Postdoctoral Research Associate in Food Studies

The School is one of the largest and most successful Schools of Modern Languages and Cultures in the UK. Over the past two decades, the School has developed a distinctive profile in the transnational and interdisciplinary study of literary and cultural studies, bringing together culture research in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Japanese and Russian Studies.

The School has been awarded the lead of a Horizon Europe Cluster II grant in 2024 to examine the relationship between cultural heritage and foodway, and it is embarking in an exciting project to promote world-class research in the field supported by the School’s leadership of research centres and institutes, such as the Centre for Visual Arts and Culture, the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, the Centre for Culture and Ecology, the Institute of Medical Humanities, and the Institute of Advanced Study, which promotes world-class research across the Faculties. Within the School, staff and postgraduates are brought together in interdisciplinary discussions and collaboration through a set of research groups.

The Role

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate with a PhD in the Humanities or Humanistic Social Sciences by January 2025.

This position is part of RELISH, a 36-month project funded by Horizon Europe Pillar II, Cluster 4 on Cultural Heritage 2024. Led by the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at Durham University, RELISH (Re-framing European gastronomy Legacy through Innovation, Sustainability and Heritage), working with eleven other European partners, offers a pathway to put into practice culinary recipes and food culture as cultural and digital tools to strengthen EU's common cultural heritage. Through an innovative and systematic approach to the understanding and use of traditional EU recipes via digital and AI-powered technology, it embarks on the production of a visual and verbal food storytelling web platform that aims to mediate social cohesion, reinforce EU cultural heritage transmission at home and abroad through education and publ ic engagement, while addressing sustainable practices in the EU hospitality sector.

In addition to the doctoral degree in the required area, successful candidates should have a clear research agenda concerned with Food Studies, Social Justice, and/or Food Sustainability as well as experience with project management and event planning. Experience in public and/or digital humanities is welcome but not required.

This post is fixed-term for 36 months, for the duration of the RELISH project, from 1^st January 2025 to 31^st December 2027.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by 2^nd January 2025.

Interviews will take place virtually on 10^th December 2024.

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