Postdoc (f/m/x) in Social Anthropology with a focus on Yemen

Postdoctoral Position on “(In)Equalities: Gender, Descent, and ‘Race’”

We invite applications for a postdoctoral research position within IDEO-YEMEN focusing on the theme “(In)Equalities: Gender, Descent, and ‘Race’.” The postdoctoral researcher will trace the diachronic evolution of the movement’s multidirectional and often contradictory gender discourse from the early 2000s to the present, and the underlying debates and discussions (e.g., with Zaydi circles, women’s rights groups) that led to its numerous shifts and turns. In terms of “race,” the researcher will explore the movement’s positions towards racialized and other social minorities, including how its reassertion of genealogical distinctions of descent (nasab) – setting it apart from other Islamist ideologies – relates to, and differs from, its treatment of racialized minorities such as the Muhamasheen. The postdoctoral researcher will investigate how these ideological agendas are experienced, debated, resisted, and/or implemented by the people, particularly women and racialized or otherwise marginalized minorities living under the rule of Ansar Allah. Candidates are welcome to propose further research questions within this theme.

Applicants should be aware that this is a collaborative project under the direction of a Principal Investigator. The postdoctoral researcher is expected to contribute actively to the project’s core research questions, objectives, and collective activities while also developing an independent research profile.

Please note: Fieldwork in Yemen is not possible. Research will be based on remote and digital ethnography, as well as the analysis of Arabic-language texts, media, and other relevant sources.

The appointment will initially be made for 12 months and, subject to a positive evaluation, extended for an additional 36 months.

• Conduct independent and collaborative research within the “Gender and ‘Race’” work package
• Analyse Arabic-language texts, media, and other relevant source materials
• Carry out digital and remote ethnographic research, including with Yemeni diaspora communities
• Contribute to the development of the project’s theoretical framework and collective research outputs
• Produce research publications for leading international journals and book chapters for IDEO-YEMEN
• Present research findings at international conferences and scholarly workshops
• [...]

• A PhD in Social Anthropology or a closely related discipline, awarded by 1 March 2027 and normally not more than six years prior to the start of the position (periods of parental leave or other legally recognised career interruptions will be considered)
• Excellent command of English and Arabic, including the ability and willingness to work with a broad range of Arabic-language materials
• Experience with, or a strong interest in, digital/remote fieldwork methodologies
• Demonstrated interest in theoretical debates in anthropology and related fields
• Familiarity with the academic literature on Yemen is an asset
• Ability to work independently and to develop original research questions within a collaborative framework
• [...]