The Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the Faculty for the Study of Culture invites applications for one postdoctoral and two doctoral positions for ONLINERPOL, a five year research project (2017-22) on political cultures of new media in India and among the diaspora. The project is funded by the European Research Council Starting Grant (Agreement Number: 714385).
The first PhD position focuses on the research project ‘Online Media and the Indian Hindu Diaspora in Europe‘. The project will carry out an ethnographic study of online practices and narratives around national belonging/Hindu nationalism among the Indian diaspora in the UK and Germany. The project will closely follow particular social media sites and user groups (Facebook/Twitter or website/online discussion groups).
The second PhD position focuses on the research project ‘Online Media and the Indian Muslim Diaspora in Europe‘. The project will carry out an ethnographic study of online practices, Muslim identities and narratives of national belonging among the Indian diaspora in the UK and Germany. The project will closely follow particular social media sites and user groups (Facebook/Twitter or website/online discussion group).
The broad objective of the doctoral positions is to understand the dynamics of online use cultures as they mediate diapora experiences and political cultures of national belonging, and how they bring about new, real-time connections between diasporic locations and homeland politics. In both the projects, ethnographic fielwork among online users will be supplmented with an analysis of the design and organization of sampled Facebook groups, Twitter handles or websites, and the social texts and activities they have generated.
Candidates with a background in anthropology, media and communication studies, or cultural studies with regional interest in South Asia are invited to apply. PhD researchers will participate in specially designed reading courses on anthropology of digital media; media and religion; and digital media activism, with opportunities to enrol for other courses at the university. They will also have an opportunity to assist/offer undergraduate courses on media anthropology. Candidates will take part in various project related activities, including workshops, conferences and social media contributions.
Doctoral positions are fully funded (TVL E13 50%) for 3.5 years. The project will cover fieldwork expenses and participation in international conferences (up to two).
The postdoc position focuses on the research project ‘New Media and Political Islam in India’. The study will map and analyze online media engagaemets of a major organization for political Islam in India (for e.g., Jamaat-i-Islami) using ethnographic techniques and discourse anlaysis. How does the organization engage, organize and regulate its online presence? How does it engage online debates on national belonging and what are the implications for historically configured politics of religious difference? How is authority affirmed and reconfigured in light of the emerging online Muslim publics?
Candidates with a background in anthropology, media and communication studies, cultural studies, or Islamic studies with regional interest in South Asia are invited to apply. The posdoctoral researcher is invited to co-design and co-teach the courses on media and religion, and digital ethnography, and actively participate in planning and organizing project related offline and online activities.
The postdoctoral position is contracted with TVL E13 100% salary for 2 years. All fieldwork expesnes will be covered, and participation in international conferences will be fully funded.
Successful applicants are expected to begin on or by 1 January 2018. Proficiency in English is needed. Net savviness is highly desired.
Successful candidates will be part of an exciting multidisciplinary conversation on new media, with opportunties to partner with the core research team based in Munich and a global network of collaborators.
Send your application (cover letter, 2 page proposal with a clear research plan and timeline, updated CV, two writing samples, names of two referees and copies of degree certificates as a single PDF) by email to ONLINERPOL@ethnologie.lmu.de and sahana.udupa@lmu.de with the subject line ‘Application for doctoral/postdoctoral position ONLINERPOL’ or by post to:
Prof. Dr. Sahana Udupa
Professor of Media Anthropology
Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology Ludwig Maximilian University
Oettingenstr. 67
D-80538 Munich, Germany
Telefon: +49 (0)89 2180-9614
Deadline for submission: 31 August 2017.