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Research Opportunities The Indigeneity in the Contemporary World project seeks to foster transnational and interdisciplinary research, and invites those with appropriate qualifications and an international outlook to apply for available positions. Input from indigenous scholars is particularly welcome. Prospective PhD students wanting to study at Royal Holloway on topics encompassing indigenous performance may apply to join the Indigeneity in the Contemporary World project under the supervision of Professor Helen Gilbert. No specific project funding is allocated for postgraduate scholarships at the moment, though successful applicants are eligible to compete for a range of funding through the University’s Graduate School. Once enrolled, students will also be eligible to contribute to the Postcolonial Research Group, a lively forum for staff and postgraduates working on colonial and postcolonial topics across a range a disciplines including geography, politics and international relations, performance studies, musicology, history, literature and media studies. Send a draft proposal of 2–4 pages and a CV with your initial enquiry to Helen Gilbert or the relevant department’s postgraduate administrator. Post-doctoral Research Positions Unique opportunities currently exist for four outstanding Post-doctoral Researchers to join our team. Each appointee will develop and publish his/her own research on one of the topics specified below while also contributing to some or all of the team-based outputs, including an exhibition, an educational DVD, edited publications and various symposia and conferences. All team members are expected to assist with organisational aspects of the project, particularly in terms of managing research resources, extending international networks and liaising with relevant arts/cultural bodies and institutions. Successful candidates must have a PhD in a relevant field (theatre/performance studies, film, cultural geography, anthropology, history, sociology, politics, dance, international relations, ethnomusicology or a related discipline); a knowledge of postcolonial theory and/or transnational indigenous studies; a sound understanding of performance (broadly conceived); a strong interest in interdisciplinary research; excellent analytical skills and a demonstrated ability to publish in leading international journals. He/she will be highly motivated and a clear communicator with strong organisational and teamwork skills. Fluent English is required while competency in a second language such as French, Spanish, Portuguese or an indigenous language is necessary for some research topics. All four appointments are initially for two years with the possibility of a limited extension (up to twelve months), subject to the individual post-holder’s research trajectory and the project’s overall needs. Project staff will normally be based at the Centre for International Theatre and Performance Research at Royal Holloway’s Egham campus (40 minutes by train from Central London). While there is currently a cap on employer sponsorship for some categories of immigration to Britain, all qualified candidates are invited to apply for these posts. In the event that successful applicants are unable to obtain permission to work in the UK, an additional European project base may be set up to facilitate their participation. Applicants should have gained a PhD in a relevant discipline before the interview dates on 25–26 November 2010. Exceptions for candidates very close to completing their doctoral studies will be only made in cases where there is an extensive track record of high-quality research publications in one of the project fields. Starting Date: 1 April 2011 or by negotiation as soon as possible thereafter. Commencing Salary: £31,987 per annum including London allowance of £2,134. Other Allowances: up to £2,000 relocation expenses and £2,500 p.a. research travel funding. Research Topics A: Indigeneity, Performance and Social Justice in Latin America This project will focus on indigenous protest or political movements in two or more Latin American regions, possibly in Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil or Mexico. It may involve case studies of the performance work of specific communities or significant theatre/activist groups. Alternatively, the researcher could examine the transnational circulation (particularly in North America) of a range of Latin American indigenous theatre/performance works with a social protest agenda. The general aim will be to explore the performative languages and political effects of indigenous social protest and its role in current constructions of indigeneity. The project will be informed by research on relevant issues, such as human rights, deforestation, oil exploration, environmental degradation, land reform and free trade. While the precise topic is negotiable, the researcher will be expected to engage with insights drawn from cultural geography and other theoretical writings on globalisation and environmental and social justice. Ideally, the successful candidate will have a sound knowledge of the relevant Latin American contexts and a good command of Spanish, Portuguese or an appropriate indigenous language, as well as fluency in English. B: Indigenous Performance in Francophone Postcolonial Societies Ideally, this research will focus on some aspect of indigenous performance in Québec, drawing comparisons, where relevant, with related issues or practices in other parts of Canada. Alternatively, the research may involve a comparative study of salient issues in contemporary indigenous performance across two or more predominantly Francophone regions within the project’s remit. In either case, the researcher will consider how the performances selected for study connect with wider issues of interest to indigenous peoples globally. He/she may also want to trace the circulation and reception of specific indigenous works in France or their export to regions where French is not spoken. The project will be informed by research into relevant local histories and geographies and by some engagement with the particular inflections of postcolonial theory as developed in relation to Francophone cultures. Depending on the approach chosen, the researcher may also need to canvass questions about translation, adaptation and cross-cultural reception. The ideal candidate will have French language fluency as well as an excellent knowledge of English, and some experience of research in this field. C: Indigeneity in the ‘New’ South Africa This research will engage with current thinking about indigeneity and cultural pluralism in post-apartheid South Africa, analysing dance (in its broadest sense) as a prevalent mode for expressing issues of concern to the nation’s indigenous cultures. The researcher will consider ways in which dance participates in the transmission of cultural heritage as well as how it responds to political issues. The project will be informed by research into South Africa’s relatively recent transition to democratic governance as well as by the study of transnational debates about reconciliation as an urgent political issue in a range of postcolonial settler societies. The researcher should engage with critical insights developed in dance studies and performance theory and may want to consider the role of dance exports in projecting versions of contemporary South African culture to European audiences. The ideal candidate will have a background in dance scholarship and, preferably, first-hand knowledge of the South African context. D: Indigeneity and Performance: Open Topic An open project on some aspect of indigeneity and contemporary performance in the geographical regions covered by the project will be considered for exceptional candidates. Preference will be given to proposals focusing on Native American cultures, whether in theatre and performance studies or some other field that falls within the project’s interdisciplinary remit. While the topic can be flexibly conceived to suit applicants’ areas of interest and expertise, the research must contribute significantly to one or more of the project themes and have the capacity to animate the work of other team members. The ideal candidate for this post will be committed to interdisciplinary and/or comparative scholarship and will have demonstrated an outstanding capacity for self-motivated research. He/she will also have detailed knowledge of the indigenous communities and/or practices chosen for this topic. All applicants are encouraged to think about dimensions to their work that potentially reach across the specified project themes and regions. At the same time, the proposed research must be sufficiently focused to be achievable within the given timeframes. While fieldwork to overseas locations is expected and supported as far as possible, proposals involving extensive periods of travel that are likely to limit a researcher’s capacity for collaboration will be less competitive. Applications close 12 noon on 13 October 2010 and must include:
The relevant job description, person specification and application forms are posted at http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Personnel/Ads/x0810-5989.html. Interview dates : 25 and 26 November 2010. For specific queries about these posts, contact Professor Helen Gilbert but please note that completed applications must be submitted via the Human Resources Department. General inquiries: recruitment@rhul.ac.uk or tel: +44 (0)1784 414241 or +44 (0)1784 274900. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to learn more about the project by visiting the other pages of this website. The Indigeneity in the Contemporary World project cannot directly fund research outside the parameters of the topics specified above. However, we are happy to support high-quality applications to other funding bodies by early-career scholars wishing to pursue postdoctoral research in the broad field of indigenous performance. British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships (for UK and EAA applicants), Marie Curie Fellowships (for EU and international applicants who have not been previously based in Britain) and a range of national funding bodies may be suitable, depending on your nationality and current location. When you have selected an appropriate funding scheme and formulated a draft proposal, contact Helen Gilbert to discuss your application at least three weeks before the funding scheme’s deadline . Note: we are unable to accept proposals for Leverhulme Fellowships or any other partnership funding scheme that does not pay applicants’ full salary. A number of visiting research fellowships for periods of 3–6 weeks will be offered by invitation or application over the duration of this project. Details of available positions will be posted here. Outstanding scholars and practice-led researchers working in fields related to indigeneity and performance are invited to contact Helen Gilbert to discuss possibilities well in advance of their desired visit. |