HomeThree open postdoctoral positions at the labex "Pasts in the present"
Three open postdoctoral positions at the labex "Pasts in the present"
Trois contrats post-doctoraux du labex « Les passés dans le présent »
Published on Monday, April 14, 2014
Abstract
The cluster of excellence (labex) Pasts in the present : history, heritage, memory opens one-year postdoctoral positions.The postdoctoral positions are inscribed in the themes and projects of the cluster. For each of these full-time contracts, the postdoctoral researcher is expected to develop during part of his/her working time (1/3 max) a personal research project related to the themes of the labex Pasts in the Present.
Announcement
Argument
The Cluster of Excellence (labex) Pasts in the Present: history, heritage, memory is concerned with the presence of the past in contemporary society. More specifically, the cluster seeks to understand mediations of history in the digital age, politics of memory, social appropriations of the past up- and downstream from heritage policies. It is coordinated by the University Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense (UPO), in association with the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS). It unites on the campus of Nanterre University the Maison Archéologie et Ethnologie, René-Ginouvès (MAE), the laboratories Archéologies et sciences de l’antiquité (ArScAn), Préhistoire et technologie, Laboratoire d’ethnologie et de sociologie comparative (LESC), Institut des sciences sociales du politique (ISP), Modèles, dynamiques, corpus (Modyco), the research team Histoire des arts et représentations (HAR), and the Bibliothèque de documentation internationale contemporaine (BDIC). Three major national heritage institutions are also partners : the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), the musée d’Archéologie nationale (MAN), at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the musée du quai Branly.
The reflection is interdisciplinary and organised in two tightly interdependent fundamental themes. The first, “Connections to the past: representations and assessments,” seeks a global analysis of representations of the past from every epic: analysis of the processes of creating heritage or the constitution of collective memory (since Antiquity); studies on public reception of contemporary practices of mediating history; propositions of repositories and of modes of interoperability adapted to mediations of history in the digital age. The second, “Active knowledge of the past: tools and practices of transmission,” seeks to make publicly available several categories of new digitized collections relating to ancient, medieval, and contemporary history. Some of these collections concern the history of disciplines, such as, ethnology, archaeology, ethnomusicology, and history of art. This second axis relies on knowledge bases and archives conserved at Paris Ouest (MAE, BDIC, laboratories ArScAn, Préhistoire et technologie, LESC), as well as at the BnF, the MAN, and the Quai Branly Museum.
As part of the general reflection on digital humanities, the labex Pasts in the Present seeks to work on the interoperability of theses corpuses not only between partners but also with other databases, in order to inscribe them in the Web of Data (Linked Data). This implies modelling catalogues and inventories, using international standards of data representation and of enrichment of the indexing metadata.
For each of these full-time one-year contracts, the postdoctoral researcher is expected to develop during part of his/her working time (1/3 max) a personal research project related to the themes of the labex Pasts in the Present.
For more information about the labex : www.passes-present.eu
-
The impact of the archives digitization on social sciences and humanities research
This postdoctoral position is part of the project "Active knowledge of the past: practices and tools of transmission” the second theme of the labex Pasts in the Present. Over the last twenty years, the development of collections of humanities and social sciences archives (including their digitization) have created new conditions for research and for the management of documents. Three digital corpora, preserved in the MAE, are the basis of different platform projects implemented under the LABEX. The purpose of the study is to understand the implications of digitization for the use of archives, in research practices, and in ways of thinking/modes of thought. The differences of the three corpora as to the nature of the documents, their processing and their online accessibility will give a comparative dimension to the study. The study could include the practices of consultation of dematerialized archives, accessed by local (intranet) or remote access (internet), by free or controlled access (registration and access code), allowing or not allowing collaborative work.
For more information, please visit the “Active knowledge of the past” section on the cluster’s website, and more specifically the following projects : Archives of archaeological digs at prehistoric and ancient sites, Sources of ethnomusicology, The birth of French ethnology. The first ethnographic missions to Africa.
Mission
The candidate will undertake an ethnography of practice, using surveys and participant observation of the producers and / or of the depositors, of the archival staff, and of the users, (either they are engaged in a scientific project or interested by the resources for any other reasons). The data collected will help the researcher to an epistemological reflection; he or she will also collect information about ongoing work on this issue and will organize a Workshop for the labex. The methodology and contents of the surveys will be established in coordination with S. Blanchy and the three service managers (E. Bellon, A. Julien-Da Cruz Lima, M.-D. Mouton/F. Dubois).
Required profile
The candidate should hold a PhD in anthropology (specialized in anthropology of knowledge) or in sociology, history or philosophy of science, he or she should be proficient in the ethnographic method (observation, interview) and have a good knowledge on archive issues and/or on digital humanities. He (she) must have got his (her) PhD between June 1st, 2009 and the date of application to this position. His (her) French ought to be fluent.
As written in introduction, the applicants whose personal research projects echo directly to the overall interrogations of the labex Pasts in Present will be greatly appreciated
The post-PhD student will work in close collaboration with Sophie Blanchy, Senior researcher of the CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research) and member of the LESC, UMR 7186.
Duration of the contract: 12 month, full-time
Beginning of the contract: June 2014
-
“Ordinary” conceptions and “vernacular” vocabulary in the mediation of history
This research project is part of the labex larger program on « Connections to the past: representations and assessments ». It questions the mediation of history and the ordinary connections to the past. Most case-studies analyzing the relationship to the past are grounded in a qualitative or ethnographic approach with clearly identified institutions (political party, family, school…) and inscribed in a period of time, or, inversely, punctual interactional situations with heritage institutions (museums, memorials, historical productions).
Both in the continuity of these questions and breaking from these exclusive approaches, this research project aims at evaluating the widest shared contents and forms of connections to the past and the impact of public debates focused on « memory », while reintegrating this analysis with classic sociological questionnings. Class membership, religious beliefs, migratory and social trajectories, education level, gender, mobilization context, etc. are thus tackled in this study. The post-doc fellow will be associated to the team of researchers conducting the programme based on qualitative surveys.
For more information about this project, please visit section « Connections to the past » on the cluster’s website.
Mission :
The applicant is expected to organise and conduct, alongside with the team of researchers, the various steps of the survey.
Required profile
The candidate should hold a PhD in sociology, political sciences, anthropology or history. He/She must have got his/her PhD between June 1st, 2009 and the date of application to this position. His (her) French ought to be fluent. Without being necessarily a specialist of memory or connections to the past issues, he/she should show enough interest on those questions so as to integrate the project from a scientific perspective.
A good experience in qualitiative surveys and an appetite for exploring less experienced methodologies on this specific theme (focus groups and projective tests) are expected as well.
As written in introduction, the applicants whose personal research projects echo directly to the overall interrogations of the labex Pasts in Present will be greatly appreciated
The post-doc fellow will work closely with Mrs Marie-Claire Lavabre, Senior Research Fellow, CNRS, and director of the Institute of Social Sciences of Politics (ISP), and with the ISP team.
Duration of the contract: 12 month, full-time
Beginning of the contract : September 2014
-
Reception, use and appropriation of historical exhibitions in a commemorative context
This research project is part of the labex larger program on « Connections to the past: representations and assessments ». For the past ten years, Historical exhibitions have been seen as a tool to favour shared memories, tolerance and citizenship. However, up to now, scholars have almost not studied the social dynamic of their visits. Understanding what happens, and is at stake, during these visits is at the core of this research project. Besides visitors studies field, this perspective tackles general sociological issues such as the transformation of individual representations through time and the way individuals get familiar to the past.
The project has the ambition to draw a new methodological approach of these issues. Given the commemoration of WWI to come in 2014, it will focus on the study of reception, use and appropriation of some of the historical exhibitions scheduled fro 2014, among which the one curated by the Musée de l’Armée and the BDIC, an active participant in this project in addition to the sociologists from the ISP.
For more information about this project, please visit section « Connections to the past » on the cluster’s website.
Mission
The applicant is expected to coordinate the fieldwork alongside the head of the project and a team of research assistants. He (she) will have to take an active part in the restitution and analysis of the results, including in collective publications.
Required profile
The applicant must be a doctor in sociology, political science or anthropology. He (she) must have earned his (her) PhD between June 1st, 2009 and the date of application to this position. The applicant is expected to have an extensive knowledge of the literature on history museums and memory studies. His (her) French ought to be fluent.
An experience in ethnographic field work, if possible with visitors and more broadly an appetite for methodological challenges as well as a capacity to organize teamwork are also expected.
As written in introduction, the applicants whose personal research projects echo directly to the overall interrogations of the labex Pasts in Present will be greatly appreciated
The post-doc fellow will work closely with Sarah Gensburger, a tenured junior researcher at the CNRS and an ISP member.
Duration of the contract: 12 month, full-time
Beginning of the contract: June 2014
Application
Eligibility
The applicant must have earned his (her) PhD between June 1st, 2009 and the date of application to this position.
Elements of the application
- cover letter ;
- curriculum vitae and list of publications ;
- personal research project (5 pages maximum) ;
- letter(s) of recommendation from qualified individuals (if possible) ;
- final thesis report (if it exists) ;
- copy of the PhD diploma.
Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Submission
The complete application, both electronic and paper, must be sent by May 12th, 2014, 12 :00. (date as per postmark).
Please use dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com) to share your electronic application (please create a unique PDF document) via the following address : postdoc2014@passes-present.eu.
Please name your electronic application as the following example : POSTDOC14 – LAST NAME Name.pdf .
The paper application must be sent to the following address :
Labex Les passés dans le présent
Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense
Maison Max Weber (bât T) – Bureau T209
200 avenue de la République
92001 Nanterre Cedex
An electronic confirmation will be sent for each application received.
Recruitment process
The panel will select candidates it wishes to interview. Selected candidates will be announced on May 15th, 2014.
The interviews will take place on May 27th and 28th, 2014, at the University Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense.
The candidates selected for the positions will be announced on May 30th, 2014.
For more information, please write to: postdoc2014@passes-present.eu
Subjects
- Ethnology, anthropology (Main category)
- Society > Science studies > History of science
- Society > Science studies > Sociology of science
- Society > Science studies
- Society > Science studies > Philosophy of science
- Mind and language > Epistemology and methodology
- Mind and language > Epistemology and methodology > Corpus approaches, surveys, archives
- Mind and language > Epistemology and methodology > Digital humanities
Places
- 200 avenue de la République
Nanterre, France (92)
Date(s)
- Monday, May 12, 2014
Attached files
Keywords
- archives, recherche, digital humanities, humanités numériques, numérisation, digitization, research,
Contact(s)
- Ghislaine Glasson Deschaumes
courriel : info [dot] aap2017 [at] passes-present [dot] eu
Reference Urls
Information source
- Hélène de Foucaud
courriel : hdefouca [at] parisnanterre [dot] fr
License
This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal.
To cite this announcement
« Three open postdoctoral positions at the labex "Pasts in the present" », Scholarship, prize and job offer, Calenda, Published on Monday, April 14, 2014, https://doi.org/10.58079/pxj
