18-month Postdoc position in Radical Communities (COMMRAD) Aix-Marseille Université in France

An 18-month postdoctoral position is available at Aix-Marseille Université, based at the Centre Norbert Elias (CNE) in Marseille, France. The post is part of the project Radical Communities: Transdisciplinary Approaches and Alternative Methods (COMMRAD) (2026–2029), funded through the Safe Place for Science initiative (Amidex).

The project explores contemporary political formations that aim at systemic transformation in a period marked by democratic erosion, climate crisis, and resurgent authoritarianism. It approaches “radicality” in its root-oriented sense, focusing on political and aesthetic practices that intervene at the foundations of dominant structures. The project combines social science disciplines, political theory, and artistic research, with multi-sited empirical work, an open seminar, a collective publication, and audiovisual outputs.

The recruited postdoctoral researcher will pursue an individual research or artistic research project aligned with COMMRAD’s thematic focus while also contributing to collective research activities such as literature review and conceptual development. The role includes helping organize open seminars and public events, participating in the collective publication, and contributing where relevant to artistic research outputs in audiovisual or experimental formats.

A key component of the position is participation in the seminar series tentatively titled Présence(s) Radicale(s), planned for October 2027 to May 2028. The postdoc will help with seminar programming, animation, and documentation, including interviews or recorded exchanges with invited speakers from political philosophy, visual arts, social sciences, activism, and contemporary artistic practice.

The position is clearly interdisciplinary and well suited to candidates with backgrounds spanning anthropology, cultural studies, media studies, aesthetics, political science, philosophy, and artistic research. Applicants must already have, or be developing, a project in line with the COMMRAD theme. Strong French is required, with English ideally expected. Experience in transdisciplinary methods, arts and culture contexts, and basic video/audio editing will be advantageous.

The post is full-time and temporary, with a gross salary of €2,616.35 per month, depending on qualification and expertise. The position starts on 1 January 2027. Applications are due by 14 October 2026 at 17:00 CET. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in the second half of October, with the aim of announcing a successful candidate by 1 November.

To apply, candidates should email a CV (optionally including a website link or portfolio) and a motivation letter of up to three pages to the contact address provided. The application materials should explain the candidate’s interest in COMMRAD and the contributions they could make to the project’s research, seminar, publication, and artistic outputs.