Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship in African Art
The Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is a world-renowned art museum housing one of the largest permanent collections in the United States. An encyclopedic museum, the Art Institute collects, preserves, and interprets works in every medium from all cultures and historical periods. With a collection of approximately 300,000 art works and artifacts, the museum has particularly strong holdings in Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painting, contemporary art, early 20th century European painting and sculpture, Japanese prints, and photography. The museum’s 2009 addition, the Modern Wing, features the latest in green museum technology and 264,000 square feet dedicated to modern and contemporary art, photography, architecture and design, and new museum education facilities. In addition to displaying its permanent collection, the Art Institute mounts more than 30 special exhibitions per year and features lectures, gallery tours, and special performances on a daily basis.
We currently have an opening for the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship in African Art.
At the Art Institute of Chicago, the collection of the arts of Africa reflects the continent’s great cultural and geographic diversity and deep, complex history through over 500 works of art from the 11th through the 20th century. With strengths in wood carvings from West and Central Africa, the collection encompasses masks, figures, decorative arts, ceramics, beadwork, textiles, costume, and jewelry.
This three-year curatorial fellowship will focus on researching and expanding knowledge of the museum’s African collection in the areas of eastern and southern Africa. The arts of both these geographic regions have long been marginalized in the study of African art, and are still not considered to be an integral part of the canon, which continues to privilege masks and figures from western and central Africa. However, a growing interest in recent decades in non-figurative domestic and utilitarian objects as well as in dress and forms of ephemeral body decorations has led to a reevaluation of the corpus and a new appreciation for the arts of eastern and southern Africa. Museums in the United States have for some time also sought to build or enhance representation of the arts from these two geographic areas. The Art Institute of Chicago similarly seeks to enrich and diversify its budding collection of eastern and southern African art through acquisitions and through in-depth research of its existing and future holdings in these areas. The Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow in African Art will be given the opportunity to assume a leadership role in the museum’s endeavor in this regard.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
- With the guidance of the Art lnstitute’s Curator of African Art, conduct object-based, archival and comparative research on the existing collection in light of a planned publication of selected works
- Verify and complement the provenances of works in the collection and assist in the assessment of authenticity of a number of works in light of the same planned publication
- Identify and help pursue potential new acquisitions with the aim of expanding areas in the collection that are lacking or have been underrepresented so far
- Conceive and organize gallery installations, rotations, and/or temporary exhibitions with a special interest in projects including the fellow’s research specialty
- Publish research on the collection, whether in publications by the Art Institute, in other museum catalogues, or in external journals or books
- Lecture on research on the collection, whether at the Art Institute or at other venues or through participation in national and international conferences or symposia
- Contribute to the Art lnstitute’s role with regards to the planning and organization of the upcoming Triennial Symposium on African Art of the Arts Council of the African Studies Association (ACASA) to be held in Chicago in June 2020
- Collaborate on research and its dissemination through publications and gallery presentations with colleagues in Conservation, Interpretation, Publishing, and other departments
- Engage with colleagues in art history with similar specialization, both from the curatorial and academic worlds, to help build research portfolios
- Establish or build upon relationships and exchanges with colleagues in museums and universities on the African continent
While the Fellow’s home base will be the curatorial department of the Arts of Africa and the Americas, fellowship activities will be performed in collaboration with many other departments at the museum, including Conservation, Interpretation, Publishing, Exhibitions, Textiles, Learning and Public Engagement, and Academic Engagement and Research, among others.
Qualifications:
A Ph.D. degree in art history or a closely related field of visual/material culture studies or history, with a strong research focus on African art. ABD candidates may apply if it can be confirmed that the degree will be completed by the start date of the fellowship. Candidates with demonstrated special knowledge of the arts of eastern or southern Africa are especially encouraged to apply.
How to Apply:
Candidates should submit a CV, a cover letter detailing the candidate’s interest in applying for the fellowship and the skill set(s) the candidate would bring to the position, and a document listing the names of at least three professional references. Upon invitation to interview, further supporting materials (such as writing samples) may be requested. Attachments should be collated into a single PDF document and uploaded as one file. The Art Institute will be particularly interested to review candidates with experience in studying the arts of Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, or South Africa, however, candidates with expertise across any geographic areas of African art are encouraged to apply.
The fellowship will begin in September 2019. This is a three-year appointment.
To ensure the fullest possible consideration, please submit your application by April 8, 2019. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the post is filled.
Application submission questions: apply_help@artic.edu
Apply at: https://www.artic.edu/careers
Program Manager, Membership and Communications – African Studies Association
The Program Manager, Membership and Outreach reports to the Executive Director and is the primary driver of member expansion, outreach, and support for the Association. The Program Manager will support the creation, coordination, and administration of programs, projects, and/or processes. The Program Manager works closely with the ASA’s key constituencies including members, Board of Directors, and meeting participants and should represent the ASA in a professional manner.
ASA is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition.
Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise us in writing of special needs at the time of application.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Membership Recruitment
- Coordinate membership processes including renewals, membership database management, and member services
- Identify new constituencies of potential ASA members and annual meeting participants.
- Create new opportunities for the ASA to provide value-added services to its members.
- Implement new initiatives designed at providing a more robust membership experience
Member Support
- Design and Implement member systems, including the ASA’s online membership portal and database
- Ensure accurate data entry of all member data, which may include populating additional data as required. Prepares and runs reports as needed.
- Assist ASA members with online access and navigation of the ASA Member Portal
- Administers communication campaigns to ASA members, including website updates and social media updates.
- Assist with ASA’s annual awards and prizes
Coordinate Organization Support
- Serve as primary point of contact for all ASA coordinate and affiliate organizations
- Follow-up on annual coordinate organization surveys, scheduling of coordinate organization meetings, and coordinate organization announcements
- Process new coordinate organization applications for consideration by the ASA Board of Directors and monitor membership status of current coordinate organizations.
- Distribute quarterly reports to coordinate organizations and serve as a centralized point of contact for questions from coordinate organizations for the ASA accountant.
Communications and Outreach
- Manage a communications plan for engagement with ASA members and key constituencies
- Oversee the publication of ASA News and other ASA member communication pieces as needed from time to time
- Use social media as a mechanism for communicating with existing members and recruiting new members
- Identify potential strategic alliance for the ASA and serve as a point of contact for ASA partner organizations
- Monitor ASA member satisfaction and requirements
Qualifications:
- Experience with academic associations and with the field of African Studies, including African Studies centers and programs in the United States
- Graduate work in the field of African Studies preferred
- Knowledge and understanding of association administration, organization, coordination, facilitation, and/or report writing.
- Strong computer skills and proficiency in the MS Office suite of software.
- Strong organization skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks without supervision.
- Strong communication and problem-solving skills.
- Comfortable with web and CMS systems, technology, blogs, and social media platforms.
Application Instructions:
Applicants should forward a letter outlining interest in the position, qualifications, and experience together with a CV or resume and the names and contact information of three references in electronic format to the Executive Director of the ASA, Suzanne Moyer Baazet (suzanne@africanstudies.org). Review of applications will begin immediately. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Visiting Scholar Fellowship – The Humanities Center at Texas Tech University
The Humanities Center at Texas Tech University invites applications for a Spring, 2020 Visiting Scholar Fellowship. Scholars in any Humanities field are welcome to apply, but special consideration will be given to applicants who plan to use libraries, archives, and other resources at Texas Tech and/or the Lubbock area. The selected Fellow will ideally hold the Ph.D., but an exceptional ABD would be considered. Applications are due via email no later than March 31, 2019.
The dates for the Fellow’s term will be January 15th through May 15th, 2020. The Fellowship carries a stipend of $12,000, which can be used for any purpose. No additional allowances beyond the stipend will be available. The Fellow will be provided with an office and full library privileges, including access to online databases and interlibrary loan services. Housing is not included, but the Humanities Center can assist with finding housing. The Fellow will give a public lecture on their research during the term of the Fellowship, and will be expected to attend and participate in Center events, and to interact as appropriate with other faculty, particularly in their own area.
The Fellow will be expected to:
– Work in residence on the TTU Lubbock campus on a full-time basis during the award tenure;
– Devote full-time effort to the research proposed;
– Draft a brief written report (800-1,000 words) describing their experiences and their results, to be submitted no later than thirty days following the award period;
– Prepare and deliver to the TTU community a 45-minute presentation detailing the results of their research;
– Include appropriate credit to the Humanities Center at Texas Tech in any presentation or publication based on research performed during the award tenure.
To apply, please send the following in a single PDF file attachment:
– An abstract of no more than 80 words describing your project.
– A narrative of no more than 750 words describing your project, and how, specifically, you propose to use your time if selected for the Fellowship.
– A C.V. of no more than 3 pages with an emphasis on work showing your suitability for undertaking the project you propose.
– The names and contact information of four people whom we may contact for recommendations. Brief descriptions of their work/discipline and relationship to the candidate would be appreciated.
Send your application to humanitiescenter@ttu.edu. In the subject line, please include your last name and “Sp 2020 external fellow app“. The deadline is March 31, 2019. The recipient will be informed by mid-May 2019.
Post Doctoral Fellowship in the History of African visual and material culture, Council on African Studies at The MacMillan Center, Yale University
The Council on African Studies at the MacMillan Center announces
a postdoctoral fellowship in the history of African visual and material culture, starting July 1, 2019, for one year with possible renewal annually for two additional years.
Candidates must have recently earned a Ph.D. in History of
Art or a related field with a research focus on the expressive cultures of
Africa and its diasporas, in any time period and geography, including North
Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and, more broadly, Africa’s transoceanic, transcontinental, and global connections. The successful candidate will co-coordinate the activities and initiatives of the African History of Art program, will teach two classes a year, and participate fully in the life of the Council on African Studies at the MacMillan Center, the Department of History of Art, and the University. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience and is accompanied by a relocation allowance and research funds.
Yale University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. Yale values diversity among its faculty, students, and staff and strongly encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities,
protected veterans, and underrepresented minorities.
Please submit a cover letter, CV, two course proposals, and
article-length writing sample, along with the names and addresses of three
recommenders online at apply.interfolio.com/60131
Review of materials will begin on March 1, 2019.
Please contact Ms. Cristin Siebert by email, cristin.siebert@yale.edu , for any questions related to the application process.
