The Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis (ASCA) currently has a vacant Postdoc researcher position as part of the ERC-funded research project Conspiratorial Memory: Cultures of Suspicion in Post-Socialist Europe.
The project aims to determine to what extent Eastern European conspiracy cultures derive their interpretive logic and emotive force from (conflicting) narratives about the socialist past and to reveal the modes and media by which memory-based imaginations of conspiracy circulate within and across national borders. For more information on the project and its three central case studies see the project website.
The Postdoc’s research includes the following:
- identifying the most prominent discussion forums, groups and video channels for the expression of conspiratorial perspectives on each of the project’s three cases;
- collecting large volumes of data from these platforms (using for instance automated programmable interfaces and computational observation approaches);
- charting the references to historical events, phenomena and personalities, as well as the interpretative links made between historical and contemporary entities (e.g. through named-entity recognition, self-made gazetteers, and network analysis);
- detecting prevalent emotional attitudes towards key events, phenomena and personalities relating to each of the project’s three cases (using for example image classification and sentiment analysis);
- mapping and visualizing the circulations and interactions in which the most prominent expressions of ‘conspiratorial memory’ are involved.
Tasks
- Conducting research and publishing a minimum of four articles/book chapters/conference proceedings (three of which peer-reviewed).
- Setting up and managing project data (while taking into consideration the project’s risk analysis, and complying to its data management plan).
- Participating in the meetings of the project, and closely collaborating with the two PhDs.
- Presenting research results at national and international workshops and conferences.
- Assisting with knowledge dissemination and with the organization of project workshops and conferences.
- Managing and maintaining the project website.
Salary
- The gross monthly salary, based on relevant experience, ranges between €3,561 to €5,230.
- Additionally, an annual holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, plus a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary.
- A broad package of fringe benefits, including an excellent technical infrastructure, moving expenses, and savings schemes.
Job Requirements
The Research Position on Conspiratorial Memory: Digital Dimensions seek applicants with:
- A PhD in the Humanities, Social Sciences, or Computational Linguistics on a topic relevant to the project.
- Outstanding research qualities manifested in a high-quality PhD dissertation and (preferably) international peer-reviewed publications.
- Demonstrable interest in issues related to cultural memory and/or conspiracy theory.
- A track record in quantitative research into online media (including data collection and management, and automated content analysis).
- Excellent written and spoken English, and a high-level of proficiency in/understanding of at least two of following languages: Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish.
- Team spirit and experience working in an interdisciplinary setting.
- Willingness to travel abroad for conferences and workshops.
- Proven organizational and administrative skills.
Application Process
Applications should include the following information (submitted in one pdf file):
- A letter, motivation stating reasons for applying, and detailing why he/she is an excellent candidate for the position (no more than 1,000 words).
- A full academic CV, including a list of publications and an indication of language proficiencies.
- One relevant writing sample (totalling no more than 10,000 words).
- The names and contact details of two references who may be approached by the selection committee.
- A research statement of 1000-1500 words in which he/she outline his/her intended approach for this subject
To apply for Research Position on Conspiratorial Memory: Digital Dimensions, click here.
Application Deadline: April 04, 2022.
For more information, visit the official site.
