Organizer Information
The Connected Teams program is a collaborative research initiative led by Project Leaders Hannah Baader and Gerhard Wolf, along with Principal Investigators Rosinka Chaudhuri, Nachiket Chanchani, Olga Isabel Acosta, and Alexander Herrera. It is hosted by prestigious institutions including the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut (KHI) in Florence, Italy; the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta (CSSSC) in Kolkata, India; and the Department of Art History at the Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes) in Bogotá, Colombia. The program is supported by the Getty Foundation through its Connecting Art Histories Initiative. It fosters transcultural and eco-critical approaches to art history, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration across South Asia, Latin America, and Europe.
Title & Description
Post-doctoral Fellowships, Calcutta/Bogotá
This opportunity invites emerging post-doctoral researchers to join the Connected Teams program, focusing on the intersections of art, heritage, and environments in South Asia (India) and/or Latin America (Colombia). The program rethinks art history through transcultural and eco-critical lenses, exploring porous relations among environments, objects, monuments, heritage, and landscapes across multiple temporalities. It challenges traditional notions of stable, human-made 'objects' and promotes experimental fieldwork, archival approaches, digital collaboration tools, and innovative documentation. Research addresses shared global concerns like the Anthropocene, ecological crises, climate change impacts on cultural practices, care for species and monuments, historical material-environment interactions, decolonial narratives, and museums/heritage sites as ecosystems. Fellows pursue individual projects within this transdisciplinary framework while participating in collaborative exchanges, annual Seasonal Schools, and digital workshops.
Categories
Art History and related disciplines, including Visual and Material Culture (historical and contemporary), Aesthetics, Archaeology, Anthropology/Ethnology, History, Architecture, Heritage Studies, Sound Studies, Sociology, Digital Humanities, Performance Studies, and neighboring fields with strong affinity to art history.
Eligibility
Open internationally to emerging scholars who received their PhD on or after January 1, 2020 (extendable by one year per child for parental leave). PhD candidates who will defend by June 2026 are also eligible. No nationality restrictions; welcomes diverse disciplinary backgrounds. Applicants must show interest in digital, reflexive, and transdisciplinary research, and openness to collaboration. Research must center on South Asia and/or Latin America. Applicants indicate preference for host institution (Kolkata or Bogotá).
Program Benefits & Awards
Two 24-month post-doctoral fellowships (one at CSSSC in Kolkata, one at Uniandes in Bogotá), starting July 1, 2026. Stipends approximate INR 90,000/month (Kolkata) or COP 9 million/month (Bogotá), based on local standards. Includes travel support, organizational assistance with visas, insurance, and housing. Opportunity for up to six months at another partner institution with additional funding. Participation in annual Seasonal Schools (first in Colombia, July 2026), regular digital workshops, and the program's intellectual community. A second call for three additional fellows is planned for December 2026. Working language: English (Spanish welcome in Bogotá for co-teaching).
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Curriculum vitae (in English)
- Project title and description (max. 1,500 words, in English)
- Motivation letter/personal statement (max. 1,000 words, in English), covering career trajectory, project fit, and long-term goals
- Sample of scholarly work (article, conference paper, or book chapter, approx. 20 pages)
- Two letters of recommendation (uploaded or sent directly to connectedteams@khi.fi.it by deadline)
- Name and email of a third referee
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 31 January 2026
- Notification Date: 14 March 2026
- Fellowship start: 1 July 2026
- First Seasonal School: July 2026 (in Colombia)
Location
Fellowships are in-person and based in Kolkata, India (CSSSC) or Bogotá, Colombia
Additional Details
Fellows are expected to actively participate in the host institution's intellectual life and the overall program. The initiative emphasizes equal opportunity employment. For more program information, visit the official project page: https://www.khi.fi.it/de/forschung/kooperationsprojekte/connected-teams.php. Contact: Philip Geisler, Scientific Coordinator (connectedteams@khi.fi.it).