Výběrová řízení

14. 05. 2026
Orientální ústav AV ČR, v. v. i. vyhlašuje v souladu se zákonem č. 283/1992 Sb. o Akademii věd České republiky, ve znění zákona č. 420/2005 Sb. a Stanov AV ČR výběrové řízení na pozici Postdoctoral Fellowship - Interdisciplinary South Asian Studies: Anger/Wrath in Contemporary South Asia (ERC Advanced Grant ANGLE).

The Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship based in the Department of South Asia. 

Research focus and Project context 

The successful candidate will undertake original research on how narratives of anger and wrath — drawing on sources such as philosophy, mythology, mythohistory, religious iconography, deity worship, among others — are mobilised and legitimised in the everyday practices of contemporary social, political, and neo-religious movements in South Asia. 

Relevant empirical sites may include (but are not limited to) fringe social movements, for example localised environmental activism, or agitations around sexual-minority rights and related questions of recognition, protection, and belonging.This fellowship is funded through the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant project Anger, Legitimised (ANGLE), based in the Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen. The position is hosted at the Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague and will be integrated into the broader ANGLE research programme. This project will be supervised by Dr James Madaio, Head of the Department of South Asia. The project will have Professor Atreyee Sen, the PI of ANGLE, as a secondary supervisor. 

Your profile 

• Completed a PhD by the time of application (Candidates who have not yet defended may apply only if they can provide a letter from their supervisor confirming that the PhD will be completed before September 2026) 
• Interdisciplinary research on anger/wrath in cultural, political, and/or religious contexts 
• Experience with in-person and digital ethnographic research methods, as well as textual studies 
• Willingness and ability to conduct fieldwork abroad (4-6 months) 
• Willingness to reside and work at the Oriental Institute in Prague 
• Excellent command of English, including academic writing, and proficiency in at least one South Asian language relevant to the proposed research  

Employment conditions 

• Salary: approximately 2379 EUR per month 
• Full-time employment contract  
• Duration of contract: 30 months 
• Starting date: September 2026 

Duties and expected outputs 

During the fellowship, the successful candidate will be expected to: 

• Participate in the wider activities of the ERC project as and when required, including attending meetings and organizing workshops 
• Present research at conferences, workshops, and colloquia 
• Contribute to the academic life of the Department of South Asia at the Oriental Institute (seminars, events, collegial engagement) 

 
Minimum expected outputs during the contract period: 

• At least two single-authored academic articles and/or book chapters submitted for publication in high-impact, open access journals or collected volumes 
• 1-2 public-facing dissemination outputs, such as newspaper/online commentary, editorial, media interview, podcast, exhibition contribution, or similar 

Why join the Oriental Institute  

• Work-life balance: Five weeks of paid leave and three personal days per year, flexible working hours, and the possibility of working from home one or two days per week 
• Family-friendly workplace: Access to childcare facilities at the Czech Academy of Sciences, events for children, etc. 
• Project management support: An in-house grants office providing assistance with grant applications and project administration 
• Language courses: Support for continuous learning, including access to a range language courses 
• Excellent working environment: As an institution, we are pursuing the HR Award certification, which reflects our commitment to a high-quality research environment and responsible approach to researchers and science 
• Career development: Support in developing skills and experience aligned with individual career paths 
• Onboarding support: Our Welcome Office supports new team members during their first months 
• Heart of Prague: From 2027, the Institute will be based in the centre of Prague (Hybernská 8) in a new interdisciplinary research hub for the humanities and social sciences 

The Oriental Institute is committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable research environment. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and believe that diversity of perspectives is essential to academic excellence. 

Interested? That’s great — we’d love to get to know you better. To apply, please send us: 

1. Project proposal 

• Applicants must submit a 3-page project proposal that clearly includes: 
• (a) An overview of the proposed research project (topic, case(s), contribution). 
• (b) A plan for addressing ANGLE’s two central research questions: (1) how anger/wrath is mobilised, and (2) how anger/wrath is legitimised within contemporary movements. 
• (c) Links to the applicant’s doctoral and/or postdoctoral research, demonstrating relevant expertise and continuity. 
• (d) An outline of research methods (in-person ethnography + digital research), including an indicative field site/community and a feasible research plan. 

 The proposal should also explain how the project aligns with and contributes to ANGLE. 
 The proposed project must include: 

• In-person ethnographic fieldwork with a community/population engaged with narratives of anger/wrath; and 
• Digital research (e.g., digital ethnography, online content analysis, platform-based tracing) examining the ‘digital life’ of these narratives.  

Textual, historical, and iconographic work can be included where relevant, but the project must be anchored in ethnographic and digital methods. 

2. PhD diploma (or a supervisor letter confirming completion before September 2026) 

3. CV with List of publications 

Reference letters are not required at this stage; however, if you are shortlisted, we will ask you to provide them before the job interview. 

Please send all materials to our HR Manager, Adéla Rossi, at rossi@orient.cas.cz. The call is open until 30. 6. 2026. 

Informal inquiries are welcome: Atreyee Sen (atreyee.sen@anthro.ku.dk) and James Madaio (madaio@orient.cas.cz). 

 

Useful links 

ANGLE project (University of Copenhagen): https://anthropology.ku.dk/research/research-projects/current-projects/angle/ 

Oriental Institute (Who we are): https://orient.cas.cz/en/about-us/who-we-are/ 

Uzávěrka přihlášek: 30. 06. 2026