Call for Postdoctoral Fellowships (2027–29) | Collaborative Research Project “Connected Teams” Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut in Italy

Call for Postdoctoral Fellowships (2027–29) in the collaborative research project Connected Teams – Practicing Transcultural Art Histories under the Conditions of Ecological Crises and Digital Transformations: India, Latin America, and Europe. The project is jointly hosted by the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut (KHI) with 4A_Lab, Berlin, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta (CSSSC), and El Departamento de Historia del Arte, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá (Uniandes).

The call invites postdoctoral researchers whose work addresses the intersections of art, heritage, and environments in South Asia and/or Latin America. Successful fellows will join an international, transdisciplinary network focused on transcultural and eco-critical approaches to art history, including questions of climate change, monuments and landscapes, archives, material culture, museums, heritage management, and the role of digital methods in research and collaboration.

Two fellowships will be affiliated with CSSSC in Kolkata and one with Uniandes in Bogotá. Fellowships can start between 1 March and 1 May 2027 and run for 20–24 months. Fellows are expected to reside in the host city, contribute to local intellectual life, and participate in regular digital workshops and an annual Seasonal School. Up to four months at another partner institution may be supported by additional funding.

Funding is provided as a stipend according to local standards: approximately COP 9 million/month gross in Bogotá or INR 90,000/month in Kolkata, with travel and relocation support subject to host regulations. Organizational assistance with visas, insurance, and housing is also mentioned. The project language is English; in Bogotá, Spanish is welcome because the fellow is expected to co-teach with the project PIs.

Eligibility is broad but selective: applicants must have received their PhD on or after 1 January 2021, with an extension possible for parental leave, or be due to defend by the fellowship start date. The call welcomes applicants from many fields, including Art History, Aesthetics, Archaeology, Anthropology/Ethnology, History, Architecture, Heritage Studies, Sound Studies, Sociology, Digital Humanities, and Performance Studies, provided the proposal remains strongly connected to Art History. The project particularly values digital, reflexive, and transdisciplinary research and collaboration across disciplinary and geographic boundaries.

Deadline: 13 November 2026 (PST). Applicants should submit a motivation letter/personal statement, project title and description, CV, and a scholarly sample via the KHI application portal. Two recommendation letters are required, and a third referee’s name and email must also be provided. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in early December 2026, with decisions expected in January 2027.