Call for Applications
This Postdoctoral Research Fellowship is linked to the University of Cape Town and University of Basel Professorship in Urban Studies at the African Centre for Cities (ACC). The ACC invites applications from suitably qualified applicants to apply for this one-year renewable Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. The successful candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary team working on questions of Southern Urbanism, engaged scholarship and pedagogy. Beyond the pursuit of their own postdoctoral research, the successful applicant is expected to contribute to the implementation of the University of Basel’s Masters of Critical Urbanisms track at ACC, as well as to ACC’s Masters in Southern Urbanism, in the form of co-teaching assignments and thesis supervision. As part of ACC’s intellectual and institutional enterprise, the successful applicant will also be expected to share their work in internal and public forums, be able to engage with colleagues in relation to at least one of our areas of existing work (please see our website: www.africancentreforcities.net) and provide mentorship to ACC’s PhD student cohort.
Ideally, the successful applicant’s research and methodological bend will speak to current debates around everyday urban practices in African cities and advance the ACC’s endeavour of producing interdisciplinary and socially relevant research in collaborations beyond the university and with a variety of publics in mind.
Conditions
Applicants are expected to have completed a doctoral degree in an area of study relevant to urban studies and southern urban debates within the past five years (e.g. Geography, Political Studies, Anthropology, Urban Studies, Planning, and related fields).
Applicants may not previously have held full-time professional or academic posts.
The successful candidate will be required to participate in selected teaching and supervision that form part of the ACC work in the Masters of Southern Urbanism and Masters of Critical Urbanisms. The successful candidate will be expected to pursue their own original research that contributes or speaks to at least one of the ACCs core areas of existing work. They will be required to comply with the University’s approved policies, procedures and practises for the postdoctoral sector.
Value and Tenure
The fellowship is valued at R370,000 per annum and is tenable for one year, renewable for a total of up to two and a half years. In addition, there is a R50,000 travel and research grant per full year. The fellowship is compliant with the SARS policies/rules and is therefore exempt from taxation.
Non-South African citizens may be required to apply for a study visa.
Application requirements
Applicants are required to submit the following documents, via email, to:
Ms Faranaaz Bennett (faranaaz.bennett@uct.ac.za) by no later than 11 February 2022:
- A letter of application stating your expertise, research interests, experience and motivation for this position;
- A CV including a list of publications/scholarly output;
- Copies of academic transcripts;
- Names and contact details of at least two academics who have taught, supervised or worked alongside you.
Closing date: 11 February 2022
Submission
Please submit your application to Ms Faranaaz Bennett, African Centre for Cities (faranaaz.bennett@uct.ac.za). Please clearly state that this is an application for the “University of Cape Town and University of Basel Postdoctoral Research Fellowship 2022”.
Enquiries
For more information on this position, please contact Dr Laura Nkula-Wenz at laura.nkula@uct.ac.za.
Please note that correspondence will only be entered into with shortlisted candidates.
The University of Cape Town reserves the right to disqualify ineligible, incomplete and/or inappropriate applications, to change the conditions of award, and/ or to make no awards at all.