• Designing and conducting research under the guidance of the project leader, resulting in at least two peer-reviewed academic publications in (inter)national scientific journals, edited volumes, and/or monographs.
• Conduct ethnography in key fashion trading sites (focussing on Eastern African markets) in China in the first year of research, including wholesale markets, trade shows, and online trading and consumption platforms (the fieldsites are primarily based in Guangzhou, but may also extend to other Chinese cities following the full fashion value chains).
• Building rapports and carrying out formal interviews and informal dialogues with various actors (e.g. designers, traders, trend forecasters, wholesalers), observing their everyday work procedures, work conditions and online-and-offline social interactions with others, and partaking in both their work-related and leisure activities.
• Propose and design context-specific digital strategies (e.g. digital application, social media stories) to improve resource efficiency in South-South supply chains, minimise environmental degradation, and raise consumers’ awareness of sustainability and embed it into their daily consumption.

Your tasks and responsibilities:

• Conducting research and completing full drafts of two peer-reviewed academic publications (sole- and/or co-authored) for submission within the period of appointment;
• Setting up and managing project data (while taking into consideration the project’s risk analysis, and complying to its data management plan);
• Participating in the meetings of the project, and closely collaborating with the main researcher, 2 other Postdoc researchers, and 2 other PhDs;
• Presenting research results at national and international workshops and conferences;
• Contributing to the content of the project website with your research findings.

• A relevant PhD degree in the Humanities or Social Sciences, on a topic relevant to the project, completed no later than 30 Sep 2025.
• Outstanding research qualities manifested in strong transcripts, a high-quality PhD dissertation and peer-reviewed academic publications.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of the following research methods: ethnography; participant observation; individual interviews; narrative, semiotic and visual analysis, and digital methods.
• Demonstrable experience working with theoretical frameworks, and a keen interest in the research fields central to the project: media and cultural studies, gender, race and ethnicity, fashion studies, postcolonial/decolonial theory, and China studies.

• Excellent written and spoken English, and a high-level of proficiency in/understanding of Mandarin and/or Cantonese.
• Team spirit and experience working in an interdisciplinary, international setting.

• Willingness to travel abroad for fieldwork, research stays, conferences and workshops.
• Strong interpersonal, analytical and organizational skills.

• A temporary full-time (38 hours/week) contract for 9 months, with the possibility of extension for 6–12 months contingent on the availability of funding. The position is expected to start between 1 December 2025 and March 2026, subject to visa processing.
• Salary for a fulltime position ranges between €3.546 and €5.538 and does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8,3% year-end allowance.
• A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to international applicants if they meet the requirements.
• The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.