Are you a dynamic, socially engaged researcher with an interest in popular culture, representation and belonging? Help us map concepts and practices in the project Re/Presenting Europe.

Your job
We invite you to apply to work with us as a postdoctoral researcher at the department of History and Art History. You will work with us mapping concepts of ‘race,’ racialisation, diversity, and belonging in Dutch and European society.

This position is part of a broad research project in the Dutch Research Agenda: ‘Re/Presenting Europe: Popular Representations of Diversity and Belonging.’ We focus on positive examples of diversity and belonging in society. We examine how they contribute to a sense of belonging across various ‘othered’ (minority/of migration background) communities in Europe. This means we engage with popular sports like football and baseball, and arts and culture with a focus on hip-hop. In the project we collaborate with several universities and societal and grassroot organisations in the Netherlands, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. The goal of the project is to come to a more inclusive understanding of Europe.

The full project consists of five linked working groups that will address dominant spaces of representation of belonging, both in the formal institutional space of education and healing, as well as informal spaces of sports, popular culture, and urban arts. You will join the working group on ‘Braided Solidarities: Mapping Concepts of Belonging and Diversity’. The objective of this working group is to map the varied grassroots and scholarly concepts that animate the project. By the time you begin, we, as a project team, will have completed two years of iterative, community-engaged research and societal work. You will help us map the key concepts and practices that have energed thus far. You will closely collaborate with Rachel Gillett, Francio Guadeloupe and other team members in the working group on “Braided Solidarities’ as well as with researchers of other working groups and social stakeholders and grassroots organisations. As a key member of our team, working across different subprojects, you will facilitate both the research and presentation of our work.

The following tasks reflect the scope of this role:

• coordination of an edited volume: Mapping Concepts of Belonging and Diversity in Popular Culture; Dutch, European, Atlantic?;
• organising a writing workshop/symposium, and other milestones for production of volume;
• preparing literature overview drawing on/annotating project-wide research, and mapping concepts of ‘race’, ‘Black’ ‘Creole’ ‘other’, belonging, diversity, solidarity, and popular culture, that undergird project;
• assisting team members in organising co-creative discussions on concepts of belonging and diversity with focus groups;
• assisting in coordinating associated white paper on co-creation and community-engaged research methods;
• assisting in planning/designing/preparing/commissioning an accessible map or visualisation of key project concepts usable in educational or societal settings.

What we expect from you:

• You hold a PhD in History, Anthropology, Postcolonial Studies, or Cultural Studies, or a comparable discipline.
• You demonstrate multicultural competence - the awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to work with others who are culturally different from self in meaningful, relevant, and productive ways.
• You are able to undertake editorial work, coordinating a team of writers, and creating a clear timeline, process for publication across multiple formats, and editorial practice that reflects the ethics of the project.
• You have excellent communication skills in Dutch and English, as evidenced in written publications, and as appropriate, work in other media (web/podcast/radio productions).
• Experience in other (relevant) languages is an asset.
• You are able to work independently and flexibly, and take initiative where needed.
• You are able to communicate and collaborate effectively in a team setting - experience and affinity with working with grassroots organisations and practitioners is an asset.
• You are sensitive for the social, emotional and political complexities of the subject.

We offer:

• a position for twelve months;
• a working week of 32 hours and a gross monthly salary of €4,332 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 11 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

If preferred, fewer hours for a longer period is also an option.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

Universiteit Utrecht

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

The Faculty of Humanities has around 7,000 students and 1,100 staff members. It comprises four knowledge domains: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Culture Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. With its research and education in these fields, the Faculty aims to contribute to a better understanding of the Netherlands and Europe in a rapidly changing social and cultural context. The enthusiastic and committed colleagues and the excellent amenities in the historical city centre of Utrecht, where the faculty is located, contribute to an inspiring working environment.

For more information, please contact Isabella Hall Allen (Project Manager) at i.w.a.hallallen@uu.nl.

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.