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Post-doctoral position in Ethnomusicology

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Position description

The Department of Music at the University of California Davis invites applications for a full-time post-doctoral position in ethnomusicology. The appointment is for one year.

The position is funded through the Henry Luce Foundation. The project, “Toward a music history of the Indonesian archipelago,” has two overall goals: (1) to consolidate and corroborate existing evidence about the musics of the Indonesia archipelago, and (2) to mine a hitherto underutilized resource: documentation, in assorted media, from Christian missions that took root in many parts of the East Indies in the colonial era.

The post-doctoral scholar(s) will (1) identify, procure, and examine mission archival data for information about musics in the Indonesian archipelago together with the project’s principal investigators, Anna Maria Busse Berger and Henry Spiller; (2) help organize and participate in one or both of two international conferences, to be held in Davis (November 2021 and November 2022) that will invite scholars to share research related to music history in Indonesia and Christian missionaries’ musical activities in Indonesia; (3) pursue the post-doctoral scholar’s own research. The position comes with $2,000 of research/travel funding.

The post-doctoral scholar may be eligible to apply for teaching position(s) at UC Davis during their term, which would result in a salary increment.
PhD in ethnomusicology, musicology, history, anthropology, or another related discipline is required. Degree in hand at the time of appointment (applications from students close to completing their degrees considered). Candidates’ research must relate to the project’s overall goals; candidates should provide evidence of ongoing interest and research in the musical records of missionaries and/or historical documentation of the musics of Indonesia. In their letter of application, candidates should address their specific relationship to the project goals, as well as potential qualifications for undergraduate or graduate courses (if applicable). Submit CV, application letter, and three letters of recommendation to: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF04006

The position will remain open until filled.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter

  • Statement of Research (Optional)

  • Statement of Teaching (Optional)

  • Statement of Diversity

Reference requirements
  • 3 letters of reference required
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Job location

Davis, CA