National Research Foundation Programme in Geopolitics and the Arts of Africa
Fine Art Department, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa
Suitable candidates are invited to apply for Postdoctoral Fellowships in Art History/Visual Studies or
cognate disciplines that engage with the research themes below. Fellows will be hosted by the National
Research Foundation SARChI Chair in Geopolitics and the Arts of Africa at Rhodes University in
Makhanda, South Africa.
The successful Postdoctoral Fellows will be active participants in the NRF research team that is made
up of the Research Chair (Prof Ruth Simbao), Research Associates (based in South Africa, Nigeria,
Uganda, China, Brazil, Jamaica and Australia), Postgraduate Students and Affiliated Artists.
GOALS OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME
* Produce high-quality research outputs in the visual and performing arts
* Foster a culture of academic sharing and cooperation by working on related research themes
* Develop research capacity through a co-operative research culture
* Build collaborations with scholars and artists across the African continent and within the global south
RESEARCH THEMES (2021-2025)
* Art, Activism and Social Justice
* Grounding, Reducing, Decelerating: Art, Environments and Materialities
* Rising Souths: Reorienting Art’s Futures
* Epistemological Intimacies: Ways of Practicing and Being as Ways of Knowing
SUMMARY OF FELLOWSHIP CRITERIA
* Candidates must have obtained their PhD in a relevant discipline within the last five years. (If your
PhD thesis is currently under examination, you may still apply, but confirmation of the award is
dependent on the outcome of the examination).
* Research needs to connect meaningfully to at least one of the Research Themes
* Candidates must be of exceptional merit as evidenced by the quality of their research
* Preference will be given to candidates based on the African continent and in the Global South
* Candidates need to demonstrate an ability to submit for publication at least two new articles based on
original research in relevant accredited journals during the Fellowship
CONDITIONS OF THE AWARD
* Successful candidates must reside in Makhanda, South Africa, for the full duration of the Fellowship
(Fellows may attend relevant conferences, and can apply for support if they are presenting their work)
* The Fellowship cannot be held concurrently with supplementary funding or salary
* The University expects that all publications, creative works and other academic products of the
Fellowship will bear appropriate acknowledgement with full affiliation to Rhodes University and the
NRF/DSI Research Chair in Geopolitics and the Arts of Africa
* The University reserves the right to request the refund of any funds paid to the Fellow should the
Fellow terminate her or his contract prior to its completion
APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINE
Please email a brief Expression of Interest to Charmaine Mostert (c.mostert@ru.ac.za) in order to
request an Application Form and a synopsis of the Research Themes. In the Expression of Interest
include the following: 1) your discipline and area of research, 2) the date your PhD was awarded (date
on the certificate) or date of PhD submission if examination is still in process, 3) the institution that
awarded the degree, and 4) your current institutional affiliation (if applicable).
Submit the completed Application Form and accompanying documents listed on the form to Charmaine
Mostert (c.mostert@ru.ac.za) by 31 August 2021. If you have any questions, please contact Charmaine
Mostert.
Further information on the research programme: www.ru.ac.za/artsofafrica/ and
www.facebook.com/groups/artsloungeafrica/.