PhD research project 'Entangled Seaweed', case studies in South

PhD Candidate in the research project 'Entangled with Seaweed', case studies in South Africa

Job Description PhD Candidate in the research project 'Entangled with Seaweed', case studies in South Africa Vacancy number: 16936 Job type:
PhD positions Contract hours min: 38 Contract hours max: 38

Location:

Leiden Applying is possible up to and including: 7 November 2026

The The Leiden University's Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at Leiden University is looking for an ambitious PhD-candidate to study the impacts of economization of seaweed as part of ‘blue economy’ strategies in South Africa. Research focuses on the impacts on coastal communities, considering that in South Africa colonial and apartheid legacies still influence patterns of access to coastal areas.

You will work within the project ‘Entangled in seaweed:
The politics of economizing nature in Scotland and South Africa’funded by an NWO Open Competition grant.

You will work in a project team consisting of PhD-candidates and researchers at Leiden University, collaborating with project partners in South Africa. You will:

• Develop a research proposal in the context of the overall project theme, and conduct twelve months of ethnographic research in South Africa. An ethics review and contribution to the data management plan are included in the proposal development. Research includes document/policy analysis, participant observation, interviews, and the application of participatory visual storytelling methods.
• Analyse research findings and write a dissertation that contributes to the objectives of the ‘Entangled with Seaweed’ project.
• Actively contribute to the output and dissemination of the research project, which includes collaborating with the other team members on academic and non-academic publications, science communication, and the organization of workshops, seminars and an exhibition.
• Participate in relevant PhD-courses and masterclasses, organized in accordance with the guidelines of the Faculty of Social Science and the Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology. PhD-courses at Stellenbosch University, our partner in the project, can be included in the individual training and supervision plan as well.
• Participate in the PhD programme and other academic activities of the Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at Leiden University. During your stay in South Africa you will also be able to participate in the PhD-programme at the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at Stellenbosch University.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences consists of five institutes: the Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Education and Child Studies, Political Science, and Psychology. The faculty is home to approximately 7,000 students and 1,000 staff members. Our institutes are dedicated not only to education but also to groundbreaking research that expands our understanding of human behavior and societal structures.

What makes our faculty unique is the diversity of research topics, the variety of teaching approaches, and the structure of professional support. This provides you with the opportunity to explore and develop your interests and expertise. For an introduction to our faculty, visit our website:
Welcome to the Leiden Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences – Leiden University .

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