Two PhD Positions for the NWO Project “Boom to Dust”

The African Studies Centre Leiden is looking for:

Two PhD candidates (1.0 fte) for the NWO project “Boom to Dust: The Environmental History of Three Industrial Mining Centres in Southern Africa, 1870-2020”.

This research project is funded by an NWO Open Competition Grant, and is led by Prof. dr. Jan-Bart Gewald and hosted by the African Studies Centre Leiden.

There are three industrial mining centres in southern Africa that once stood at the forefront of imperial expansion; Kimberley (South Africa), Kabwe (Zambia), and Tsumeb (Namibia). Once they promised modernity, progress and economic development, but now they are bedevilled by the toxic legacy of economic collapse, societal upheaval and environmental ruin. “Boom to Dust” will research and write the post-humanist multi-species environmental histories of these three industrial mining centres between 1870 and 2020.

Given the fact that mineral extraction, once heralded as the epitome of progress, lies at the root of the Climate Crisis in the Anthropocene, yet is touted as essential for the “Green Revolution”, the time has come for a more critical approach to answer the question, what was the environmental impact of the industrial mining revolution that transformed southern Africa? Specifically, what was the impact of industrial mining when viewed from a more than human multi-species perspective? Succinctly, how did industrial mining transform the living space of plants and animals (including humans) in specific mining towns.The project will investigate the environmental history of three industrial mining centres in southern Africa.

Key responsibilities

• Carry out an original research project relating to one of the mining centres.
• Gather empirical data in southern Africa.
• Conduct library and archival research in Europe and southern Africa.
• Participate in three periods of field research of 3 months, 12 months and 1 month in southern Africa.
• Use visual and digital methods.
• Submit monthly reports, some of which will be used as blogs on the project website.
• Submit a PhD thesis within four years, publish at least one peer-reviewed journal article, and one article in a project-related edited volume.
• Attend the meetings of the ASCL Graduate Programme African Studies.
• Comply with the rules and regulations of the ASCL PhD programme and the Leiden University Humanities Graduate School.
• Co-organise and participate in academic and public events.
• You will be part of a team comprising two PhD candidates, and the principal investigator. The team will collaboratively address the larger theoretical questions posed by the project through reading groups, co-writing projects, and academic and public events.
• The entire team is expected to reside in the Netherlands and work from Leiden for the duration of the project except for the fieldwork periods.

Selection criteria

• The candidate should hold at least a master’s degree with distinction in either History, Anthropology, Archaeology, Sociology, Cultural Studies or other relevant discipline in the social sciences or humanities from an institution compatible to Dutch University level.
• The candidate must have a demonstrable interest in history, mineral extraction, and environmental affairs.
• The candidate must be prepared to conduct archival research as well as field research.
• Willingness to travel, including for fieldwork.
• Willingness to relocate to the Netherlands for the duration of the position.
• For one of the positions it will be necessary for the student to be able to read and speak German.
• English language proficiency:
  IELTS: academic modules only. Minimum score 7.0 overall, and a minimum score of 7.0 is required for each of the four components. (Not accepted: IELTS General Training or IELTS Indicator.).
  TOEFL: internet based (IBT): Minimum score 100 overall, a minimum score of 25 is required for each of the four components. (Not accepted: TOEFL My Best ™ scores (multiple test scores combined), TOEFL Essentials™, institutional tests such as ITP.). Cambridge Advanced Certificate: Minimum score 185. You can be exempted from submitting one of the above-mentioned English test results if: You have an International Baccalaureate™ Diploma (IB DP) taught in English. You completed your secondary or higher education in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada (except French-taught programmes in Canada) Singapore, South Africa or Malta. Dutch PhD candidates with pre-university education (vwo) level English. English taught MA programme at a Dutch research university. In exceptional cases, PhD candidates who otherwise qualify for an exemption but whose application documents cast doubt on their English proficiency, may be asked to take an English test.
• Demonstrable fieldwork experience on the African continent.
• The ability to work independently, and as part of a team.
• Applications by candidates who already hold a PhD degree, or who are enrolled as PhD candidate at the time of applying will not be accepted.

For the full text of the vacancy and applications procedure, click here.