PhD Position in Minority Self-Representation in the United States

Are you looking for a challenging position in a dynamic setting? The Amsterdam School of Historical Studies (ASH) and Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC) currently have a vacant PhD position as part of the project “In Our Own Words: Language, Life Story-Telling, and Empowerment in the United States”, led by principal investigators Dr. Eva J. Daussà and Dr. Katy Hull, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Barnita Bagchi. The ASH and the ACLC are two of the five Research Schools within the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research (AIHR).

Join our research team!
Minority groups face unprecedented challenges in today’s polarized political climate, making methods and forms of self-representation both more difficult and more vital. This PhD will investigate a specific dimension of minority self-representation in the United States, in either contemporary or historical context. The successful candidate will examine how hegemonic groups have used language and/or story-telling to marginalize a given population, and how that group (or specific individuals within it) has used linguistic and/or narrative strategies to promote its own psychosocial wellbeing, cultural cohesion, and political power.
While examples of possible projects are offered below, we invite candidates to propose innovative and feasible research projects drawing on their existing expertise:

• Practices of language preservation and inter-generational transmission among minoritized populations (for instance, Chinese American, Latinx, or Native American communities).
• Feminist or Queer responses to linguistic and narrative marginalization.
• Autobiographical story-telling among African Americans, Hispanics, or other racialized minorities.

This project will include approximately six weeks of field and /or archival research to the United States to gather relevant data.

This is what you will be doing

• submission of a PhD thesis within the period of appointment;
• participating in meetings of the project research group;
  publishing one single-authored, peer reviewed article;
• presenting intermediate research results at workshops and conferences;
• organising knowledge dissemination activities;
• (co-)teaching courses at BA-level in the second and third year of the appointment (maximum 0,2 fte per year);
• participation in the Research School and Faculty of Humanities PhD training programmes.

This is what we ask of you

• a completed Master's degree in literature, linguistics, history, anthropology, or a relevant field;
• excellent research skills demonstrated by an outstanding Master's thesis and a demonstrable capacity to develop a track record of publishing in high-ranking journals and/or with leading presses;
• a strong cooperative attitude and willingness to engage in collaborative, interdisciplinary research;
• enthusiasm for communicating academic research to non-academic audiences;
• good command of English and languages relevant to the proposed research project.

Experience in researching minority rights and/ or self-representation will be considered a plus. Please note that if you already hold a doctorate/PhD or are working towards obtaining a similar degree elsewhere, you will not be admitted to a doctoral programme at the UvA.

This is what we offer you

• PhD candidates receive a tuition fee waiver;
• PhD candidates have free access to courses offered by the Graduate School of Humanities and the Dutch National Research Schools;
• excellent possibilities for further professional development and education;
• an inspiring academic and international work environment in the heart of Amsterdam;
• an enthusiastic and professional academic team;
• additional funding for research in the US and travel to international conferences.

We offer a temporary employment contract for the period of 48 months. The first contract will be for 16 months, with an extension for the following 32 months, contingent on a positive performance evaluation within the first 12 months. The employment contract is for 38 hours a week. The preferred starting date is 01 September 2025.

This is where you will be working
The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in de field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes.

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the link below. We will accept applications until 11 May 2025.

Your application should include the following information:

• a letter and full academic CV;
• a list of all Master-level modules you have taken, with an official transcript of grades;
• a research proposal of 800-1000 words, showing how you would approach the project;
• the names and email addresses of two references, including your advisor, who may be approached by the selection committee. Please submit the required information in 1 pdf by uploading in the required field ‘CV’. The first round of interviews will be held in the course of late May-early June 2025.

If you have questions about the application, please contact Prof. Dr. Barnita Bagchi: b.bagchi@uva.nl

38 hours per week

Kloveniersburgwal 48