Category: Resources
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Max Planck Institute Postdoc in Evolution of Human Cooperation and Religion
Post-doctoral researcher in the evolution of religion and cooperation
The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, unites scientists with various backgrounds (natural sciences and humanities) whose aim is to investigate the history of humankind from an interdisciplinary perspective with the help of comparative analyses of genes, cultures, cognitive abilities, languages and social systems of past and present human populations as well as those of primates closely related to human beings.
Call for post-doctoral researcher in the evolution of religion and cooperation
The Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology invites applications for a post-doctoral researcher in the evolutionary, cognitive, cultural and/or behavioral sciences of religion. The candidate will work under the direct supervision of Dr. Benjamin Purzycki (Senior Researcher).
The contract period is for 2 years. The salary is according to the German public service pay scale (TVöD). The appointment is based in Leipzig.
We are looking for a researcher with a background in methods and/or data analysis interested in working on a series of projects examining the cross-cultural co-evolution of religion and cooperation. We ultimately hope to develop ways of examining and explaining cross-cultural variation in the domain of religion. The central questions we’re asking are:
Do specific socioeconomic and ecological conditions contribute to the content of religious beliefs and the costs, timing, and placement of ritual behaviors?Do salient, locally specific problems feed into the forms religions take?If so, how? Does the form that religions take reduce the costs of corresponding problems? The successful candidate will have opportunities to analyze already-collected data, take the lead in ongoing projects, write reports and collaborate on publications with the supervisor and his research network. The ideal candidate will have an eye toward field research and/or the development of longitudinal, cross-culturally applicable methods for field researchers.
The candidate is expected to:
- Analyze extant data and write up results
- Design and manage projects assessing the social and ecological conditions that predict religious beliefs and practice
- Manage edited volumes
Requirements:
- PhD degree in Anthropology, Psychology, Evolutionary Ecology/Biology, or another relevant field
- Fluency in spoken and written English
- Strong, demonstrated knowledge of data management and analysis of quantitative data and/or modelling
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
Please address questions and completed applications electronically to Dr. Benjamin Purzycki (benjamin_purzycki[at]eva.mpg.de) with the subject heading “MPI POSTDOC APPLICATION”.
Applications should include (in a single pdf document):
1. a cover letter describing: a) how you meet the aforementioned requirements, b) how you might contribute to the general goals of the call for post-docs, and c) your preferred start date.
2. a CV with the contact information of at least three professional references who are prepared to write informative letters of support
All electronic applications received by October 31, 2017 will be considered. We interview suitable candidates via Skype by November 30, 2017 for a flexible starting date. Current doctoral students and post-docs finishing in 2018 are encouraged to apply.
The Max Planck Society wishes to increase the proportion of women in areas in which they are underrepresented; women are therefore explicitly encouraged to apply.
The Max Planck Society is committed to equal opportunities and to employing individuals with disabilities and explicitly encourages them to apply.
We look forward to receiving your completed application.
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IBCSR Research Review Issues
If you are a member, please log in to review past issues of IBCSR Research Review.
IBCSR members have access to the entire history of IBCSR Research Review issues as well as a searchable database of publications in the scientific study of religion. The database is a one-stop solution to finding what has been published in the biocultural study of religion and in spirituality and health research, with no extraneous results to sift through on your way to locating the information you seek. The IBCSR Research Review Database contains all entries from all issues of the IBCSR Research Review as well as articles from previous years back to the middle of the nineteenth century, and is expanding all the time. IBCSR members enjoy other benefits, too. Join IBCSR today using the link on this page and on the IBCSR home page.
Click here to review a sample issue of IBCSR Research Review.
Click here to review past issues of IBCSR Research Review.
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IBCSR Research Review Back Issues
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Online Access to Religion, Brain & Behavior
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University of Pennsylvania Bioethics Postdoctoral Fellowship
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Advanced Biomedical Ethics – University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy
The Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine invites applications for the postdoctoral Fellowship in Advanced Biomedical Ethics. This 2-year Fellowship seeks to train scholars and future leaders in academic biomedical ethics. Appointments will commence in Summer 2016.
Fellows will participate fully in the life of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, which is among the world’s leading bioethics departments. They will have full access to the intellectual resources of the Penn community.
Fellows will receive a generous annual stipend, benefits, full tuition for a master’s degree in bioethics, and funds for academic books and travel.
Applications are invited from scholars with doctoral degrees in hand (MDs, PhDs or equivalent, JDs), or who will receive such degrees by May 2016. Doctorates may be in any relevant field, including but not limited to philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology, economics or anthropology. Prior experience in bioethics is not required.
Interested applicants should visit http://medicalethics.med.upenn.edu/education/penn- fellowship-in-advanced-biomedical-ethics for more information. Application deadline is December 14, 2015.
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New videos share IBCSR’s mission and projects
Numbers, statistics, obscure theories: research can be hard to communicate to the public. Fortunately, there are some great tools out there for telling accessible stories about cutting-edge research to laypeople and those with different areas of expertise. Documentary videos, in particular, can help break down barriers and communicate complex ideas better than almost anything else (something Carl Sagan knew a thing or two about). That’s why IBCSR hired religion scholar, musician, and documentarian Jenn Lindsay to create a series of short, eye-catching videos on IBCSR and its projects. The videos, now available as part of IBCSR’s growing Press Kit, capture a fascinating array of affiliated scholars, interviews, and real-world windows into research at the boundary of biology and culture. -
About IBCSR Research Review
“Getting the IBCSR Research Review is like having Christmas every month. As soon as I receive this little PDF gift package in my email in-box, I stop whatever I am working on and electronically tear it open — and immediately begin downloading or ordering articles relevant for my current research projects. Thank you IBCSR!”
F. LeRon Shults, University of Adger, Norway
Introduction
The IBCSR Research Review offers a survey of recently published scientific research related to religion, brain, and behavior. You can register to receive free email editions of the IBCSR Research Review using the registration box on this page or on the IBCSR home page. Online versions will be available below, several months after they are published.
IBCSR members have access to the entire history of IBCSR Research Review issues as well as a searchable database of publications in the scientific study of religion. The database is a one-stop solution to finding what has been published in the biocultural study of religion and in spirituality and health research, with no extraneous results to sift through on your way to locating the information you seek. The IBCSR Research Review Database contains all entries from all issues of the IBCSR Research Review as well as articles from previous years back to the middle of the nineteenth century, and is expanding all the time. IBCSR members enjoy other benefits, too. Join IBCSR today using the link on this page and on the IBCSR home page.
Click here to review a sample issue of IBCSR Research Review.
Praise for IBCSR Research Review
It is an exciting time for evolutionary studies of religion as innovative projects are undertaken and new findings emerge across many fields of study. Keeping abreast of the accumulating interdisciplinary research presents an increasingly formidable challenge. That challenge is made much more manageable by the IBCSR Research Review. The Research Review not only affords a comprehensive overview of relevant publications across disparate fields; it also provides concise, succinct synopses of these publications — excellent tool for keeping up with a rapidly burgeoning literature. (Candace Alcorta, Research Scientist, Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut)
“I’m so grateful to hear from you and your organization. What a wonderful navigation system for the world of science/spirit integration.” (Linda K. Larkey, Professor, Scottsdale Healthcare Chair of Biobehavioral Oncology, Research College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University)
“I wanted to tell you I really appreciate IBCSR Research Review. The reviews are very well done and I enjoy them. I plan to make a deeper analysis as I prepare some materials for a speech I have been invited to give. The reviews will be very helpful.” (Katherine Verdolini Abbott, Professor, Communication Science and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh)
“This is an incredible resource for professional health care chaplains who want to stay current with the latest scientific research on spirituality and health. I’ve recommended it to all my colleagues and students!” (David W. Fleenor, Manager and Clinical Pastoral Educator, Pastoral Care Services at NYU Langone Medical Center, a partner institution of HealthCare Chaplaincy)
“I am very happy to be a subscriber to the IBCSR Research Review. It offers me detailed referencing information, keeps me updated on current research, and saves me many hours of searching. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in research on religion.” (Dimitris Xygalatas, Director, LEVYNA Laboratory for the Experimental Research of Religion; Department for the Study of Religion, Masaryk University; and Department of Culture and Society, Aarhus University; Managing Editor, Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion)
“I have appreciated all the work that has gone into researching and publishing the IRR abstracts. After retirement, I kept pursuing my interest in the evolutionary origins of religion. I go to your newsletter first every month to keep up with what is being published.” (James W. Dow, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, Oakland University)
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Papers solicited for the scientific study of religion
The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR) is soliciting paper proposals for its annual meeting, to take place in Indianapolis this November. The theme of this year’s meeting will be “building bridges” between different methods and subfields within the scientific study of religion. Papers on cognitive science, evolutionary psychology, and other methods that depart from SSSR’s traditional social-science emphasis are strongly encouraged. From SSSRweb::
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Our theme for the 2014 conference is “Building Bridges” between all those interested in the study of religion. This includes any disciplines that focus upon the study of religion as well as scholars from the widest possible geographical and cultural areas. Our intent is to build bridges between disciplines and cultures that have become isolated and communicate only among themselves and not to others with similar interests but from different perspectives. Suggestions for contributions include:
• the study of religion in diverse cultures and regions (Eastern, Central Europe, Asia, South America, etc.)
• the study of religion within diverse faith traditions (Islam, Christianity, Paganism, NRMs, etc.)
• inter-disciplinary studies of religion (religious studies & the social and behavioral sciences, etc.)
• new disciplines that study religion (cognitive science, evolutionary psychology, etc.)
• methodology interaction in the study of religion (quantitative, qualitative, creative, etc.)
• the study of non-belief and atheism
All session and paper proposals must be submitted via the on-line submission system that will be available on the SSSR’s web site, http://www.sssrweb.org. In addition to the session proposer’s full contact information, a session proposal requires a session title and an abstract of not more than 150 words describing the goal of the session and how the proposer expects the session to contribute to scientific knowledge about religion. Individual paper proposals require the name(s) of the author(s), first author’s full contact information, an abstract of not more than 150 words that succinctly describes the question(s) motivating the research, the data and methods used, and what the paper contributes or expects to contribute to the knowledge or understanding of religion.
Submissions Open: February 03, 2014 (see http://www.sssrweb.org)
Submissions Close: March 31, 2014
Decision Notification: April 30, 2014 -
Samford University Social Scientific Study of Religion
SAMFORD UNIVERSITY
The Department of Religion at Samford University seeks an Assistant Professor in the social scientific study of religion effective August 2014. Samford University is the largest privately supported and fully accredited institution of higher education in Alabama.
Qualifications: Ph.D. required. The successful candidate will have a record of excellence in teaching and a promising record of research. Experience in writing and administering grants is preferred, especially for collaboration with Samford’s Resource Center for Pastoral Excellence in research and program development. Church-related experience or research is required.
Area of Expertise: The successful candidate will have expertise in the social scientific study of religion (including sociology, psychology, church social work, or anthropology) and an applied focus in some combination of congregations, faith-based organizations, communities, families and individuals. This person will play a leading role in developing our existing concentration in congregational studies into a concentration in religious leadership and organizations.
Applications: Please incorporate into a single PDF a letter of application, curriculum vitae, one- to two-page statement of teaching philosophy, and names and contact information for three references. Send this and, separately, three letters of recommendation to:
David R. Bains, acting chair
E-mail: drbains@samford.edu
Department of Religion
Samford University
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, Alabama
35229
The search committee will begin reviewing applications on Dec. 2, 2013, and continue until the position is filled.