Visiting Junior Fellow (EXPIRED)

Up to three junior fellowships are available for early career researchers who are interested in integrating philosophical phenomenology with qualitative research methods. Fellows will be hosted for a one-month stay by the Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS) and the research unit, Movement, Culture and Society (MoCS), which is based in the Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics at University of Southern Denmark (SDU). The primary purpose of the fellowship is to mentor and support early career researchers through the process of writing applications for externally funded post-doctoral positions to work at DIAS and MoCS.

During their stay, the fellows’ primary host will be Anthony Vincent Fernandez, Assistant Professor of Applied Philosophy. However, applicants should identify at least one additional member of MoCS who they would like to work with when drafting applications for external funding (links to individual faculty pages are included below). Fellows will be provided with workspace at both DIAS and MoCS and will be able to participate in additional events taking place during the fellowship period. Ideally, the fellowship period will overlap with MoCS’ PhD course on phenomenology and qualitative research methods (June 12th to 15th, 2023). However, it is possible to schedule an alternative fellowship period.

DIAS: The Danish Institute for Advanced Study is an elite research center at SDU with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration. Its chairs, senior fellows, and fellows represent all five faculties at the university. Members gather for weekly events, including regular talks by leading researchers from across all academic disciplines.

• More information about DIAS can be found here.

MoCS: By drawing on approaches developed in the humanities and social sciences—especially phenomenology, ethnography, and cultural analysis—members of MoCS study embodied experiences and movement practices in sports, health, and performing arts. Our research covers a diverse array of topics, such as cultural practices among elite and amateur athletes and dancers, the nature of musical expertise, and embodied experiences in illness and disability. Despite this broad range of topics, our research is unified by sensitivity to situation and context: We consider how socio-cultural factors shape the concrete practices and experiences that we investigate. Our faculty have academic backgrounds in sport science, anthropology, the cognitive sciences, and philosophy.

• More information about MoCS can be found here.

Eligibility: Fellows are expected to apply for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships (anticipated deadline Sept. 2023)—in addition to other funding sources that they may identify themselves. Eligibility for the DIAS-MoCS visiting junior fellowships will therefore be the same as eligibility criteria for the 2023 MSCA fellowships. Typically, this requires that the applicant have a PhD before the MSCA deadline, which they have received less than eight years earlier. Applicants cannot have resided in the potential host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately preceding the call deadline. (Please see the above link for full eligibility requirements.)

Award: Fellows will be awarded up to 26,000 DKK (approx. €3,500). Typically, up to 11,250 DKK (approx. €1,500) will be provided as reimbursement for travel and housing costs. The remaining 14,750 DKK (approx. €2,000) will be disbursed as a one-time payment at the end of the research stay. (Note: The payment of 14,750 DKK may count as taxable income in the fellow’s country of residence.)

Application Details: The application should include the following three documents, totalling two pages plus a CV:

(1) A project proposal (max. one page, single-spaced, 11 pt. font), which outlines the applicant’s current philosophical research and explains how this might provide a foundation or starting point for one or more empirical qualitative studies. Please note that the purpose of the fellowship is not to carry out the proposed project. Rather, the purpose is to work with members of MoCS to refine the project idea and develop a proposal for external funding applications.

(2) An information sheet (max. one page, single-spaced, 11 pt. font) outlining (a) which MoCS faculty the applicant would like to work with to develop the project proposal, and how their research overlaps with these faculty; (b) which sources of postdoctoral funding the applicant intends to apply for following the initial fellowship period, including how they meet the eligibility criteria for this funding; and (c) the applicant’s current familiarity with qualitative research methods (some familiarity is an advantage but by no means necessary for a successful application).

(3) A standard CV (no page limit), which should include, at minimum, education, employment, and presentations/publications.

Deadline: Applications should be emailed to A. V. Fernandez at [email protected] by Wednesday, February 1st, 2023. Decisions will be communicated in mid-February.

For general questions about the fellowship, including eligibility and project ideas, contact A. V. Fernandez. If you applied in the previous round but were unsuccessful, you may contact Fernandez for feedback and advice before submitting for the current call. If you have questions about collaborating with other members of MoCS, you may also reach out to them directly. In addition to our full-time faculty, Giovanna Colombetti (Exeter), Dan Zahavi (Copenhagen), and Philipa Rothfield (La Trobe/Melbourne) hold adjunct positions at MoCS and may be able to consult with junior fellows, although they cannot serve as hosts/supervisors.

Full-Time MoCS Faculty (with links to faculty pages)

• Susanne Ravn (Head of research unit)
• Anthony Vincent Fernandez
• Signe Højbjerre Larsen
• Simon Høffding
• Sarah Pini