Three (3) PhD Positions in Digital Crossings in Europe, Gender, Diaspora & Belonging, Utrecht University, Netherlands (2016)

You will be working within the project 'Digital Crossings in Europe: Gender, Diaspora and Belonging' (CONNECTINGEUROPE). This project is funded by the European Research Council (ERC), by way of a Consolidator Grant awarded to the principal investigator (PI) Prof. dr. Sandra Ponzanesi (Professor of Gender and Postcolonial Studies, Utrecht University, the Netherlands).

The project aims to investigate the relation between migration and digital technologies, in particular the way in which the ‘connected migrant’ contributes to new forms of European integration and cosmopolitan citizenship. The project explores digital diasporas in relation to issues of gender, ethnicity and affective belonging, focusing on how new technologies enhance new forms of connectivity between the homeland and destination countries, bus also across diasporas. The project pioneers a new interdisciplinary method that combines media studies, postcolonial theories, digital humanities and gender studies, drawing from the humanities and social science. It proposes a comparative approach, based on qualitative digital methods, that focuses on Somali, Romanian and Turkish women migrants who have settled in some of Europe’s main cities (London – PhD1, Amsterdam – PhD2 and Rome – PhD3) and the way in which they keep digitally and emotionally connected to their homeland cities (Mogadishu, Bucharest, Istanbul – Postdoc). The project will chart how different forms of migration (labour, postcolonial and post socialist) impact on the new European order at the local and transnational levels.

Within the project, three PhD positions and a postdoc position (advertised separately) will be available for the following projects:

1. PhD1 - Digital Diasporas: London.

2. PhD2 - Digital Diasporas: Amsterdam.

3. PhD3 - Digital Diasporas: Rome.

4. Postdoc: The Politics of Home

The three PhDs will have to conduct fieldwork across the three migrant groups (Turkish, Somali, Romanian) in the proposed city (London, Amsterdam or Rome). The interaction, collaboration and sharing of data with the other PhDs and the postdoc is expected. The PhD and Postdoc candidates will of course have the opportunity to fill in the details of these projects or expand on them, based on their expertise, the data they gather and their own research ideas, all in consultation with the principal investigator.

Tasks for the three PhD candidates will include:
- completion and defence of a PhD thesis within four years;
- carrying out fieldwork in the city that is the focus of your preference (London, Rome or Amsterdam);
- regular presentation of intermediate research at workshops and conferences;
- publication of two peer-reviewed articles in established international journals;
- co-organization of summer school, exhibition and final conference;
- participation in all training programmes and expert meetings scheduled for the project.

Requirements
- a (research) Master’s degree in gender, new media, cultural studies, anthropology, geography, history, international relations or a relevant humanities and social science background qualification at an equivalent level with a clear interest in migration, digital methods, gender studies, postcolonial theories and ethnography;
- an outstanding record for work in the undergraduate and Master's degrees;
- excellent research skills;
- excellent academic writing and presentation skills;
- proficiency in English, both written and spoken. A knowledge of one or more of the languages of the project is an advantage: Dutch, Somali, Romanian, Turkish and Italian.
- some experience in ethnographic research;
- knowledge of or willingness to learn digital methods;
- ability to meet deadlines and work as an independent researcher and as part of a team;
- ability and willingness to collaborate across the academic disciplines of media, migration, visual analysis, gender and postcolonial studies;
- ability to work in an international, interdisciplinary team;
- excellent organizational, social and communication skills.

Conditions of employment
Three PhD positions can be offered for 1,0 FTE each, starting 1 January 2016 or soon after. Initially for a period of 18 months. Upon good performance and a positive evaluation, the contract will be extended for another 30 months (4 years in total). The gross monthly salary starts at € 2,125.- in the first year, ending at € 2,717.- in the fourth year on a fulltime basis.

Utrecht University offers a pension scheme, a holiday allowance of 8% per year, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% and flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Employment Agreement of the Dutch Universities. More information: terms of employment.

Further details:
http://www.academictransfer.com