Are you interested in how urban communities mobilize against violence and insecurity and how this is connected to broader questions of public security and urban transformation, in particular in Latin America? Is your ambition to contribute to advancing scholarly research as well as to perform socially relevant research that informs activists, practitioners and policy makers in search of safer and more inclusive cities? Then the PhD position on Countering urban violence: community resilience, public security, and urbanism in Medellín, Colombia at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science is the right position and challenge for you. Specifically, the project is embedded in the research programme of the Department of Cultural Anthropology: Sovereignty and Social Contestation (SoSCo) in the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences.

In this project, you will investigate strategies, practices, experiences and impact of various modalities of grass roots’ resilience against protracted or chronic urban violence and insecurity in the city of Medellín, Colombia. The main focus is on collective modes of resilience in and by communities within the so-called ‘urban margins’. These modes of resilience will be studied in connection to urban security governance and socio-spatial and socio-material interventions in the urban environment.
The basic design for this project will be qualitative and ethnographic field research in selected neighbourhoods in Medellín. The project is part of a broader project funded by the Dutch National Research Foundation (NWO): Grass Roots Resilience, Security Governance, and Urbanism in Latin American Violent Cities. This project aims to develop a comparative approach to this subject and will also include case studies in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Guatemala City.
The Medellín case study will lead to a PhD dissertation to be defended at Utrecht University. In addition, you will contribute to the comparative and collaborative work in the broader project. To this end, you will participate in  workshops, individual and collective publications and presentations at international conferences. Public engagement and policy outreach will also be part of the project.

Throughout this project, you will be well guided and supported by your supervisors. As a PhD candidate, you will also become part of an active group of PhD researchers who organize regular feedback sessions as well as a number of social events within the SoSCo research programme of the Department of Anthropology (see below under About the Organization).

We are looking for an enthusiastic colleague for the PhD position on Countering urban violence: community resilience, public security, and urbanism in Medellín, Colombia (m/f/x) who meets the following requirements:

• You have completed a Master’s degree in (urban) anthropology, development studies, Latin American Studies, human geography, or a similar field.
• You have demonstrable expertise, field research experience, and affinity with urban subjects, preferably in Latin America.
• You have demonstrated affinity with conducting qualitative and ethnographic field research in urban areas, preferably in Latin America, and have a keen interest in the project’s subject matter.
• You have well-developed analytical skills.
• You are a motivated and collaborative team member, communicative and open for collaboration across scientific fields.
• You are able to work independently.
• You have excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish.

You will be offered a temporary position for the PhD position on Countering urban violence: community resilience, public security, and urbanism in Medellín, Colombia (1.0 FTE), initially for one year with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period. The gross salary ranges between €2,541 in the first year and  €3,247 in the fourth year of employment (scale P according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% per year.

In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions, including an attractive retirement scheme, professional development, (partly paid) parental leave, sports and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability.

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The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. Almost 7,000 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 1,100 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues. 

The faculty strives for diversity among its employees and students and is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, as can be read in Utrecht University's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.

The faculty attaches great importance to the fact that its employees can be widely deployed in the university organization, now and in the future, to further professionalize the support of education and research. To encourage this, every employee is given the time and facilities – for example in the form of training – at some point in their career to participate in projects or work in other departments. Characteristics that the faculty considers important are involvement, the ability to collaborate and flexibility.

The faculty is located at Utrecht Science Park near the historical city centre of Utrecht.