Research Associate (m/f/d) , The Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin)

The Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin) is one of the largest, most diverse and well-established art universities in the world – with around 4,000 students, 30% of whom are international students. The range of study programmes offered by the Colleges of Fine Arts, Architecture, Media and Design, Music, and Performing Arts as well as the Berlin Career College, the Jazz Institute Berlin and the lnter-University Centre for Dance Berlin covers the whole spectrum of the arts and art-related studies in over 70 degree programmes. With its right to confer doctorate and post-doctorate degrees, the UdK Berlin is also one of the few higher education institutions for the arts in Germany with university status. Teachers in art, music, and theatre are also educated at the UdK Berlin, the only university in Berlin where these subjects can be studied. Around 200 artistic and academic professors, about 250 research and artistic assistants and lecturers, and around 300 employees in administration, libraries, service and technology work at the UdK Berlin. Offering around 700 events per year, the UdK Berlin is also a key actor in Berlin’s cultural landscape.

The UdK Berlin is seeking to fill the following post at the College of Architecture, Media and Design – Institute for History and Theory of Design (IGTG) – within the DFG project “A Critical Art History of International and World Expositions: Decentering Fashion and Modernities”, in the subproject “De-/Colonial Modernities: Representing ‘Peripheries’ at World’s Fairs“:

Research Associate (m/f/d)

– Salary group 13 TV-L Berliner Hochschulen –

with 65 % of the regular weekly working hours and the opportunity for further qualification (PhD) within three years

Appointment: 1 October 2022                                                                 Reference number: 2/1843/22

The world exhibitions of the 19th and early 20th centuries gave significant impetus to the history of art and fashion. The research project proposes for the first time to perform a thorough reappraisal of the entangled histories of art and fashion within the context of the world exhibitions against the background of colonialism, imperialism and globalisation. The subproject centres on questions concerning the artistic and curatorial strategies of Latin American presentations in the field of tension between ‘periphery’ and ‘metropolis’, on the role of different artistic media in the context of colonial and postcolonial localizations at international exhibitions, and on implicit and explicit temporalities and constructions of modernity.

The subproject is one of two studying the “peripheral” positions at the world exhibitions of the 19th and 20th century from the perspective of art history and art theory. A theoretical positioning and/or discussion of content within the critical studies, postcolonial and gender-critical discourses are desirable.

The position offers diverse insights into the art-theoretical work and the cooperation in a trans-university and international team/network.

Duties the open position offers:

• collaboration on the above-mentioned subproject, including preparation of a doctoral project within that context
• collaboration at conferences and cooperation with the German Centre for Art History (DFK) in Paris and the Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt foundation
• publication of the research results, also within the context of the dissertation and also as an open-access publication

Requirements:

• a university degree (Master) in art history, art theory or an equivalent cultural studies discipline
• experience of independent scientific work, a profound interest in questions of art history and theory, especially focused on the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, and with an interest in postcolonial questions (own research project on this subject)
• high motivation to be involved in interdisciplinary and international collaboration
• a capacity for teamwork
• a willingness to play an active role in organising events (conferences, workshops)
• some basic experience of scientific publishing and a willingness to build on it 
• very good written and spoken Spanish and English; a good working knowledge of German is desirable

What we offer:

• an interesting, varied academic and artistic environment providing access to various artistic events of all disciplines
• the possibility of further education and training
• additional pension scheme
• flexible working hours
• occupational health management
• good public transport connections to the workplace and a discounted ticket for public transport (VBB job ticket)
• international staff exchange

UdK Berlin is committed to being a non-discriminatory learning, teaching and working environment of equal opportunity and is working towards removing structural barriers (such as, for example, physical, language, racial, age-related, gender-specific, heteronormative and other barriers). It is striving to increase the proportion of women on its staff by recruiting and promoting qualified women, especially in executive positions and in areas in which they are underrepresented, and places particular emphasis on an intersectional approach. UdK Berlin expressly invites qualified candidates with a history of migration, black people and/or people of colour to apply. Equally qualified applicants with a recognised severe disability receive preferential consideration. If you have a severe disability, please mention it in your application.

Please send your written application by post, including relevant supporting documents (motivation letter with concrete dissertation idea exposé, a complete Master’s dissertation (only digitally by e-mail) and a list of publications, if applicable) and providing the reference number, by 15 August 2022 to the Berlin University of the Arts – ZSD 1 –, Postfach 12 05 44, 10595 Berlin; parcels should be sent to the building address: Berlin University of the Arts – ZSD 1 –, Einsteinufer 43, 10587 Berlin.

Please also send your application in electronic form (summarized in one PDF, max. 3 MB and the complete Master’s dissertation) to m.oesterreich@udk-berlin.de and to fk2sb9@intra.udk-berlin.de. By submitting an application, you consent to your data being electronically processed and saved.

Please contact Prof. Dr. Miriam Oesterreich, m.oesterreich@udk-berlin.de, for any further information you may require.

For cost reasons, application documents can only be returned if a sufficiently stamped return envelope is attached.  

Further information is available at www.udk-berlin.de/universitaet/stellenausschreibungen/

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