Leiden University, Faculty of Humanities, Institute for History & Roosevelt Institute for American Studies

The Faculty of Humanities Leiden University and the Roosevelt Institute for American Studies (RIAS) are pleased to announce a vacancy for a

Professor by special appointment (bijzonder hoogleraar) for the chair “Transatlantic Environmental History,” 1 day per week (0.2 fte)

Since its founding in the 1960s and 1970s, environmental history—broadly defined as the study of human interaction with the natural world over time—has become one of the most innovative and important subdisciplines within the historical academic community. Environmental history has indeed broadened historical inquiries into a wide range of themes by revealing how human interactions with the natural world have affected, undergirded, and been influenced by global events. Recent studies of environmental history have for example deepened historians’ understandings of a wide variety of themes that include (but are not limited to) human rights, warfare, state and nation formation, international relations, economic development, social (in)equalities, asymmetrical dependencies, world systems analysis, and culture.

Transatlantic environmental history has become ever more pressing in recent years, as historians deepen their inquiries into the social, cultural, economic, and political ties that have linked the Atlantic world in facing common challenges related to climate change, water management, nuclear waste, etc.

The RIAS is committed to further developing academic and public understandings of transatlantic cooperation and challenges related to environmental themes writ large, especially those most pressing to American and Dutch society in the modern era. At present the RIAS is developing a new research profile in environmental history centered around the theme of “sustainable freedom,” which links the past and present of collective environmental issues to human rights.

More information about the new research profile can be found here: <link to PDF>

Key Responsibilities

• To conduct scholarly research in the field of Transatlantic Environmental History
• To initiate, stimulate, and supervise doctoral research
• To bring the field to the attention of a wider audience, in the Netherlands and abroad, by means of lectures and publications in conventional and new media
• To help organize academic and public activities (including conferences, lectures, and symposia) in the field of Transatlantic Environmental History at the Roosevelt Institute for American Studies in Middelburg
• To participate in a relevant research programme at the Institute for History
• Administrative duties

Selection Criteria

• You hold a PhD degree in a relevant field
• You have a solid international research portfolio and reputation in Transatlantic Environmental History
• You have experience in supervising PhD research
• You are able to attract research funding
• You are proficient in English and preferably also in Dutch.
• You have affinity with and capacity for teamwork, collegiality and social leadership in an intercultural work environment;

About the Faculty of Humanities

Since its founding in 1575,Leiden Universityhas acquired an international reputation for excellent teaching and research.With its staff of over 800, the Faculty of Humanities provides 26 Bachelors and 27 Masters programmes for over 7200 students based at locations in Leiden’s historic city centre and in The Hague.

The Institute for History is the home of a vibrant community of researchers and lecturers with outstanding track records and successful in attracting national and international research grants. Under the label ‘Global Questions, Local Sources’ scholars affiliated to the Institute combine a deep knowledge of global interactions and of specific localities, regions and states in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. They use comparative, connective and entangled approaches and resort to qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

All researchers of the Institute for History are connected to one of the six research specializations: The Unification of the Mediterranean World (400 BC – 400 AD), Collective Identities and Transnational Networks in Medieval and Early Modern Europe, 1000-1800, Political Culture and National Identities, Colonial and Global History, Cities, Migration and Global Interdependence, and History and International Relations. For more information on the Institute for Historyhttps://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/humanities/institute-for-history.

About the RIAS

The Roosevelt Institute for American Studies is a research institute with a strategic cooperation partnership with the Faculty of Humanities at Leiden University. Located in the capital of Zeeland, the RIAS is the Netherlands’ preeminent archive, research center, and graduate school for the study of American history and transatlantic relations. The institute organizes academic, educational, and public activities aimed at the study of America in all its facets and from transatlantic perspectives and is particularly committed to research that enhances historical themes that affect both American and Dutch society (including slavery, human rights, environmental challenges, and international relations).

More information about RIAS can be found on its website at www.roosevelt.nl.

Diversity and Inclusion
Leiden University’s Institute for History embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized backgrounds to apply.

Terms and conditions

The chair is installed at Leiden University at the Institute for History for a period of five years for one day per week (0,2 fte). The professor by special appointment will not be employed by the University; the CAO NU is not applicable. Therefore, it is necessary that the professor to be appointed is already employed elsewhere. The RIAS finances the chair and the location for the professors’ activities is Middelburg.

For the remuneration of the professor, a connection is sought as much as possible with the scaling amounts of an Associate Professor 2 CAO NU. As an indication: a minimum of € 5.506,- and a maximum of € 7.362,- gross for 38 hours.
The starting date is 1 September 2023 or sooner if possible.

Further Information

Enquiries may be directed to the Director of RIAS, prof. dr. Damian Pargas, via e-mail: d.a.pargas@hum.leidenuniv.nl.

Applications

Please submit your applications for the combined professorship before 20 January 2022 via the recruitment system of University Leiden, by clicking on the blue button on this page. In your application – in the form of a single PDF file – please include the following items in the following order:

• Application letter, including a vision of the working field of the chair (max. 2 pages)

• CV, including education, positions filled, employers, publication list, courses designed and given, research projects, grants and prizes, etc.

• Names and contact details of three referees (no reference letters at this stage)

The selection procedure may include a trial lecture. The interviews for invited candidates are expected to take place in February and March 2023.