The Department of History at the National University of Singapore is pleased to offer two (2) postdoctoral fellowships. These are two-year appointments beginning either February 1, 2019 or August 1, 2019. Successful candidates will join a new research program, “Reconceptualizing the Cold War: On-the-ground Experiences in Asia,” directed by Dr. Masuda Hajimu, and supported by the Academic Research Council, Ministry of Education, Singapore.

The research project aims to build an online archive of oral history collections concerning the Cold War and decolonization in Asia, with a particular focus on the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Singapore, as well as Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. We aim to capture the emotions, enthusiasms, and fears of the era through exploring experiences of ordinary people who went through various real and imagined wars. Through this oral history project—in a sense, an attempt at history from below, and from Asia—we aim to draw attention toward diverse local struggles, social antagonisms, and culture wars, as well as gender, ethnic, and religious tensions, that have often been obscured under standard narratives of the Cold War. In doing so, ultimately, we hope to destabilize the conventional understanding of the Cold War as a single, international confrontation between the two superpowers, helping historians and scholars in other disciplines to rethink what the Cold War really was.

The postdoctoral fellows’ duties will include: contacting overseas researchers and collaborators, conducting field work and oral history projects, and assisting the Principal Investigator in setting up an online archive of oral history collections. Successful candidates should have considerable field work experience, with effective communication and writing skills in at least one, and ideally two, Asian language(s). Language skills are vital for these positions. Applicants should hold doctoral degrees, or be close to completion, in History, Asian Studies, Cultural Studies, or any other relevant subject. Compensation includes an annual salary of approximately S$66,000, which will be supplemented by medical benefits and CPF contributions (Singaporean)/allowances (non-Singaporean). Re-appointment for the second year will be subject to satisfactory evaluation of first year performance.

To apply:

Submit the following items by email to the Principal Investigator: hishm@nus.edu.sg

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Statement addressing applicant’s research experience and possible contribution to the project (1,500 words, excluding references)
• Two letters of recommendation (to be submitted by email to: hishm@nus.edu.sg)

Review of applications will begin on November 15, 2018, and will continue until these positions are filled. For all enquiries, please contact the Principal Investigator, Dr. Masuda Hajimu, at: hishm@nus.edu.sg