall application.
Do all documents need to be in one PDF?
Yes. The application must be uploaded as one PDF file with a maximum file size of 8 MB.
Make sure your proposal, CV, certificates and writing sample meet the file-size limit when combined.
How to apply for the Thinking with Wetlands PhD positions
Step 1 — Choose your project
Review all five doctoral subprojects.
Select one project, or a maximum of two.
Step 2 — Research the subproject carefully
Read the corresponding Thinking with Wetlands project description and identify:
- historical scope
- region
- key conceptual problem
- likely archival sources.
Step 3 — Write your 1,500-word proposal
Explain how you would implement the advertised project as a doctoral dissertation.
Step 4 — Write your motivation letter
Keep it to maximum 400 words.
Explain why your academic background and research interests fit the research group.
Step 5 — Prepare your two-page CV
Keep the CV concise and academically relevant.
Step 6 — Select your writing sample
Use your thesis or another substantial piece of scholarly work.
Step 7 — Combine the documents
Submit everything as one PDF of maximum 8 MB.
Step 8 — Complete the official application form
Applications are submitted digitally through the University's Thinking with Wetlands application route.
Step 9 — Submit before the deadline
Your complete application must be received by 11 December 2026.
Application Deadline and Timeline
Stage
Date
Vacancy published
19 October 2026
Application deadline
11 December 2026
Interviews begin
January 2027
Research group begins
1 April 2027
Contract duration
4 years
After an initial selection round, individual interviews are scheduled to begin from January 2027.
How are applicants selected?
The vacancy does not publish a numerical scoring matrix.
However, the stated eligibility and application requirements suggest that assessors will consider factors including:
- academic record
- historical expertise
- fit with the selected subproject
- quality of the implementation proposal
- scholarly writing ability
- interdisciplinary fit.
Only the first two are explicit eligibility criteria; the remaining points are practical interpretations of the required application materials rather than a published scoring system.
What makes this PhD programme unusual?
Several features distinguish Thinking with Wetlands from a conventional individual history PhD.
Five connected dissertations
The doctoral researchers work on distinct projects but within one shared historical research programme.
Environmental and cultural history are combined
The group connects environmental history with:
- political history
- history of science
- history of technology.
Wetlands are treated as historical actors
The programme asks not only how humans changed wetlands but also how wet environments shaped:
- societies
- institutions
- knowledge
- human behaviour.
Long four-year employment
Each PhD contract runs for four years.
German can be learned during the PhD
Non-native German speakers do not need to already have German as their first language and are expected to acquire German during the first two years.
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