“Conviviality in Unequal Societies: Perspectives from Latin America”

Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Maria Sibylla Merian International Centre for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences, established in April 2017 in São Paulo, invites candidates to apply for fellowships as Postdoctoral Researchers. Successful applicants are expected to participate in an international and interdisciplinary research network focusing on past and present forms of conviviality in Latin America and the Caribbean. We seek for scholars with research experience and innovative approaches to study in a comparative perspective interclass, interethnic, intercultural, interreligious and gender relations and their transformations.

The Merian Centre “Conviviality in Unequal Societies: Perspectives from Latin America” is a joint project of the following German and Latin American research institutions: Freie Universität Berlin (coordination), Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut Berlin, Universität zu Köln as well as Universidade de São Paulo, Centro Brasileiro de Análise e Planejamento, São Paulo, Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales (Universidad Nacional de La Plata/Conicet), La Plata, and El Colegio de México.

Requirements

• A PhD degree in anthropology, economy, history, human geography, law, literary and cultural studies, philosophy, political sciences, social sciences or sociology obtained in the last 4 years.
• A track record of training, research, and publications on Latin America and the Caribbean, in an area relevant to the Centre.
• Excellent knowledge of English as well as of Portuguese and/or Spanish (written and oral).
• Ability and interest to actively participate in an international and interdisciplinary research environment.

Tasks
Contribute actively to the development of the Centre’s research programme: elaborate thematic review essays; present and discuss scientific outcomes within and outside the Centre; contribute to applications for external research funding.

Fellowship
Postdoctoral Researchers will be appointed by one of the three German consortium members at first for a period of 12 months with option for an additional extension up to 1,5 years, starting from October 2017. The workplace will be in São Paulo. The monthly award is above average, covering local living costs.

Application
Applicants should send the following documents in English in a single pdf- attachment not later than 9 th of July 2017 to the Coordination Office (meriancentre@fu-berlin.de):

• Motivation letter (max 500 words).
• Research essay describing previous expertise and envisaged contribution to the Centre`s research programme (max. 1.500 words).
• Curriculum Vitae, including list of publications.
• Writing sample (max 30 pages): journal article, book chapter or thesis chapter.

For further inquiries regarding the fellowship, please contact:
Merian Centre Latin America
Coordination Office São Paulo +55 11 5574 0399
meriancentre@fu-berlin.de