Supervisor: Mgr. Andrej Gogora, PhD.

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

The rapid expansion of digital research collections has profoundly influenced how knowledge is curated, accessed, and utilised across disciplines. We invite applications for a doctoral research project that will critically examine the conceptual and methodological foundations of digital collections, exploring their role in shaping contemporary research infrastructures in humanities and social sciences. PhD student will investigate key principles of digital research collections, assessing how digital curation practices enhance data connectivity, interpretative depth, and epistemic innovation. The successful candidate will contribute to the refinement of curation strategies, addressing challenges of long-term usability, research integration, sustainability, interoperability, and technological adaptability of digital research collections.

The theme is particularly suited for candidates interested in the intersection of digital humanities, knowledge management, and archival science. We seek motivated applicants with a strong academic background in the humanities or social sciences (especially ethnology and social anthropology), a keen interest in digital research infrastructures, and a desire to engage with cutting-edge debates on data curation and scholarly ecosystems. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary research environment, contributing to both theoretical advancements and applied innovations in digital knowledge organisation. For further details and application procedures, please contact supervisor

Supervisor: Mgr. Soňa Gyárfáš Lutherová, PhD.

Program:  World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

Photographs and videos, as components of family archives, (re)construct memories of individuals and social groups (from family to society). The dissertation project explores the relationship between “small” and “grand” narratives in family memory by exploring audiovisual sources. It specifically addresses the intergenerational transfer of memories in the context of individual and collective remembering. The research is grounded in the principles of multimodal anthropology and supports knowledge production through various methods across media. Beyond the obligatory textual component, other creative forms (video, series of photographs, comics, performance, etc.) are welcomed as part of the output. 

Supervisor:  Prof. Elena Marushiakova, PhD.

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

Based on historical and ethnographic research, the dissertation will trace the processes of transformation of the different identities of the Roma (or other communities under this umbrella term) living in mixed or border regions from the point of view of the existence of these identities in two dimensions – at the ethnic and at the national level. Research can be focused on the specific parameters and different aspects of these processes, e.g. ethnic mimicry, publicly declared identity, preferred ethnic identity, national civic identity, European Roma identity.

Supervisor: Mgr. MgA. Jaroslava Panáková, PhD.

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

This research situates itself within the expanding field of multispecies anthropology, engaging with sensory ethnography to explore human-animal relationships beyond an anthropocentric framework. Addressing the entangled lifeworlds of humans and nonhumans, the study examines how sensory perception, embodied knowledge, and affect shape interspecies relationships, particularly in pastoral, hunting, and animal-training contexts. Drawing on Haraway’s (2003, 2008) concept of “companion species” and Tsing’s (2015) work on co-dependency in ecological systems, it highlights how animals actively participate in knowledge production, spiritual practices, and/or landscape navigation. The project can expand upon the existing ethnographic accounts of sensory engagement in the training of companion animals, including Whitney (1982) on Buzkashi, Marvin (1988) on bullfighting, Cassidy (2002) on English horse racing, Parkes (2005) on polo, Fajardo (2008) on cockfighting, Khalaf (2000) with regard to camel racing, Jerolmack (2013) on pigeon flying and Fijn on horse archery (2021). By foregrounding nonhuman agency, this project will contribute to debates on perception, embodiment, and interspecies co-becoming, advancing sensory anthropology’s role in understanding human-animal entanglements in diverse ecological and cultural settings.

Supervisor: Mgr. Zuzana Panczová, PhD.

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

Legends, rumours and conspiracy theories have always been a significant factor in public affairs. They are studied in the social sciences as expressions of social anxieties and desires, as specific instruments of political power that influence intergroup relations, and as means of group identification. They are also part of contemporary mass culture, which has a significant impact on the repertoire and forms of these narratives. Research may focus on face-to-face or online forms of communication, the narrative structure, historical development, social impact or argumentative strategies of these communication genres. Research methods are expected to draw primarily on folkloristic or ethnological approaches, but other interdisciplinary types of analysis are also relevant.

Supervisor: Mgr. Daniel Škobla, PhD

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

The research analyses labour-related issues, including work in the informal economy and the follow-up life strategies of Roma in order to obtain work and income. The research identifies factors such as power asymmetries between Roma and non-Roma actors such as municipal leaders, employers or intermediary agencies that may enable or hinder Roma access to work and the labour market. The research is based on an interdisciplinary approach, dominated by ethnographic field research, but which can also be complemented by archival research or quantitative statistical methods.

Supervisor: PhDr. Monika Vrzgulová, CSc.

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

The events in the past 20th century are reflected today in intergenerational communication in families, communities, or at the macro level of society.  The way we remember the past reflects our current value anchoring and our efforts to make sense of the past. The topic of the PhD study is focused on the issue of remembering the historical period of the candidate’s own choice, as well as the geographical scope of the research. The research of the forms and contents of memory of the historical period selected or historical phenomena/events should trace the relationship between communicative and collective memory, strategies of remembering, and/or silence and forgetting.  Alternatively, the PhD project could focus on the dynamics of the remembrance politics and their impact on biographical and/or family memory.

Supervisor: Mgr. Martina Wilsch, PhD.

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

Families today are evolving and adapting to new challenges. With increased mobility and modern technologies, many families live apart in different countries yet maintain strong relationships and a sense of belonging (Bryceson & Vuorela, 2002; Cienfuegos-Illanes & Brandhorst, 2023). Research within this topic will focus on these families’ transnational practices, including (but not limited to) caregiving and social support, economic participation, the transmission of cultural practices, communication, and the broader context of transnational circulation of care (including paid care). Depending on the researcher’s interest and chosen approach, the research project may encompass various family groups, such as Slovak families with members working abroad (e.g. care workers); families fleeing the war in Ukraine; or families of economic migrants who are increasingly settling in Slovakia. A multi-sited ethnographic approach (Marcus, 1995), participatory research methods, and reflexive approaches are encouraged, alongside applying theoretical perspectives from the anthropology of care, migration studies, gender perspectives, and feminist theories.

Supervisor: Mgr. Tatiana Zachar Podolinská, PhD.

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

In contemporary societies, we are witnessing an intense increase in the diversity of secular, religious, and spiritual attitudes. In the study of religions, we should therefore pay increased attention to the ways in which we grasp and name this growing diversity. The topic is open to interdisciplinary approaches that can shed light on lesser-known areas and also deepen our level of understanding of what ‘religion’ is and what role it plays in contemporary modern societies.

.

Supervisor: Mgr. Tatiana Zachar Podolinská, PhD.

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

Marian devotion has played a pivotal role in shaping religious practices, cultural identities, and social movements throughout European history. The research topic is open to interdisciplinary approaches including the research on historical and contemporary aspects of Marian devotion, particularly focusing on its intersections with nationalism, cultural heritage, and religious practices connected to Virgin Mary in diverse European and religious, spiritual and nonreligious (secular) contexts.

Supervisor: Mgr. Juraj Majo, PhD.

Program: World Cultures and Religions, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University

Form of study: Full-time

Annotation:

This dissertation focuses on researching family structures within the Jewish minority community in a Central European city during the interwar period. It evaluates family and household structures in terms of size and relationships, following the methodologies of Laslett and Hammel. The study also examines internal family structures, including employment, geographical origins, and the degree of endogamy within the ethnically and religiously diverse environment of Košice. By conducting individual interviews with the oldest members of the community today, the research reflects on and supplements quantitative findings, allowing for a comparison with historical data. The primary source for this study consists of digitized census sheets from the 1930 population census.

This dissertation presents a comprehensive approach to assessing relationships between different identities within the context of religious and ethnic affiliation. It offers an in-depth perspective on a socially, economically, and culturally significant community in an interwar urban setting. Methodologically, the research applies historical demography, religious studies, and anthropological research methods.