This project is intended to raise core conceptual questions about the ongoing value of museums in contemporary society. Through a robust range of projects, including enquiry-based (hands-on) learning workshops, an international conference entitled “Legacies: Why Museum Histories Matter,” and the publication of an edited volume on the Rise of museums of modern art in the Netherlands, the Museum Lab is designed to foster active learning practices for students and advance complex museological questions in innovative educational settings. With lively student workshops with curators, intellectual exchange at professional conferences, and the preparation of an edited book on museum histories and their futures, the “Museum Lab” presents an applied academic platform for deepened and engaged debate about current challenges facing museums, addressing such topics as nuanced solutions for restitution and decolonization, the ethical value of digital methods in museum display, links between academic research, artistic production, and museum stakeholders, and exhibition display. The “Museum Lab” provides an outstanding opportunity for a postdoc with interests in museum history and theory to work on projects that contribute to innovative and engaged debate about core conceptual questions regarding museum formations and histories and their practices.
Duties of the position
The appointee will be expected to conduct historic and/or collections-based research on a museum history topic of your choice; publish an article in a peer-reviewed publication on some aspect of your research; edit chapters for an edited volume on The Rise of Museums of Modern Art in the 1930s Netherlands and create an index for the book; participate in the planning of an international conference “Legacies: Why Museum Histories Matter,” including the framing of the program and the invitation of speakers; present a paper at the conference “Legacies: Why Museum Histories Matter,” based on your research; participate in the intellectual life of LUCAS and contribute to the research profile of LUCAS; contribute to the organization of the events and outreach activities of the “Museum Lab”; You teach and/or co-teach courses in museum studies in the BA programme Arts, Media and Society (AMS) and MA programmes art history and museum studies; and teach and supervise BA and MA theses on such topics as Museum history and theory, curating collections, politics and ethics in the contemporary museum, and museum futures.
Required selection criteria
Applicants should possess a PhD with a specialisation in Art history, museum studies, cultural studies, or anthropology, awarded by the time of appointment, ideally on a topic related to museum history and/or museum theory; a personal affinity with museum studies and museum histories; experience with or are willing to learn about digital methods in museum presentation and ethical questions surrounding collecting and exhibiting; experience with working with archival sources and/or museum collections; proven record of accomplishment in academic publications and public outreach; possess analytical skills, and a clear and persuasive style of writing; full professional working proficiency in English (speaking, writing, reading); working knowledge of Dutch and/or another European language would be an added value; proven time-management skills; team player and independent thinker mentality; will and ability to meet the requirements for a Basic University Teaching Qualification (UTQ / BKO) within two years if you do not already possess a Dutch University Teaching Qualification in case of teaching duties and an official registration as resident in The Netherlands or the will to relocate upon starting the position.
Benefits
The selected candidate will be offered a salary in accordance with the collective salary agreement of the Association of Dutch Universities (CAO) and depending on qualifications and experience (gross monthly salary of € 3,877 to € 4,332 for a full working week); a benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave; some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions and candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.
Organisation/Company – Leiden University
Research Field –
Researcher Profile –
Country – Netherlands
Application Deadline – 21 June 2024
More information: EURAXESS
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