The Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods and the interdisciplinary research group “Teachers, Inequality and Collective Action” (TICA) are inviting applications for multiple academic research positions beginning in Autumn 2026.
Led by Dr. Hania Sobhy, the TICA research group examines teachers as central actors in the transformation and restructuring of public education systems worldwide. The project focuses on how educators respond to social inequality, political change, privatization, digitalization, and evolving professional demands within schooling systems.
The initiative is part of the wider EduTrack network — a six-year interdisciplinary research collaboration exploring the future of education across multiple Max Planck institutes.
The newly announced openings provide exceptional opportunities for researchers interested in education policy, inequality, political sociology, teacher mobilization, and comparative education research.
Available Positions
The TICA research group is currently recruiting for the following academic positions:
Researcher Position
- Application Deadline: 6 June 2026
- Expected Start Date: Autumn 2026
Postdoctoral Researcher Position
- Application Deadline: 31 May 2026
- Expected Start Date: Autumn 2026
Doctoral Researcher Position
- Application Deadline: 31 May 2026
- Expected Start Date: Autumn 2026
These positions are designed for scholars seeking to contribute to cutting-edge interdisciplinary research on public education systems, inequality, and collective action.
About the TICA Research Group
The “Teachers, Inequality and Collective Action” (TICA) project investigates how teachers navigate major transformations currently affecting public education systems around the world.
The group studies how educators’ social positions, political beliefs, professional experiences, and institutional contexts shape their views on inequality and influence their actions within education systems.
The project addresses major global concerns related to:
- Underfunding of public education
- Privatization of schooling
- Digital transformation in education
- Political polarization
- Challenges to liberal democratic values
- Educational stagnation and inequality
While education crises in parts of the Global South have long been recognized, the project also examines growing concerns over educational decline and stagnation in parts of the Global North.
Research Focus Areas
The TICA project combines political sociology, education research, and social inequality studies to explore several major themes.
Teachers and Social Inequality
One key area of research investigates how teachers perceive inequalities shaped by:
- Social class
- Gender
- Migration background
- Language
- Intersectional inequalities
The project explores how teachers explain these inequalities and what forms of intervention they consider effective.
Collective Action and Teacher Organization
Another major focus area examines teachers’ engagement in collective representation and organization, including:
- Trade unions
- Professional associations
- Alternative organizing structures
- Collective advocacy efforts
Researchers will explore how professional experiences and political beliefs influence teachers’ participation in collective action.
Educational System Transformation
The project also studies how teachers perceive broader structural changes affecting education systems globally, including privatization, austerity, and technological change.
The research investigates how these perceptions vary across:
- Professional profiles
- Social backgrounds
- Generational cohorts
- Political ideologies
Methodology and Research Approach
TICA employs an interdisciplinary and mixed-methods research framework combining:
- Institutional mapping
- Survey data analysis
- Qualitative research methods
- Comparative education research
- Political and sociological analysis
This approach enables researchers to examine both structural trends and lived educational experiences across diverse contexts.
Regional Focus: Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The empirical work of the TICA project is anchored in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The region offers important comparative insights into how public education systems are being reshaped under conditions of political transition, economic pressure, privatization, and social transformation.
The research group also seeks to foster broader international dialogue on teacher politics, inequality, and collective action beyond the MENA region through workshops, collaborations, and academic exchanges.
About the EduTrack Network
TICA is part of the EduTrack initiative — a six-year interdisciplinary research network funded by the Max Planck Society.
EduTrack explores the future of education through collaborative research involving multiple Max Planck institutes, including:
- Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
- Max Planck Institute for the History of Science
- Max Planck Institute for Political and Social Sciences
The network is coordinated by Population Europe.
Why These Positions Matter
The restructuring of public education systems is one of the defining global challenges of the modern era. Teachers increasingly operate under conditions shaped by economic inequality, political tension, technological disruption, and changing social expectations.
The TICA project offers scholars an opportunity to contribute to globally relevant research examining how educators understand and respond to these transformations.
Researchers joining the project will become part of a major international academic network while contributing to interdisciplinary debates on education, inequality, governance, and social change.
Application Deadlines
Researcher Position
- Deadline: 6 June 2026
Postdoctoral Researcher Position
- Deadline: 31 May 2026
Doctoral Researcher Position
- Deadline: 31 May 2026
Applicants are encouraged to prepare materials early due to the competitive nature of Max Planck research opportunities.
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