Introduction
The University of Lausanne is a higher teaching and research institution composed of seven faculties where approximately 15,000 students and nearly 5,000 collaborators, professors, and researchers work and study. Ideally situated along the lake of Geneva, near Lausanne's city center, its campus brings together over 120 nationalities.
Presentation
Research team led by Prof. Dr. Monika Salzbrunn, FTSR-ISSR, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
We invite applications for a doctoral position in social and cultural anthropology, sociology of art, or migration and diversity studies at the University of Lausanne, department of social sciences of religions, to join a European Research Council founded project on "ARTIVISM - Art and Activism: Creativity and Performances as Subversive Forms of Political Expression in Super-Diverse Cities" directed by Prof. Dr. Monika Salzbrunn, chair "Religion, Migration, Diaspora Studies".
The project explores new artistic forms of political expression under difficult, precarious and/or oppressive conditions. It asks how social actors create belonging and multiple forms of resistance when they use art in activism or activism in art. It focuses on a broad range of artistic tools, styles and means of expression, namely festive events and parades, cartoons and comics and street art. The applied methodology considerably renews the field by bringing together event-, actor- and condition-centred approaches and a multi-sensory framework. It is based on ethnographic research in three principal urban contexts: Mediterranean coastal cities in Italy and France, Californian Latino immigrant cities in the US, gateway cities in Cameroon.
Job information
Expected start date: 01 February 2019
Contract length: 30 months, Possibility to extend the funding period through a mobility grant application supported by the project leader
Activity rate: 100%
Workplace: University of Lausanne; main fieldwork in California, especially in Los Angeles, occasional fieldcrossing in Italy (Viareggio, Genova), France (Nice, Marseille) and Cameroon (Yaoundé, Douala).
Your responsibilities
The position requires a profound interest in multi-sensory ethnography and the development of innovative research methods. You will conduct 12 months of fieldwork on Latino mural art in California with a focus on Los Angeles by using anthropological, audio-visual and multi-sensory methods of research. The applicant is expected to complete his/her PhD thesis in the team of Prof. Salzbrunn within the given time frame. Further requirements are a high engagement and willingness to work in an interdisciplinary, international team and to fulfil collective tasks related to the ERC project, willingness and ability to conduct fieldwork of at least 12 months, and to short-visit the field-sites of other team members and to participate in collective workshops on theory, methodology and editing.
Cahier des charges
Your qualifications
A master’s degree with excellent marks in social and cultural anthropology or a related field (e.g. sociology of arts, migrations studies), proof of a high research potential; outstanding commitment to team work as well as proven knowledge and experience in ethnographic fieldwork and audio-visual research methods and techniques; a very good level of Spanish, at least basic knowledge in French, and an excellent level in English as the working language of the project; excellent technical skills (IT, audio-visual, website management) and previous research experience in a related research field (proven by the Master’s thesis or other publications).
What the position offers you
The applicant will be employed by the University of Lausanne. Salary and social benefits are in accordance with the university’s rates. We offer a nurturing working environment in an international, interdisciplinary and dynamic team. We consider your well-being as essential for working creatively on ARTIVISM and will provide various opportunities for personal development and professional training.
Contact for further information
Further details can be found here: erc-artivism.ch/
For further information please contact Prof. Monika Salzbrunn (Monika.Salzbrunn@unil.ch) using the subject line ”: Application ERC ARTIVISM – PhD _NAME_FIRSTNAME”.
Only formal applications submitted via this website will be taken into account.
Your application
Deadline: 11th of December 2018
Applications in Word or PDF will include a cover letter (including motivation), CV (publications list and paper presentation list, if applicable), certificates of diplomas (marks/distinctions), a pdf of the MA thesis or film, a statement of the candidate’s ethnographic training, understanding, experience, applied methods and techniques (1 -2 pages), one or two referees. Only applications through this website will be taken into account.
Additional information
UNIL is committed to promoting gender equality and strongly encourages applications from female candidates.