Project Description
Driven by the increasing public awareness of the impact of hurricanes and the devastation of coastal areas, Island(er)s at the Helm will contribute to equipping (Dutch) Caribbean societies with proficient tools for confronting these challenging climatic phenomena. Such adverse events have significant ecological, social, and cultural implications, affecting the basic living conditions (water, food, shelter-nexus/WFS-nexus) and heritage of the island inhabitants. This research builds on the principle that local-specific practices and ontologies of Caribbean societies are crucial for promoting sustainable WFS-nexus solutions. The project brings together researchers and societal partners to employ a mixture of technical, traditional, and contemporary knowledge practices for studying climate change adaptation through a long-term perspective. Five inter-related work packages studying the WFS-nexus of the island(er)s will adopt a transdisciplinary research design including: archaeology, paleoecology, (paleo)ethnobotany, social-cultural anthropology, visual arts, performance arts, political science, urban design, urban planning, governance and policy sciences, legal studies, architecture, and civil engineering.

Island(er)s at the Helm is financed by the NWO Caribbean Research programme. The host institute for this project is the Royal Netherlands Institute for Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV/KNAW), in collaboration with the University of Sint Martin (USM) and the University of Curaçao (UoC). This position consists of a dual appointment at KITLV and an academic institute in The Netherlands.

Job Description
The Island(er)s at the Helm project is looking for a PhD candidate in Visual Anthropology in the work package “Arts and culture in the transmission of knowledge-practices”. The researchers in this work package will depart from the tenet that in everyday life in the Creole cultures of the island(er)s older and newer knowledge-practices are artistically engaged in novel ways; a case of neo-tradition brought about by aesthetic motifs within the processes of creolization. The researcher assigned to this work package are expected to conduct in-depth ethnographic studies from a creolization and art-based perspective on how the island(er)s in the Dutch Caribbean are adapting their foodways, water resource management, and architectural practices to climate challenges. Anthropologists skilled in visual and performing arts, as well as the interface of technology and craftsmanship will carry out a broad inventory of the island(er)s explicit and tacit knowledge-practices with regards to their water, food, shelter-nexus. These findings and their translations in artworks, academic writings, and public presentations, will enable governmental organizations and non-governmental organization to better appreciate and cater to the needs and wants of the island(er)s before and after natural hazards.

We are looking for candidates with at least the following qualifications:

• MA or MSC degree in Social & Cultural Anthropology, or MPhil in Artistic research; with a specialization in film & photography.
• Skilled in qualitative research methods
• Command of the English language, both in speaking and writing, and structured writing skills in general

Furthermore, the following qualifications would be considered a plus:

• Have experience in conducting ethnographic fieldwork in the Caribbean
• Have experience in producing films or photographic projects on the Caribbean, or Caribbean themes of cultural heritage.
• Be knowledgeable about the dynamics of popular culture and activism in complex postcolonial arenas
• Be knowledgeable about theoretical discussions on climate change in anthropology or art based research.
• Command of Papiamento, Dutch, and Spanish, Caribbean creole English and/or Haitian Kreyol/Guadeloupian Creole.

KITLV is a KNAW institute. Appointment will be according to the terms of the Collective Labor Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO Nederlandse Universiteiten). We offer a full time position (38 hours per week) for one year starting in September 2021. Extension of the contract with three years is subject to satisfactory review. Based on the university system of job classification [universitair systeem functieordenen, or UFO], the position is classified as job profile Phd Candidate. The gross monthly salary will be between € 2.395 and 3.061 (in accordance with salary scale P, of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities). KNAW offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %) and training and career development. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

The position is based at KITLV. Leiden is a pleasant, historical city located between Amsterdam and The Hague.

Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV)

The Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV-KNAW) is an Academy research institute. The KITLV conducts interdisciplinary and comparative historical research. Its research focus is Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, with an emphasis on Indonesia and the ‘Dutch’ Caribbean. It is particularly interested in such issues as state formation, violence and citizenship, processes of mobility and the formation of ethnic and national identity. KITLV is active in the humanities, social sciences and comparative area studies and works closely with Leiden University.