PhD Position in Cultural Science

Do you want to contribute to a critical understanding of how tourism intersects with slavery and colonial heritage in the context of increasing cultural memory politics? Do you have a background in cultural geography, tourism studies, cultural anthropology, heritage studies, cultural studies, memory studies, cultural sociology, museum studies and/or other related disciplines? Do you speak any of English, Dutch, German, Portuguese? Would you like to be part of a dynamic and vibrant interdisciplinary team carrying out research on important social issues? One of these positions may be right for you.

We are seeking a highly motivated, innovative and creative PhD candidates to join our team for 4 years as part of the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant project ‘FRICTIONS’.

RICTIONS is a five-year project that seeks to unravel the extent to which tourism transforms the past of slavery and colonial heritage and how the frictions generated in this process are scaled up to provoke shifts in societal narratives. FRICTIONS takes the doing and being of tourism places as its basis and point of departure within the spatial turn across the social sciences and humanities.

FRICTIONS is designed as a cross-continental multi-level comparative inquiry with an overriding ambition of developing a novel interdisciplinary theory of tourism-led activation of cultural memory in relation to slavery and colonial heritage.

We seek three PhD candidates who have the necessary academic training, research experience and language skills to respectively conduct one of the subprojects of: 1) Ghana-Suriname-Netherlands; (2) Angola-Brazil-Portugal and; (3) Namibia-Brazil-Germany. You will be part of team comprising three PhD candidates, a Postdoc (to be recruited later) and the principal investigator (PI). The three PhD candidates will focus specifically on tourism-related practices and performances in their triangular case locations (Ghana-Suriname-Netherlands; Angola-Brazil-Portugal and; Namibia-Brazil-Germany). Based on an ethos of collaborative teamwork, fieldwork will be synchronised and the team members will collaborate on addressing larger theoretical questions, developing shared methodological toolkits, and organising academic events related to the project. The entire team is expected to reside in the Netherlands and work from the Cultural Geography Group (GEO) of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) for the duration of project, except for the fieldwork periods.

The tasks and responsibilities of each PhD candidate include:

• conduct fieldwork in one of the three triangular cases (Ghana-Suriname-Netherlands; Angola-Brazil-Portugal and; Namibia-Brazil-Germany) for a total of up to 9 months.
• write and submit a PhD thesis assessed against the WUR rubrics for PhD thesis.
• actively participate in the meetings and proceedings of the project (such as reading groups, feedback sessions, workshops, conferences, etc.) and the wider activities of the Cultural Geography Chair Group as well as those of the Centre for Space, Place and Society (CSPS) such as Tourism@WUR.
• present and share your research results in (international) conferences.
• help with setting up a project database in collaboration with your team members.
• help to (co)-organize academic events related to the project, such as workshops, seminars, international conferences and other public events.
• assist with teaching on appropriate courses through guest lectures based on your research project/expertise.

 

Your qualities

This project draws on different disciplines from the social sciences and humanities, including cultural geography, tourism studies, anthropology, cultural studies, heritage studies, memory studies, cultural sociology, media studies, museum studies and other related disciplines. PhD candidates are not expected to be experts in all disciplines upfront but should possess broad curiosity, ability to navigate multiple fields, and enthusiasm for cross-disciplinary learning and development. We are looking for motivated, collaborative, and flexible team members who are also able to work independently and contribute to the broader team project.

Specifically, you also possess:

• a MA/MSc degree in social sciences or humanities, preferably a research master in geography, tourism studies, anthropology, cultural studies, heritage studies, memory studies, cultural sociology, media studies, museum studies and/or other related disciplines; (Candidates currently finalizing their Masters are also eligible to apply. The eligibility of the awarded masters is assessed independently by NUFFIC);
• demonstrable relevant fieldwork research experience in the broad topic area, ideally in one of the locations (Ghana, Angola, Namibia, Suriname, Brazil, Netherlands, Portugal and Germany);
• background in and experience with innovative qualitative research methods in the social sciences and humanities;
• a very strong and well-developed analytical and writing skills with a clear and persuasive style of writing;
• excellent verbal and written communication skills in English (C1 level);
• good knowledge of one of the languages necessary to conduct the case study, such as Dutch, Portuguese and German;
• the ability to finish the proposed PhD research within the allotted time of four years.

For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

Note: If you do not meet the requirements, particularly those of language and disciplinary background, we encourage you NOT TO apply.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the Cultural Geography Chair Group chaired by Prof. Edward. Huijbens, and part of the Centre for Space, Place and Society. You will be a member of the FRICTIONS team, which is led by Dr. Emmanuel Akwasi Adu-Ampong, the PI of this projectwho will also be your daily supervisor throughout the project.

 

We offer you

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.

The gross salary for the first year is € 2.872,- per month rising to € 3.670,-  in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 19th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. We can assist you with any additional advice and informationabout for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

 

Do you want more information?

For more information about this position, please contact Emmanuel Akwasi Adu-Ampong, Assistant Professor, telephone +31-317-482428  or by e-mail: emmanuel.adu-ampong@wur.nl  .

For more information about the procedure, please contact Noorien Abbas, corporate recruiter, noorien.abbas@wur.nl .

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

To apply, please send the following documentation via the ‘apply now’ button:

• your motivation letter;
• your CV, with two references;
• a sample of your academic work – e.g. thesis, essay, research paper or published article;
• a brief research idea (max. 1,000 words). In this research idea you should explain how you would design and develop one of the triangular case studies, considering the overall project description, as well as your own expertise, experience, and intellectual interests. For the research idea, we expect you to consult the overall project description. You may obtain a copy by writing to the PI Dr. Emmanuel Akwasi Adu-Ampong at emmanuel.adu-ampong@wur.nl  

This vacancy will be listed up to and including 23 December 2024. We hope to schedule the first job interviews in the last week of January 2025.

Additional information form
For this position, you must fill in a mandatory form which will allow us to have a comprehensive view of your qualifications and better assess your fit for it. You can access the form using the link below:

https://forms.office.com/e/sjb3wVNrFD

Your prompt response will ensure that your application continues to move forward in the evaluation process. We assure you that the information provided will be kept confidential and used solely for this application process.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.

 

We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.