Division/School Academic Faculties
Contract type Open Ended
Working pattern Full time
Salary £33,797 - £38,017
Closing date for applications 10-Jul-2020

Research Associate in Literary Activism (Nigeria)

The Department of English is looking to appoint a Research Associate who will be, working on the ERC-funded Starting Grant ‘Literary Activism in Sub-Saharan Africa: Commons, Publics and Networks of Practice', led by PI Professor Madhu Krishnan. The project explores everyday encounters with and participation in literary activism (defined both as the act of opening spaces for literary expression and the more explicit intersection of literary engagement and socio-political activism) to develop new understandings of social, political and cultural life in contemporary Africa. Using literary, historical and ethnographic methods, it covers case studies in Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire.

Over the course of 36 months, the postholder will work with the PI to manage and coordinate the Nigeria-based case study. Responsibilities will include field-based and desk research, participation in regular team meetings, contributing to ongoing ethics reporting, organising field-based workshops with key project interlocutors and contributing to project outputs.  The Research Associate will also continue to develop their own publication profile and will receive appropriate mentoring and training throughout.  The person appointed as Research Associate to the project will need to have secured a PhD degree in a related area of literary studies (including the sociology of literature) with a focus on African literature, even if the formal award of the degree has not yet been made.

Please note the role is open ended with fixed funding for 36 months.

We can accept applications from overseas applicants requiring sponsorship to work in the UK (providing all sponsorship conditions are met).

Timescale of appointment:

Start date: 4 January 2021

Short-listed candidates will be notified on or around 17th July and will be asked to submit example of written work by 24th July. Candidates will also be asked to give a 10 min presentation at the interview

Anticipated interview date: 6-7 August 2020

Cut-off date for submission of applications: Friday 10 July 2020

Contact for informal enquiries:

Professor Madhu Krishnan (madhu.krishnan@bristol.ac.uk)

Ms J Kinney (jane.kinney@bristol.ac.uk) Tel. +44 (0)117 331 7982

We welcome applications from all members of our community and are particularly encouraging those from diverse groups, such as members of the LGBT+ and BAME communities, to join us.