Postdoctoral Position on Material/Visual Cultures of Southeast Asia

23 Jan 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Leiden University

Research Field

Language sciences

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Country

Netherlands

Application Deadline

1 Mar 2024 - 22:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Not Applicable

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Project Description
The Purāṇas constitute the most voluminous and enduring genre of Sanskrit literature. Despite the tradition’s centrality for cultural production in South and Southeast Asia, we know very little about the historical embeddedness of Purāṇas. PURANA makes a critical intervention in the field by tracing the composition, transmission, translation, and agency of the Purāṇas as a transregional and transhistorical process involving multiple actors, audiences, and geographic contexts. Adopting a longue durée perspective, we argue that the Purāṇas’ mythical discourse underlies and unites the religio-political culture of the Sanskrit Cosmopolis—establishing what we call a ‘Puranic Ecumene’: a vast part of the inhabited premodern world united by a distinctive mythical discourse, a hegemonic vision of the integration of society and cosmos, and a remarkable way of anchoring the present in the continuing ancient past.

Key Responsibilities
The postdoctoral researcher will carry out research on the influence, integration, and reception of Purāṇic narratives, cosmologies, and sacred geographies in the material and visual cultures of Southeast Asia. Projects that consider the dynamics of interaction between early South and Southeast Asia are particularly welcome. While Purāṇas have traditionally been approached as discrete texts, the Purāṇic worldview has also been transmitted in material and visual media. Possible areas of research that would fit this position include the study of imagery and iconographic programmes, temple sites and landscapes, museum collections and photographic archives, as well as the contemporary (re)imagining of premodern visual motifs in Southeast Asia. The ideal candidate would make use of the rich collections of South and Southeast Asian archival materials in the Leiden University Library special collections and the museums of the Netherlands. In addition to doing research, the candidate will have the opportunity to teach within the LIAS.

Requirements
Specific Requirements

Selection Criteria

• PhD in a relevant field (South and Southeast Asian Studies, Religious Studies, Art and Architectural History, Archaeology).
• Prior experience in conducting independent research with primary sources.
• Excellent command of English as well as competence in relevant research languages.
• Interest in working collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team exploring primary sources and their broader socio-historical contexts.

Additional Information
Benefits

Terms and Conditions
We offer a fixed term 1 fte position for a period of 3 years, starting as soon as possible.
The starting salary is € 4.332.- gross per month (pay scale 11, step 0), based on fulltime employment,in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities and commensurate with qualifications and experience. Depending on qualifications, you may start at the appropriate step in scale 10 until you fully meet the requirements for scale 11 as specified by the Faculty of Humanities, particularly with regard to the number of years of relevant work experience.

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. For international spouses we have set up a dual career programme. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break. More at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions .

Diversity
Fostering an inclusive community is a central element of the values and vision of Leiden University. Leiden University is committed to becoming an inclusive community which enables all students and staff to feel valued and respected and to develop their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High quality teaching and research is inclusive.

Selection process

Applications
Please submit your application online no later than 1 March 2024 via the blue button in our application system. Your application should include:

• Curriculum Vitae and a list of publications.
• A cover letter explaining your motivation, background and qualifications for the position (max. 2 pages).
• A research proposal related to the project (max. 2 pages).
• Names, positions, and contact details of three referees (letters are not requested at this stage).

Enquiries from agencies are not appreciated.

Additional comments

Information
Enquiries can be made to Prof. Peter Bisschop, e-mail: [email protected]

Website for additional job details

https://www.academictransfer.com/336916/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Universiteit Leiden

Country

Netherlands

City

Leiden

Postal Code

2312TT

Street

Leiden

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.academictransfer.com/en/336916/postdoctoral-position-on-materialvis…

Contact

City

Leiden

Website

http://www.universiteitleiden.nl/

Street

Rapenburg 70

Postal Code

2311 EZ

STATUS: EXPIRED