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[punarish]

I am doing a PhD in Germany in Global Integration (Global Studies) and have completed part of my thesis. However, since getting a job in Germany also means having to get EU citizenship, which is not easy, Returning to my home country (I am  non EU) is not an option since the university system there is thoroughly corrupt, and I cannot afford the bribes. 
I am thinking of giving this PhD up and applying to graduate school in the US and Canada again. Is this a good idea? Is there any chance of getting a funded PhD studentship if I give this up, or apply for a second PhD?
Or is it better to stick this out, and apply for a post doc? What are the chances of that working out? Any one know German social science PhDs in tt/post doc positions in Canada, US, or even Australia and New Zealand?

[octoprof]

I am doing a PhD in Germany in Global Integration (Global Studies) and have completed part of my thesis. However, since getting a job in Germany also means having to get EU citizenship, which is not easy, Returning to my home country (I am  non EU) is not an option since the university system there is thoroughly corrupt, and I cannot afford the bribes. 
I am thinking of giving this PhD up and applying to graduate school in the US and Canada again. Is this a good idea? Is there any chance of getting a funded PhD studentship if I give this up, or apply for a second PhD?
Or is it better to stick this out, and apply for a post doc? What are the chances of that working out? Any one know German social science PhDs in tt/post doc positions in Canada, US, or even Australia and New Zealand?

If you gave this one up, what sort of doctoral programs would you be applying to in US/Canada?

[weathered]

Current job market is a rough bet. I wouldn't risk it unless you are independently rich.

[shamu]

I think some clarification would be helpful. Do you intend to stay in the same field? Is your program one of the best in the world? If the answer is "yes" to both, then I do not understand the question. Your field and training are  important. Or is the goal somehow gaining residence in another country?

Just to be clear, a PhD does not guarantee a job. It does not even guarantee a postdoc. Your training and performance will determine (to a large extent) your success.

[punarish]

The field is global studies, and it is interdisciplinary. The program is at one of the top 25 programs in Germany, and the university is quite well known in Europe. The particular program is also quite well known, with strong links across the Atlantic. The problem is that if I dont get a job in line with my qualifications within one year of graduating, according to German law, I have to return home, where I have no future at all. The university system in my country is too corrupt, and I am too old to start over. Therefore, yes, moving to another country is also important.
I was thinking of applying to a single discipline area such as history, political science or public policy, which are closely related to my interdisciplinary MA. On the other hand, ironically, given the system in my country, even if I drive a truck after my PhD I will be much better off, than if if return!
Of course, going through another PhD is not my first choice. But I dont want to close the doors that I may have open now. I am too confused and too stressed thinking of this, and it is affecting my thesis and my life. Please help.

[mozman]

Why would a PhD from good German University preclude you getting a job at a US/Canada institution? Lots of my past and present colleagues have doctorates from institutions in Europe, Asia etc...

[hikingprof]

German universities are generally well respected in the US and Canada. Of course the current job market is dreadful, but I don't see how taking a second ph.d. at an American institution would really help you, with the possible exception of an Ivy.

You could do both: apply for jobs and postdocs with your current ph.d. while also applying into ph.d. programs.

[harrapsempire]

The problem is that if I dont get a job in line with my qualifications within one year of graduating, according to German law, I have to return home, where I have no future at all.

It's going to be exactly the same thing in the US: you'll have a one-year to 18 months OPT after you're done with your PhD, that you can use only if you find a position related to your field. If you don't, you're out. If you don't find a TT position or another kind of job that allows you to get some kind of visa (and be aware that most universities have their employees go through OPT, H1-B, and all the spiel before they actually sponsor them for a green card), you're out. So by getting another PhD, you'll basically be deferring the problem you currently have for another five years. It sounds good enough on paper, but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble given the current market. You should probably follow hiking_prof's advice, finish your current PhD, try to apply for jobs and postdocs with it, and apply to (only top notch) PhD programs as a back-up.

[zharkov]

Sad to say, career prospects for interdisciplinary fields like global studies are not good (in the US.)  So if you do consider US PhD programs, I'd suggest something more employable, like international business.

[wet_blanket]

I think your chances might be decent in Australia and New Zealand.  It's certainly a much smaller market in terms of umber of universities compared with the US and probably Germany, but the universities there are very much on the global ______ bandwagon.  My sense (which is based on a hunch and nothing more) is that departments - disciplinary and interdisciplinary - are for more open to hiring people with degrees in something other than the name of the department.

I don't mean to suggest that it will be a breeze, just that it is not an unreasonable option to pursue.

I was thinking of applying to a single discipline area such as history, political science or public policy, which are closely related to my interdisciplinary MA. On the other hand, ironically, given the system in my country, even if I drive a truck after my PhD I will be much better off, than if if return!

For the record, public policy is an interdisciplinary field.

[shamu]

The problem is that if I dont get a job in line with my qualifications within one year of graduating, according to German law, I have to return home, where I have no future at all. The university system in my country is too corrupt, and I am too old to start over. Therefore, yes, moving to another country is also important.

Would that not be the same in the US or elsewhere? If you get a student visa in the US, when it expires, it is unlikely to be converted to a resident visa, so you would have to leave or get a job where they sponsor you. So, your goal is to make you globally marketable. Or am I missing something?

Now, if you are already in a top program, and you are a promising candidate, you can apply globally. For example, you could apply to a US institution, and if they really want you, they will sponsor your visa request. Getting a PhD in the US will not guarantee a job in the States, or anywhere for that matter. Having a strong profile is what gets you the job. Again, this takes me back to my earlier point that your taining (mentor, program and institution) in combination with your performance (grants, pubs, performance on the interview, etc.) help you land the job. The country is secondary.

I was thinking of applying to a single discipline area such as history, political science or public policy, which are closely related to my interdisciplinary MA.

There seems to be  a bit of putting the cart before the horse here. Shouldn't you identify a specific field, then think about getting a PhD in that field? I am not a historian, but I suspect that some programs vary widely in their strengths, so one program may have strong faculty in the history of X and another in the history of Y. "History" or "public policy" or "political science" seem a bit broad. You also need to look into funding opportunities. In any event, your interest and long-term goal as an academic in field X should drive your choosing a PhD program, because the general fields to which you are referring have an oversupply of PhDs. Read the other threads to gauge what chances a freshly minted PhD has of landing a job (some have hundreds of applicants).

But I dont want to close the doors that I may have open now. I am too confused and too stressed thinking of this, and it is affecting my thesis and my life. Please help.

The good news is that getting a PhD in one field does not preclude you from getting another or from doing a postdoc in another field. Once I had a master's student who already had a PhD from a less marketable field. However, you first need to decide what you want to study.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

The good news is that getting a PhD in one field does not preclude you from getting another

This depends on the institution.

In any event, it is a silly thing to do.  Many of us view 2 doctorates as evidence of immature judgment or too strong an attachment to studentood. - DvF

[punarish]

Thank you for all the suggestions.
Does doing a second PhD completely rule you out of any financial aid?

[harrapsempire]

It doesn't, but what Daniel_von_flanagan says.

[shamu]

In any event, it is a silly thing to do.  Many of us view 2 doctorates as evidence of immature judgment or too strong an attachment to studentood. - DvF

In general, I agree. However, I have seen a few (VERY few) cases when it seemed to work. More commonly, a postdoc is a much better idea ... but that would have to be in a related (or the same) field.

Based on the Punarish's posts, the concern would be the lack of direction (e.g., "I was thinking of applying to a single discipline area such as history, political science or public policy"). My advice is to sit down and think about what the long-term goals are. Will getting a second PhD help accomplish that goal?