2-Year Postdoctoral Fellowships in Antwerp and Geneva, For Work On Emotions and Mental Imagery (EXPIRED)

Applications are invited for a two-year, full-time postdoctoral fellowships to work on the project “Emotion and mental imagery”. The project is supported by the Swiss SNSF and the Belgian FWO. The principal investigators are Fabrice Teroni, Julien Deonna (Geneva) and Bence Nanay (Antwerp). The recipient will be expected to spend the first year in Antwerp and the second year in Geneva. The start date in Antwerp is September 1, 2022, and the start date in Geneva is September 1, 2023, but in both cases the start date can be negotiated. 

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT: The project aims to explore the rich interactions between emotions and mental imagery, which we think has important benefits both for the study of emotions and for the study of mental imagery. The project is structured around two main hypotheses. The first hypothesis is that a focus on imagery is key to resolve central issues in emotion research. In providing a much-needed middle-ground, appeal to imagery helps rise above the tired opposition between belief-centred accounts and perception-centred accounts. The second hypothesis is that a focus on emotions is key to resolve central issues in imagery research. Appeal to emotions helps stimulate a research that has for too long centred on “affect-free” imagery and appreciate the significant roles imagery plays in our mental lives. The central motivation behind the project is that understanding how emotions and imagery are intertwined is not only of philosophical interest, but that it can also contribute to debates in psychology, cognitive science and even in some forms of clinical practices.

The full project can be consulted here: https://www.unige.ch/lettres/philo/files/4416/3999/5631/Project_Geneva_Antwerp2021.pdf

Information about the research groups involved can be found here:

http://www.unige.ch/lettres/philo/recherche/research-groups/thumos/l

https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/research-groups/philosophical-psychology/

Candidates who have worked on topics related to emotions and/or mental imagery in philosophy of mind and empirically-oriented philosophy of psychology are especially encouraged to apply. The recipient must have earned a doctorate or Ph.D. in philosophy at least one month before the start date. There is no restriction on nationality, but the recipient will have to obtain the appropriate visas. High-level English language skills are expected, but neither Dutch nor French is required. Salary will be competitive for postdoctoral fellowships in philosophy.

The recipients will be expected to do research on, publish and present papers on the topic of the project, collaborate with other project participants, help with the organization of a workshop in Geneva, help to create and maintain the project website, and generally participate in the intellectual life of the Antwerp and Geneva philosophy departments (through attendance at colloquia, etc.). At each location the recipient will be provided with workspace in the vicinity of co-workers. 

Women and members of underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.  Given equal qualifications, female candidates and members of underrepresented groups will be preferred.