Dans le cadre du programme ERC « Chemical Youths: what chemicals do for youths in their everyday lives », nous recherchons des candidat.e.s à un contrat doctoral à l’Institute for Social Science Research de l’université d’Amsterdam (UvA). Le program explore les utilisations des substances chimiques (licites, illicites, pharmaceutiques, cosmétiques, nutritionnelles, etc.) par les jeunes. Nous recrutons des candidat.e.s pour les terrains français, hollandais et indonésiens. 

Argument

The Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Amsterdam are looking for three PhD candidates who will participate in the ChemicalYouth Project, which is funded through a European Research Council Advanced Grant.

Project Description: The everyday lives of contemporary youths are awash with chemicals and pharmaceutical compounds to boost pleasure, moods, sexual performance, vitality, appearance and health. Nevertheless, most studies of chemical use among young people have focused on the abuse of specific recreational drugs and their role within deviant youth sub-cultures. Instead of explaining drug abuse with the purpose of controlling it, this project aims to examine the pervasive use of chemicals from the perspectives of youths themselves.

The Chemical Youth project will involve multi-sited ethnography in urban settings in four countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, the Netherlands and France). Through this call we are seeking PhD candidates for fieldwork in Indonesia, the Netherlands and France.

The project aims to understand what chemical and pharmaceutical substances, and not only illicit narcotics, ‘do’ for youths. How are chemicals a part of their everyday lives? What role do they play in calming their fears or in achieving their dreams and aspirations? How can we understand the ways in which chemicals affect their bodies and minds? To answer these questions the project will draw on and combine research repertoires from various disciplines - most notably medical anthropology, science and technology studies and youth studies. The social aim is to learn how, beyond policing and regulating transgressions, it will be possible to set up programs and interactive websites that support youth.

Tasks

• Conduct preliminary ‘grand tours’ to explore the chemical lives of youth with teams of research assistants, bachelor and masters students.
• Conduct focused ethnographic field research and virtual ethnography (where relevant) on the chemical lives of youth in selected urban settings Indonesia, France or the Netherlands.
• Collaborate with peers who are conducting fieldwork in other sites, to jointly define themes for in-depth inquiry and analysis.
• Write a PhD thesis as well as articles to be submitted to international refereed journals
• Participate in the AISSR PhD program
• Participate actively in (the organization of) conferences, workshops, seminars and other scholarly activities and in a variety of online communities.

Submission guidelines

Three PhD candidates for 38 hours per week or 1 FTE, for four years each

The PhD researchers will be based at the AISSR, which offers a stimulating intellectual environment across several social science disciplines.  

In the first year, PhD students will further participate in two core-courses and a series of workshops with international experts in the field, with an aim or preparing a proposal for an ethnographic study.

Applications must include, in a single PDF file:

• A curriculum vitae
• A motivation letter (maximum 400 words)
• Names and contact details of two recommenders
• A proposal for a focused ethnographic study (in Indonesia, France of the Netherlands) including a section on methodology, and a reflection on theoretical implications of the proposed study (2,000 words maximum)
• A copy of one or two written works (thesis and/or essay or and/or article) which provide evidence of ethnographic fieldwork experience and ability to theorize (not necessarily in the field of ChemicalYouth).
• if non-native English/French speaking a recent Toefl Score

Deadline for submissions 10^th July 2013.

Requirements

Candidates will have the following credentials:

• completed MA degree in social/cultural anthropology or closely related discipline
• Experience in conducting ethnographic fieldwork
• Willingness and demonstrated ability to work collegially with other members of the research team and participate actively in the activities of the project
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Research experience in the field of ChemicalYouth and relevant language competence(s) will be considered a strong advantage
• Ability to use NVivo or related software programs, and experience with virtual ethnography will also be considered an advantage.

Further information

For any additional information, contact the principal investigator, Professor Anita Hardon, a.p.hardon@uva.nl

See also: www.aissr.uva.nl ,see specifics of the health, care and the body program.

http://www.fmg.uva.nl/sociology_anthropology 

Appointment

The full-time appointments will be for a period of four years (12 months plus a further 36 months contingent on a satisfactory performance during the first year), starting 1 September 2013.

The gross monthly salary will be €2,042 in the first year and €2,612 in the fourth year, in accordance with the Dutch salary scales for PhD candidates.

Secondary benefits at Dutch universities are attractive and include 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end of year bonus.

Non-Europeans are given an equivalent stipend.

Evaluation

Applications will be evalueted by the steering committe of the ERC ChemicalYouth program:

• Anita Hardon (Principal Investigator)
• Nurul Ilmi Idrus
• Emilia Sanabria
• Michael Tan