For more detailed information see website Charles University.
Letter of Reference: written even by the supervisor in the PhD programme or a by a researcher/head of establishment, where the applicant completed the doctoral study.
Scientific CV + List of Publications: all together max. 2 pages A4
Copy of University Diploma or Provisional certificate of completion of PhD studies or another official confirmation, that the applicant has been awarded PhD Degree
1) VOLUNTEERING, VOLUNTARY CITIZEN ACTION AND CIVIL SOCIETY MOBILIZATION AT TIMES OF CRISIS – Department of Sociology
The Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities invites applications for a postdoctoral fellow in the research area of volunteering, voluntary citizen action and civil society mobilization at times of crisis.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, governments, citizens, nonprofit organizations and other social agents had to deal with an unprecedented situation. The ways societies and governments have handled the covid-19 pandemic are likely to have social, political and ethical impacts and may have become part of the new normality. Volunteering during the crisis has received immediate academic attention but the volunteer roles, the conflicting expectations and forms of volunteering during the pandemic (and during the war in Ukraine) have yet to be explored.
We invite research on the shifting meanings and practice of volunteering as voluntary unpaid work in the public sphere during societal crisis in general. Social expectation about volunteers' role and the meaning or value of their work are not well settled even in countries with long and uninterrupted traditions of volunteering, such as the UK or US. This uncertainty of meanings of volunteering is even more pronounced in countries such as the Czech Republic, where the present day tradition of formal organized volunteering has not started before mid-1990s.
The research may focus on volunteering in social and health care services during the pandemic, or on formal and informal voluntary unpaid help during the war in Ukraine, critical issues concerning the uses and abuses of volunteering by governments and nonprofit organizations etc., depending on the focus of the candidate.
An ideal candidate has a PhD in sociology, social policy, social work or cultural anthropology, excellent research skills and a proven ability to conduct research at a post-doctoral level and publish in international journals. Our department has an experience with Fullbright Fellows and we look forward to working together with a new colleague. Expected outcomes of the post-doctoral fellowship include one high-quality journal article (Jsc or Jimp), collaboration on a new research project with other members of the department, partial involvement in the training of doctoral or graduate students. We would also welcome if the candidate can enrich the international dimension of our faculty by co-organizing an international 1-day workshop in the area of her/his expertize.
.
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
Department: Department of Sociology
Supervisor: doc. PhDr. Tereza Pospíšilová, Ph.D.
E-mail:
Deadline date for submit applications: July 19, 2023
Position available from: January 1, 2024
Submit applications with all other documents to Research Administration Office: (CC: )
2) DEFINING HUMAN ORGASMS AND ORGASM DISORDERS – Department of Psychology and Life Sciences
Orgasm is a complex, multimodal reflex induced typically by genital stimulation and coming at the height of the sexual response cycle, prior to the inhibition that characterizes sexual refractoriness. Masters and Johnson originally described a singular orgasm pattern for men, but three distinct patterns for women. This result has been replicated using a variety of objective physiological measures. Mechanistically, genital stimulation activates excitatory neurochemical pathways in the brain and spinal cord that ultimately stimulate sympathetic outflow and the inhibition of parasympathetic spinal circuits in the lower lumbar cord to induce the feeling of release that characterizes climax (and ejaculation in males) from tonic spinal inhibition. At the same time, the conscious awareness of orgasm occurs as a rush of ecstatic pleasure due to the release of endogenous opioids in the brain, followed by a feeling of satiety and relaxation due to the release of serotonin and other neurochemicals. In men orgasm and climax are usually consonant with ejaculation, which is typically achieved by stimulation of the glans and shaft of the penis. In women, climax and orgasm are typically achieved by stimulation of the external glans of the clitoris. Some women can also achieve qualitatively different orgasms by stimulation of the internal bulbs and crux of clitoris and paraurethral glands (prostate) that are known collectively and colloquially as the “G-spot”. Orgasms can also be achieved by stimulation of the anterior cervix and even by intense stimulation of the nipples and other erogenous zones in sensitized individuals. Although the reflex is a product of “bottom-up” genitosensory stimulation, it is also controlled by “top-down” processing of excitation and inhibition that controls both the timing of parasympathetic and sympathetic blood flow, and the subjective ability to “let go” into the orgasm when it is imminent. Indeed, orgasms activate cortical, limbic, hypothalamic, and brainstem structures, and can be rated psychologically in terms of the perceived type and quality of sensory stimulation, affective experience, and the evaluation of pleasure. Orgasms are accompanied reliably by reflexive activation of pelvic floor muscles along with changes facial expressions and arm, leg, and toe flexions. This motor activation induces movement artifacts reflected in overall brain activation and patterns of electrical activity in the cortex that are difficult to control for. However, orgasms are also accompanied by neurochemical and endocrine changes that characterize both the euphoric state of pleasure and longer-term inhibition (refractoriness). Among these correlates is a consistent, orgasm-induced surge of prolactin released from the anterior pituitary into the peripheral bloodstream.
Among the sexual dysfunctions, orgasm disorders affect 25% to 40% of women and men, depending on age and sexual experience. These include anorgasmia, delayed ejaculation/orgasm, anhedonic orgasm (feeling of release without pleasure), and post-orgasmic illness syndrome (fever, illness, and inflammatory responses likely due to a high sensitivity to histamine released from mast cells at orgasm). Men can also experience early or rapid ejaculation that is under chronically disinhibited control. Most people with orgasm disorders experience moderate to intense distress, and the incidence of orgasm disorders increases with age. According to both the DSM-5 and the ICD-11, orgasm disorders can be lifelong or acquired, generalized or situational, and organic or multifactorial, with the latter being due to medications that can delay or abolish orgasm, like major tranquilizers, antihypertensives, opioid antagonists, anxiolytics, and antidepressants, especially the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine. Indeed, because of their mechanism of action, SSRIs are often used off-label to treat rapid ejaculation. But despite growing knowledge, there are still many outstanding questions regarding orgasms: How can orgasms and orgasm disorders be detected objectively and subjectively in females and males? What are the differences between different orgasms obtained through different kinds of genitosensory or extragenital stimulation, or by masturbation versus sex with a partner? What are the effects of orgasm on both sexual and relationship satisfaction? And what contributes to the “orgasm gap” between females and males? These questions are at the forefront of sexual medicine today, and especially among sexual minorities.
We currently offer a Postdoc position where the candidate will focus on assessing the subjective role of orgasms in sexual and relationship satisfaction using standardized measures like the Orgasm Rating Scale of Mah and Binik, and the effect of orgasms on quality of sleep, using standardized sleep questionnaires in females and males without orgasm disorders, and in clinical populations of females and males with orgasm disorders. Data will be derived from both heteronormative cis-gendered individuals and from different sexual minorities within the LGBTIQA2+ communities. The candidate would also participate in the analysis of anonymized pelvic floor orgasm data from females using the Lioness biofeedback vibrator in an ongoing study, and from males using a new biofeedback tool being developed by Tenga. The candidate will work with these data in cooperation with the National Institute of Mental Health. She or he will also be expected to suggest and organize follow up studies.
Specific requirements set by the Department of Psychology and Life Sciences FHS UK:
We expect that our new research colleague will be able to work independently and will bring new experience and ideas to our team. She or he should have reasonable experience with the advanced techniques of quantitative and qualitative methods of psychology-related data obtained from questionnaires and psychophysiological measurements. Experience with the analysis of brain and hormonal samples is encouraged, as we will likely be assessing plasma prolactin in future studies.
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
Department: Department of Psychology and Life Sciences
Supervisor: RNDr. James G. Pfaus, PhD., IF
E-mail:
Deadline date for submit applications: July 19, 2023
Position available from: January 1, 2024
Submit applications with all other documents to Research Administration Office: (CC: )
3) THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology
We invite applications for a postdoctoral researcher position specializing in the anthropology of artificial intelligence (AI) at the Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, located in the historic city of Prague. This position offers the opportunity to join a young, dynamic, and interdisciplinary team within the recently founded AI Institutional Transformation Research Group.
About the Field: The anthropology of AI is a burgeoning field within social-cultural anthropology that focuses on understanding the social and cultural dimensions of AI technology across diverse contexts. This interdisciplinary field blends qualitative research methods, particularly ethnography, with theories and perspectives from other disciplines, such as computer science, philosophy, or sociology.
Project Scope: The successful candidate will conduct a project to investigate the influence of AI on institutional transformations, focusing specifically on how AI systems shape social dynamics, power relations, and cultural practices within institutions. The project aims to provide in-depth analysis and empirical evidence of how AI technologies impact institutional frameworks. Ethical aspects of AI, such as fairness, transparency, and equitable distribution of benefits and risks, will be integral to this research.
Candidate Profile: We seek a candidate with a Ph.D. in social/cultural anthropology, ethnology, cultural studies, or sociology. The candidate should have a strong background in social/cultural anthropology and experience in anthropological fieldwork, including online and offline ethnography. Preferred specializations include digital anthropology and/or science and technology studies (STS), as demonstrated by a publication track record. A working knowledge of AI technology and its applications in various domains is expected. Previous teaching experience and excellent English skills are desired.
Benefits of the Position: As a member of our team, the postdoc will gain professional development opportunities, including publishing and presenting in high-profile venues and being involved in teaching activities (one course per semester). You will work in a collegial and supportive environment. We are an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourage applications from underrepresented groups in academia. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community.
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
Department: Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology
Supervisor: Mgr. Martin Heřmanský, Ph.D.
E-mail:
Deadline date for submit applications: July 19, 2023
Position available from: January 1, 2024
Submit applications with all other documents to Research Administration Office: veda@fhs.cuni.cz (CC: )
Oddělení pro vědu a výzkum
Univerzita Karlova
Fakulta humanitních studií
Pátkova 2137/5
182 00 Praha 8 - Libeň
E-mail:
