Deadline April 10^th

Project: ‘Memory and Populism from Below’ (MEMPOP), Institute of Ethnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic

PhD, funded for 4 years

The Institute of Ethnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic, invites applications for a fully funded, four-year PhD position. Along with MEMPOP ERC team members, the PhD candidate will conduct their research at the Department of Mobility and Migration, Institute of Ethnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS). CAS is a research-only institution, so the student will simultaneously be based at and receive their PhD degree from Charles University. (If the student can propose an alternate European university from where they would like to receive their PhD degree, we are open to discuss other arrangements.)

 RESEARCH PROJECT

‘Memory and Populism from Below’ (MEMPOP) is a project led by Dr. Johana Wyss and funded by the European Research Council. Within the project, a five-member team from the Department of Mobility and Migration will conduct ethnographic research in four European transnational regions. These borderland regions are characterised by harsh historical upheavals, frequent historical shifts of national borders and populations, as well as rising populist sentiments. This research project aims to investigate the relationship between collective memory and the increasing popularity of populist political parties.

POSITION

It is a full-time position for up to four years.

Starting date: August 1^st, 2024, or as agreed.

Joining an ambitious research project on memory and populism in European transnational borderland regions, the PhD student will conduct ethnographic fieldwork (up to twelve months) in a borderland region of their choosing, such as Silesia, Bukovina, Banat, Vojvodina, South Tyrol, etc.. that will lead to one dissertation and one academic article during the MEMPOP project. In liaison with the PI, we expect the successful candidate to proactively design and work on their own research project as well as to work within the larger research team.

ELIGIBILITY  

• A master’s degree in social and cultural anthropology or related disciplines.
• Keen interest in memory studies, borderland studies, and populism and political polarisation.
• Skills in qualitative methods essential, experience with ethnographic fieldwork desirable.
• Very good command of English, both written and spoken (a score of approximately 7 in IELTS or 94-101 in TOEFL).
• Knowledge of fieldwork-related languages (one essential, two or more desirable).
• Ability to work independently and as a member of an international team.
• Ability to present at international conferences and to contribute to communications aimed at the general public (blogposts, website, social media).
• Readiness to live and work in Prague, Czech Republic

OFFERING

• A cutting-edge research project, a vibrant and supportive research team, and the exciting broader research environment of the Institute of Ethnology and the Czech Academy of Sciences.
• A gross salary of EUR 1583 (approximately EUR 1300 after taxation) per month, for four years, with an additional 4% increase each year. Also, if the applicant receives their PhD through Charles University, they will be paid an additional EUR 400 per month for three years as the state stipend.
• Funding for fieldwork and conference travel.
• Fees for open access publications covered.
• Various training seminars and workshops to further professional development.
• An open, family-friendly work environment, and holiday arrangements with 25 days of leave (based on a full-time contract). 

APPLICATION

To apply, candidates are required to submit the following as a single PDF document comprising:

• Cover letter (max. one page).
• CV (max. two pages).
• Research project proposal (including literature review, objectives and research questions, methodology, and timeline)
• A sample of a written work in English, previously published or unpublished.
• Contact information of two academic references.

In the second stage, shortlisted candidates will be interviewed online and asked to provide a motivation letter (max. three pages), which includes a research proposal and an explanation of how the research is related to the activities of the MEMPOP project (detailed description of the MEMPOP project will be provided to the shortlisted candidates). Additional documents might be requested as per the guidelines of the Institute.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE POST

Applications should be emailed to office@eu.cas.cz under the subject “MEMPOP PhD position” no later than April 10^th, 2024, 16:00 Central European Time.

We strongly recommend that prospective applicants contact Dr Wyss at wyss@eu.cas.cz for further information regarding the MEMPOP ERC project prior to submitting the application.

If no suitable candidates are found, the vacancy will be reopened.