Are you interested in working for one of Europe's leading research universities? Do you specialise in the field of race, racialization, gender, citizenship, and migration studies in the global South?

The Department of Anthropology at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is seeking a postdoctoral researcher for the CHINAWHITE project, which is funded by the European Research Council and led by Dr Shanshan Lan. As a postdoctoral researcher, you will be part of the the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR) programme group Moving Matters.

What are you going to do

The CHINAWHITE is a long term research project which examines the multiple and contradictory constructions of whiteness in China as a result of the rapid diversification of white migrants in the country and the shifting power balances between China and the West. More information can be found on the project website www.china-white.org

In this position you will:

• participate in and help organize project-related workshops, book clubs, conferences and other academic activities;
• possibly be on short-term fieldwork in China or other countries in the Global South, depending on funding and international travel policies in the field site;
• engage in critical dialogues with fellow team members and contribute to theoretical innovations and data analysis of the larger project;
• publish independently and/or in collaboration with team members. The minimum requirement per year is one single-authored paper in a peer-reviewed journal and/or one co-authored paper with a fellow team member or with scholars in a relevant field;
• present research papers at international workshops and conferences;
• contribute to popular dissemination of the research results, and undertake administrative tasks related to the project;
• be based in the Netherlands and take an active part in the research environment at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research.

You have:

• a PhD degree in anthropology, sociology, media and gender studies or other relevant disciplines in the humanities or social sciences, completed after May 2019 or with a fixed completion date before 1 September 2023;
• excellent proficiency in spoken and written English; fluency in Mandarin Chinese is a plus, but not a requirement;
• demonstrated qualitative research experience in the global South, such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America, preferably on issues of race, racism, migration, immigration policy, gender and transnational intimacy, whiteness studies;
• outstanding research qualities manifested in a high-quality PhD dissertation and international peer-reviewed publications;
• familiarity or keen interest in ethnographic research methods and approaches;
• ability and willingness to work in a team;
• willingness to travel abroad for research stays, conferences and project-related workshops;
• strong organizational skills.

The position concerns temporary employment of 38 hours per week, preferably starting on 1 March 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter. The initial appointment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, it can be possibly renewed for another year, depending on funding availability.

Salary depends on past education and relevant work experience, with a minimum salary of €3974 and a maximum salary of €5439 gross per month based on a full-time appointment for a 38-hour working week (in keeping with scale 11, as per the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities). We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds.

A challenging work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organization. The social and behavioral sciences play a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges faced by the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.