Senior Research Associate

The role

The School of Humanities invites applications for a postdoctoral Senior Research Associate (SRA) specialising in creative & practice-led methods of research to support the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, “Plants, Enslavement, and Public History: Re-imagining gardens and green spaces as places of heritage and healing” (2024-2028). The SRA will work with the Principal Investigator, Dr Jessica Moody in running and delivering this fellowship and will be part of a team which will also include a second Senior Research Associate and a Project Manager as well as project partners. 

Working in partnership with INTO (the International National Trusts Organisation) & the National Trust for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the fellowship aims to explore historical connections between plants, people and histories of enslavement, analyse the public memory of plants and enslavement at heritage sites around the Atlantic, work towards an ethical praxis of care by developing appropriate methods of research and practice, revealing the commemorative potential of plants and green heritage spaces.

This is a full-time role for a fixed period of three years which can start from 1 January 2025. 

What will you be doing?

You will:

• Lead work package 1: Creative (public) histories of plants & gardens, focusing on the development of creative research methodologies and a praxis of care
• Undertake a part-time 0.4 (2 days per week) secondment to INTO to develop and support the running and co-ordination of the Re-Interpreting Sites of Enslavement (RISE) international network of heritage sites
• Develop appropriate creative methodologies of research and practice including practice-based methods in relation to the subject matter
• Organise a series of creative workshops
• Explore different kinds of knowledge around the history, memory & legacy the subject matter
• Work with the PI and wider project team and partners to develop a praxis of care in relation to plants, gardens, green heritage spaces, and public histories of enslavement
• Produce publications and present research & communications to a broad audience

You should apply if

• You have a PhD in a relevant arts and/or humanities field, this includes PhD by practice & practice-based research OR equivalent experience in the use of creative methods of research and a strong record of supporting publications communicating research
• You can communicate with people in different sectors (academia, heritage and arts/creative sectors), locally, nationally and internationally
• You can work collaboratively and manage your own workload and research direction as appropriate
• You have expertise in any area of the research subject (the history, memory and legacy of transatlantic enslavement especially in relation to plants, botany and gardens)

Applicants should include a proposal outlining their approach to developing appropriate creative research methodologies for this project.

Additional information

For informal enquiries, please contact Jessica Moody: Jessica.moody@bristol.ac.uk

We are unable to accept applications or expressions of interest via email.

Only applications received via our recruitment system will be considered for shortlisting.

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