PhD researcher 'in linguistics: language use and code-mixing'

Are you looking for a PhD position in an inspiring, dynamic, and international setting?

The Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC), https://aclc.uva.nl/ currently has a vacant PhD position as part of the NWO-funded research project Crossing language borders: A quest for the human language capacity in West Africa and Central America, led by principal investigator Prof. dr. E.O. Aboh (ACLC) in collaboration with dr. María Carmen Parafita Couto (U. Leiden), prof. F. Ameka (U. Leiden), and dr. Anne L. Beatty-Martínez (McGill University). The ACLC prioritises diversity (taken in a holistic sense, e.g., ethnicity, social and/or linguistic background, gender, sexuality)and is committed to creating an inclusive research environment. The ACLC is one of the five Research Schools within the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research at the University of Amsterdam (UvA).

What are you going to do?

We are looking for a talented and creative junior scholar with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) who is fascinated by language use in a multilingual community, and is curious about how to describe and analyse code-switching/code-mixing (CSCM) phenomena from an interdisciplinary perspective. Our project’s aim is to yield an integrated approach to multilingual speech that is both descriptively and explanatorily adequate. Despite extensive research in this area, no clear explanation emerges about the regularities underlying mixed speech. While most existing studies focus on Western communities in which CSCM is socially disfavoured, this project investigates CSCM in multilingual communities, Benin (West Africa) and Belize (Central America), where multilingual discourse involving CSCM is the norm. We will use a multimethod, comparative approach, linking linguistic, cognitive and social factors to help us understand how multilinguals adapt to communicative demands of contexts where CSCM is the norm.

We expect you to conduct fieldwork in a Gbe speaking multilingual community in Porto-Novo/Cotonou (Benin). You will collect data on CSCM, transcribe and annotate them digitally, and analyse the data in scholarly articles or book chapters as part of your thesis. You will present your results in (inter)national conferences, and participate in research activities within the project team and  within the ACLC at UvA as well as with collaborating groups at the University of Leiden. At the end of the four years of appointment you will submit and defend your doctoral thesis.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Submission of a PhD thesis within the period of appointment;
• Collection of community network data;
• Stimuli creation for speech elicitation tasks;
• Collection, transcription, and annotation of naturalistic CSCM data;
• Coding and analysis of naturalistic and elicited CSCM data;
• Participating in meetings of the project research group and developing a shared database;
• Publishing co-authored and single-authored peer reviewed articles as part of the thesis;
• Presenting intermediate research results at (inter)national workshops/conferences;
• Organising knowledge dissemination and training activities;
• Teach courses at bachelor’s and/or assist at master’s level in the 2nd and 3rd year (0,2 FTE per year).
• Participation in the Research School and Faculty of Humanities PhD training programmes.

What do we require of you?

• A completed Master's degree in linguistics or related fields (e.g., sociolinguistics, grammatical description, psycholinguistics, anthropology of language, language and education).
• Excellent research and field or lab work skills demonstrated by your 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 research;
• Enthusiasm for communicating academic research to non-academic audiences;
• Excellent command of either French or English or both, and of a Gbe language. If you don’t speak a Gbe language but command another local language of Benin or West Africa, you must be willing to conduct fieldwork involving Gbe communities.

Knowledge of experimental methods is a plus. If you lack these skills, however, we expect you to be willing to learn about them and engage in group discussions during project meetings.

Please note that if you already hold a doctorate/PhD or are under contract to obtain a similar degree elsewhere, you will not be admitted to a doctoral programme at the UvA.

What can we offer you?

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 (1.0 fte) a week. The preferred starting date is 1 February 2023.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and relevant experience, ranges from € 2,541 up to a maximum of € 3,247. This sum does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8,3% year-end allowance. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

What else do we offer

• Excellent possibilities for further professional development and education;
• An enthusiastic, inspiring and professional academic team.

About us

The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 30,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.

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.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact (during office hours):

T: +31 20 525 38 75

• For practical questions, please contact dr. A.K. (Ava) Creemers ([email protected] )

Job application

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. The deadline for applying for this vacancy is 30 October 2022.

Applications should include the following information (submitted in one .pdf ):

• A letter of motivation.
• A writing sample (e.g., MA thesis or term paper).
• A full academic CV.
• A list of all Master-level modules you have taken, with an official transcript of grades.
• The names and contact details of two references, including your thesis advisor, who may be approached by the selection committee.

Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.

The interviews will most likely be held in the second half of November.

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritize diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

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No agencies please.