[KS] post-doctoral position

[Walraven, B.C.A.]

Dear colleagues, 

I am posting this job announcement on behalf of a colleague (prof.
Jonathan Silk, Buddhist Studies). He is looking for a post-doctoral
scholar to work on the issue of slavery in Korean Buddhism.

sincerely, Remco Breuker.



http://www.vacatures.leidenuniv.nl/wetenschappelijk/10-048-3x-phd-and-1x
-post-doc.html


Project description

Buddhism is widely perceived to be, and Buddhist sources themselves
promote the tradition as, a philosophy of liberation. Yet, as perhaps
everywhere, Buddhist societies, both ancient and modern, not only
evidence, but indeed seem to promote, social inequalities. The project
'Buddhism and Social Justice' explores the inner tensions in Buddhist
cultures between inherited core values and social realities, with
specific foci on questions of labor (e.g., slavery and forced labor,
serfdom) and social status (e.g., caste and discrimination).

The project consists of five studies: a core investigation of slavery
and caste in India, and studies on slavery in Korea, burakumin
('outcastes') in Japan, 'serfdom' and monastic economy in Tibet, and
ethnicity and Buddhism in Sri Lanka. These are approached through
text-historical, historical and a socio-anthropological methods. The
synergy between the projects lies in the question of how Buddhist ways
of thinking and acting inform and structure historically Buddhist Asian
societies, and how, correspondingly, Buddhist ideologies and dogmas were
transformed in historical contexts. This study seeks therefore to
uncover the links between the ancient and the modern and the theoretical
and the real-world, thereby leading both to a deeper appreciation of how
religious systems function in societies in general, and to a more
nuanced appreciation of the dynamics of historically Buddhist societies
in general, particularly with respect to questions of social justice. As
such, the work is situated not only within the realms of Buddhist
Studies and Asian History, but also at the juncture of Religious
Studies, Political Science and Anthropology, as it engages issues of
Church and Society, Slavery Studies, and the study of Race, Ethnicity
and Caste.

    The available positions are as follows:

    Post-doc:  Slavery in Korean Buddhism.

    vacancy number: 10-048

    PhD 1:  Burakumin ('outcastes') in Japanese Buddhism.
    vacancy number: 10-048a PhD 2:  'Serfdom' and Tibetan Monastic
Economy.
    vacancy number: 10-048b PhD 3:  Ethnicity and Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

    vacancy number: 10-048c  

    Please see the full project description at
http://www.hum.leiden.edu/lias/research/sas/vici-project-silk.html 


Post-Doctoral Fellowship applicants should  have a demonstrably
excellent academic track record in Buddhist Studies, and hold a PhD in
Buddhist Studies or a related field, or its equivalent. They should have
an excellent command of English and be prepared to present their
research results in English. Applicants will teach a small number of
courses on topics within their area of specialization, and assist in
guiding the PhD students.

Conditions of employment
    The position of the Postdoctoral fellow is temporary, max. three
years with a full-time appointment (38 hours per week).
    The position of PhD-fellow ('promovendus') is temporary, max. four
years with a full-time appointment, and with an initial 18-month trial
period.  

More information
    For more information about the two positions please contact Prof.
dr. J.A Silk,
    tel. +31-71-5272510, email j.a.silk at hum.leidenuniv.nl. See the full
project description at
    http://www.hum.leiden.edu/lias/research/sas/vici-project-silk.html

Application
        Post-doc candidates please send your application (in English),
including:

        * a cover letter stating your motivation for this position,
        * a CV,
        * copies of your academic transcripts,
        * a printed copy of your PhD thesis and other relevant
publications, and
        * three references.

    Please send your application indicating the application number to
the address below before the  23 april 2010    

    vacature at hum.leidenuniv.nl