The Department of African Studies and Anthropology (DASA) at the University of Birmingham seeks a postdoctoral fellow in African Studies to contribute to our research and teaching for 18 months.
Application Deadline: 3rd January 2025
About the Award: The Cadbury Fellowship Programme 2025 will select three or more visiting fellows from Africa to participate in a six-week series of seminars, discussion groups, and academic activities at the University of Birmingham, from 19 May to 30 June 2025. The goal of the programme is to assist scholars in developing their research papers, with outstanding papers being considered for inclusion in a Festschrift dedicated to Karin Barber. The programme will culminate in a conference in June 2025, where Cadbury Fellows will present their papers alongside an international roster of scholars.
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Key Themes of the Fellowship: “Conventions of Creativity”
The Cadbury Fellowship Programme aims to explore the theme of everyday creativity in Africa, which is at the heart of Professor Karin Barber’s research. The fellowship will focus on understanding how creative practices in Africa are shaped by cultural and historical contexts. The programme will encourage research that examines how artistic practices emerge from everyday life and interact with social and cultural conventions to create new ideas, meanings, and practices.
Some of the key topics that will be explored include:
Emic Understandings of Creativity: Fellows will explore how African societies conceptualize creativity in local languages and cultures, and how these understandings inform everyday practices and reflect broader social, biological, and material processes.
Creativity in Distinct Social Constellations: Barber’s work highlights how gender, class, education, and religion shape the way individuals and groups engage with new artistic practices. Research in this area will explore the emergence of new forms of artistry at specific historical junctures, and how these forms differ or resemble those produced in other periods or cultural contexts.
Creative Ecologies: The fellowship will explore how creative practices are linked to space, place, and social engagement. This includes how creativity reflects the possibilities and restrictions of particular locations and the influence of external practices on local creativity.
The Emergence of New Ideas and Practices: Barber’s research underscores the human ability to detach elements of speech or social features from one context and insert them into new ones, generating new meaning. Fellows will explore how new political, social, or religious practices are informed by conventions governing the recontextualization of social and textual elements.
Innovations vs. Mistakes: The fellowship will delve into the relationship between innovation and mistakes in creative practices, exploring how new ideas or artistic forms are distinguished from failures, and how they are recognized within their respective social, artistic, and political fields.
Creativity and Time: Research will also examine how creativity shapes our understanding of the past and future, including how material, social, and intellectual practices are understood to change or remain constant over time.
Type: Postdoctorate
Eligibility: We are looking for early-career African scholars whose work aligns with the theme of the programme. Candidates should meet the following criteria:
- Be based at an African institution and in the early stages of their academic career.
- Hold a PhD or be close to completing one.
- Have research that is relevant to the theme of “Conventions of Creativity” and related sub-themes.
- Be able to commit to spending six weeks at the University of Birmingham during the period from 19 May to 30 June 2025.
The selected fellows will have the opportunity to use the University’s excellent library resources, engage in discussions with academic staff and research students in DASA, and contribute to the department’s intellectual and cultural life.
Eligible Countries: Sub-saharan African countries
To be Taken at (Country): University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Number of Awards: 1
Value of Award: The Cadbury Fellowship Programme is fully funded and covers the following:
- Simple accommodation and living costs in Birmingham for the duration of the fellowship (up to six weeks).
- Visa expenses
- Return airfare
Duration of Award: Fixed Term Contract from 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2023
How to Apply: If you are interested in applying for the Cadbury Fellowship Programme 2025, please send your application by email to Professor Insa Nolte at [email protected] by Friday, 3 January 2025. Your application should include the following documents:
Confirmation from Head of Department: Written confirmation from your department head that you are able to spend the fellowship period (19 May – 30 June 2025) away from your institution.
Research Project Description (max. 1,000 words): This should outline the research you have already conducted, what you plan to work on during the fellowship, and how your research relates to the theme or one of the sub-themes of the programme.
CV (max. 3 pages): A short curriculum vitae highlighting your academic qualifications and relevant experience.
References: The names of two academic referees who can speak to your qualifications and suitability for the fellowship.
Important Dates
- Application Deadline: Friday, 3 January 2025
- Fellowship Period: 19 May – 30 June 2025
- Final Conference: June 2025 (date TBC)
- It is important to go through all application requirements in the Award Webpage (see Link below) before applying.
- GOODLUCK
Visit Award Webpage for Details
