Call Visiting Fellowships 2026 KITLV

Call for Applications: KITLV Visiting Fellowships 2026 - 1

The KITLV invites scholars working in the fields of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies to apply for a Visiting Fellowship.

Duration
Duration: 3 months

Our offer
The selected candidates will be offered:

• A return air or train fare (economy) to and from the Netherlands;
• Reimbursement of the costs of their accommodation in Leiden (including rent, energy costs, and if applicable service costs) up to a maximum of € 2,000 per month, based on proof of payment;
• A monthly compensation for higher living costs in Leiden, as compared to the main place of residence (calculated on a case-by-case basis).

If needed, the KITLV can provide a formal letter of invitation and offer support in applying for a residence permit. The institute will not, however, assist in finding suitable accommodation. The latter is the fellow’s own responsibility.

Collection Developer (International Collections)

What will you be doing?
You define a collection development policy for your specialisation and contribute to the general policy. You are aware of the past and present collection practices of the IISH, but also understand where innovation is required and possible. You recognize the importance of increasing diversity and inclusiveness within the Institute's collections and you will contribute to the development of more participatory working methods.
Specifically, this means:

• You actively search for relevant collections and data and explore collaboration opportunities. You respond to offers received by the IISH and are involved in appraising previous acquisitions. Part of the work also involves advising on sustainable access outside the Institute;
• You develop and maintain a network of contacts with individuals and organizations. You receive collections, make appointments, record information about the collections and collaborate with other Data and Collections staff members;
• To the extent deemed suitable within the particular specialisation, you participate in, organise and supervise archival projects and partnerships, including digitisation;
• You will pay particular attention to developing collections from non-dominant sources that highlight underrepresented voices and themes;
• You have contact with researchers, users and social partners to link collection development to user needs, research programs as well as international social, economic and political issues;
• You actively work within the Collection Development department and contribute to the larger Data and Collections department;
• You contribute to the visibility and impact of our work and the IISH collections by giving presentations, publishing information and sharing your knowledge with third parties.

Where will you be working?
You will be working in the Collection Development department, which is responsible for developing and implementing the policy of acquiring and developing collections. The department consists of seven motivated employees with their own specialisation. Collection developers manage relationships with and facilitate the provision of services to record creators. You will work partly independently and partly in close collaboration with the rest of the team, and you will report to the head of the department.
The department is part of the larger Data and Collections department, which also includes Collection Processing, Data and Enrichment, and Public Services. The Data and Collections department is undergoing change, with the sub-departments increasingly working collaboratively to better align work processes and capacity.

You are based in the Netherlands, but will be travelling regularly to develop and maintain networks and personal contacts.

Impact Developer - Bureau - KNAW

Werken in het hart van de Nederlandse wetenschap: als Impact Developer help jij nieuwe inzichten vanuit ons onderzoek naar de juiste gebruikers te circuleren om maatschappelijke impact te maken. Of de gebruikers nu beleidsmakers, NGO’s, bedrijven, hogescholen, erfgoedinstellingen of ziekenhuizen zijn. Of de kennis nu uit het levenswetenschappelijke, sociale of geesteswetenschappelijke domein komt.

Dit ga je doen
Je brengt samen met de wetenschapper in kaart wie de gebruikers van hun vergaarde kennis zouden moeten zijn. Vervolgens help je de wetenschapper om de vergaarde kennis bij de juiste gebruikers te brengen en te laten circuleren, op een manier die zijn doel bereikt. Je verdiept je in een rijk palet aan potentiële gebruikers en ontwikkelt strategieën om hen zo effectief mogelijk te bereiken. Hierbij ben je het gezicht en aanspreekpunt, zowel binnen als buiten de organisatie. Met de instituten van de KNAW werk je samen binnen onze strategische thema’s: gezonde mensen, weerbare samenlevingen en een duurzame planeet.

Dit is een resultaatgerichte en faciliterende functie gericht op het realiseren van toegevoegde waarde in een dynamische en internationale omgeving waarbij je in het hart van de Nederlandse wetenschap staat.

Een greep uit jouw werk als Impact Developer:

• Je analyseert de huidige situatie – per strategisch thema / per instituut – en maakt aanbevelingen voor het verbeteren van verbindingen tussen maatschappij en wetenschap.
• Je organiseert gezamenlijke bijeenkomsten, bijvoorbeeld met een erfgoedinstelling en onze geesteswetenschappelijke PhD-studenten, of met een vereniging voor natuurbehoud en onze levenswetenschappelijke Post-docs die leiden tot nieuwe inzichten en inspiratie bij de professionele gebruiker én bij de KNAW-onderzoekers.
• Je initieert en helpt mee met het schrijven aan een subsidieaanvraag voor een ERC Proof-of-Concept.
• Je werkt een notitie uit voor de directie van de KNAW voor het opzetten van een Impact Accelerator voor het strategische thema van weerbare samenlevingen.

Postdoctoral Researcher position Toxicities in Industrial Greenhouse Agriculture - Meertens

Briefly, VITALGREENHOUSE project aims to investigate greenhouse industrial agriculture in the Netherlands and Spain, as sites embedded within a long history of human-environment relations, integrating questions of landscape exploitation, digitalization, mobilities, and human and non-human labor. The project seeks to generate new critical perspectives on planetary transformations and advance theoretical debates in critical infrastructure studies, multispecies relations, and decolonial thought.

The postdoctoral researcher will conduct a detailed ethnographic study in greenhouse horticultural landscapes in the Netherlands and Spain. Greenhouses have become a focal point of public concern regarding toxicity, particularly in both countries, where European industrial agriculture is most concentrated. Growing unease centers on the toxic effects of pesticides used in these areas. The public debate is often framed in oppositional terms; on one side, greenhouse growers emphasize their adherence to legal limits for pesticide use based on food safety regulations; on the other, critics highlight ecological and health consequences. These polarized debates reveal deeper tensions between economic interest, food security, and concerns about ecological and public health.

During the twentieth century, dominant toxicological thinking held that “the dose makes the poison,” supporting cost-benefit approaches that assumed risks could be minimized by keeping concentrations below established thresholds. This paradigm is now challenged from within the scientific community. Eco-toxicologists emphasize that the problem lies not only in the individual chemicals but in the combined and cumulative effects of legally permitted low-dose concentrations. Pesticide traces extend far beyond the sprayed crops and greenhouse walls – they have been detected in birds and eggs, household dust, present in breast milk and used diapers, and even on doormats. These mixtures are understood to interfere with the biological functioning of both human and non-human bodies, suggesting that exposure occurs through everyday practices such as breathing, eating, and skin contact with contaminated surfaces or materials.

Postdoctoral researcher in the field of Food Studies

Project description

The TASTE Project, funded by the European Research Council and running from June 2024 to summer 2029, explores culinary change by focusing on three Indonesian diasporas. It investigates how these cuisines have historically adapted to new environments and continue to evolve today. The project examines the complex cultural, historical, social, economic, and environmental forces that shape, intersect, and sometimes conflict in these processes.
The project, consisting of a principal investigator and three PhD candidates studying taste transformations in South Africa, Suriname, and Sri Lanka, is now seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join the team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Conducting your own research and publishing the findings, aiming to produce at least one peer-reviewed journal article per year on food within the broader framework of the TASTE Project, as well as one public-facing output annually (e.g., a popular article, podcast, or video).
• Identifying and synthesizing synergies across the distinct PhD projects in Suriname, South Africa, and Sri Lanka, including by maintaining regular contact with the PhD researchers during their fieldwork.
• Taking a leading role, both intellectually and logistically, in co-editing a volume on culinary change in Indonesian diasporas
• Actively participating in academic conferences, workshops, and other scholarly and outreach activities
• Playing a proactive, hands-on role in supporting project administration and financial oversight.

Your research background
We invite applications from candidates with a strong track record in the study of socio-cultural aspects of food. The ideal candidate will have a background in anthropology, history, economic history, ethnobotany, human geography, cultural studies, sociology, political science, or a related field. Experience with the sensory and embodied dimensions of food beyond textual sources is highly desirable. Additionally, being connected to local networks in any of the destination countries will be considered a significant asset.

Possible specializations may include but are not limited to:

• Gender and intergenerational memory.
• Cutting-edge sensory ethnographic research on how taste functions both methodologically and practically.
• Global political economy (agribusiness, commodity trade, the global spread of industrialized foods) and its impact on diasporic food cultures (e.g. through changes in ingredient availability).
• Human-nature relationships under colonial settings and the ways they manifests today.
• Diasporic foodways amidst the rise of gastro-nationalism, heritagization, and culinary diplomacy.

Information
For further information on this project, please get in touch with Tom Hoogervorst (hoogervorst[at]kitlv.nl)

Applications
Please submit your application package by 20 August 2025, 12:00 CEST, using the blue button in our online application system. The selection process will remain open until the position is filled. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in an online interview.

Applications must be submitted online. The motivation letter and CV should be combined into a single document, as the application system allows only two uploads:

• A combined motivation letter (maximum 600 words) and detailed curriculum vitae.
• A relevant sample article (published or accepted for publication).