We are looking for an Assistant Professor (tenure track) Political History of the period 1800-present, specialised in Dutch and European political history in a global context. Demonstrable expertise in gender history is desirable, as is affinity with knowledge areas such as heritage studies, political biography or public history. You will have a proven academic record as apparent from academic publications and contributions to public debate. You will play a central role in teaching the courses of the section Political History, and will participate in teaching courses in the Dutch-language BA Geschiedenis, the English-language BA History and International Studies, and the MA History. You will have the freedom to redesign elements of the courses according to your interests and qualities, in close consultation with the director of studies. 30% of your time will be available for research, for presenting at conferences and publishing, as well as for writing grant proposals. You will become a member of the history staff within the department of Art & Culture, History, and Antiquity (AHA), Faculty of Humanities. You will participate fully in the daily affairs of the department. The research of most of the VU historians is embedded within the CLUE+ Research Institute for Culture, History and Heritage and within national and international research networks and schools.

The research and teaching of the Political History group analyses political history from a European and international perspective (1800-present). We focus on the exercise and legitimation of power in history by colonial empires, nation-states, organisations and individuals. In recent years particular attention has been paid to the role of the EU, the history of corruption and good governance, democracy, the 'politics of remembrance' (including the remembrance of the holocaust, slavery and colonialism), as well as theory of history and the (mis)uses of the past for political purposes. Concerning the latter, from our perspective, political history requires a reflection on the historian's societal task.

Your duties

• teaching and developing courses, spread out over the year, in our Political History programs as well as the broader History and History and International Studies programs; supervision of bachelor and master theses and internships. Examples of courses that you might be asked to teach are European History 1800-present, Research Seminar Political History
• initiating and performing outstanding research leading to new publications
• preparing or participating in the writing of grant applications
• administrative and management tasks, including tutoring and an active role in recruiting new students

• a completed PhD thesis in History that demonstrates a clear affinity with the field of European or Dutch political history
• good publication record fitting the stage of your career, preferably including a monograph (or monograph under review) and/or peer reviewed articles
• a university teaching qualification (Dutch BKO or equivalent), or commitment to obtain this qualification in the first year
• good proficiency in Dutch; CEFR B2 for reading and listening, and CEFR B1 for writing and speaking, all in view of teaching, archival research, day-to-day communication and administrative tasks. Improved proficiency in Dutch is required within two years after appointment
• high-level proficiency in academic English, including the ability to lecture in English (CEFR C1 level for reading, listening, writing, speaking)

Desirable

• teaching experience (as evidenced by good teaching evaluations) in relevant topics for this job
• a clear teaching philosophy
• demonstrated ability in writing research proposals to acquire external research funding
• expertise in political history and methods of humanities research with a focus on Dutch and European history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
• specialisations might include gender and intersectionality, contemporary politics, nationalism, human rights, the history of political thought, fascism, citizenship, state formation, social movements, political biography, and the politics of media and visual culture
• openness to building connections from your own areas of expertise to ongoing research projects and to co-teaching courses that might fall outside your immediate specialism, within the Political History section, the History department and the Faculty of Humanities

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially involved organisation. We offer a tenure-track position at the level of Assistant Professor initially for the duration of 5 years, starting 1 March 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter. Tenure can be achieved if the faculty criteria for Assistant Professor are fulfilled. For the duration of the tenure track, performance will be evaluated in terms of teaching, publication record, attempts to acquire research funding either individually or in consortia, academic service, and outreach. After a successful evaluation, permanent employment will be granted.On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €3,974 (scale 11)and a maximum €5,439 (scale 11), depending on your education and experience. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.
The initial employment contract will affect a period of 1 year.

Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• optional model for designing a personalised benefits package
• the possibility to work partly from home

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor - from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Faculty of Humanities
The Faculty of Humanities links a number of fields of study: Language, Literature and Communication, Art & Culture, History, Antiquities and Philosophy. Our teaching and research focus on current societal and scientific themes: from artificial intelligence to visual culture, from urbanization to the history of slavery, from 'fake news' in journalism to communication in organizations. We strive to ensure small group sizes. Innovative education and interdisciplinary research are our hallmarks.

Working at the Faculty of Humanities means making a real contribution to the quality of leading education and research in an inspiring and personal work and study climate. We employ more than 350 staff members, and we are home to around 2,000 students.