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The project ‘Distant Voices’ pioneers a new methodology in radio studies by analyzing the agency of broadcasters from the Global South in media organizations in the Global North. The PhD candidate will write a thesis on a relevant case study: the history of the Indonesian programme of the Dutch international broadcaster Radio Netherlands Wereldomroep (1945-1965). The project’s preliminary outcomes will be discussed within an international network of media historians based in Asia and Europe. In addition the PhD candidate will contribute to joint activities of the University of Amsterdam and the project’s main institutional partner, the Netherlands Institute for Sound &Vision.
The PhD candidate will be supervised by Elizabeth Buettner and Vincent Kuitenbrouwer (History Department). The daily supervision is in the hands of Vincent Kuitenbrouwer, who is the Project Leader of ‘Distant Voices’.
The project ‘Distant Voices’ pioneers a new methodology in radio studies by analyzing the agency of broadcasters from the Global South in media organizations in the Global North. The PhD candidate will write a thesis on a relevant case study: the history of the Indonesian programme of the Dutch international broadcaster Radio Netherlands Wereldomroep (1945-1965). The project’s preliminary outcomes will be discussed within an international network of media historians based in Asia and Europe. In addition the PhD candidate will contribute to joint activities of the University of Amsterdam and the project’s main institutional partner, the Netherlands Institute for Sound &Vision.
The PhD candidate will be supervised by Elizabeth Buettner and Vincent Kuitenbrouwer (History Department). The daily supervision is in the hands of Vincent Kuitenbrouwer, who is the Project Leader of ‘Distant Voices’.
The PhD position aims to answer the project’s main research question: what was the role of Indonesians in shaping Radio Netherlands Wereldomroep broadcasts in Bahasa Indonesia between 1945 and 1965? The research for the thesis (written in English) will be based on a preselected set of digitized documents in Bahasa Indonesia and Dutch: the logbooks of the Indonesian programme of RNW containing transcripts and schedules. In addition the PhD candidate will have access to relevant collections of the Netherlands Institute for Sound &Vision.
The PhD candidate is expected to fulfill the following tasks:
Please note that if you already hold a doctorate/PhD or are working towards obtaining a similar degree elsewhere, you will not be admitted to a doctoral programme at the UvA.
The PhD position aims to answer the project’s main research question: what was the role of Indonesians in shaping Radio Netherlands Wereldomroep broadcasts in Bahasa Indonesia between 1945 and 1965? The research for the thesis (written in English) will be based on a preselected set of digitized documents in Bahasa Indonesia and Dutch: the logbooks of the Indonesian programme of RNW containing transcripts and schedules. In addition the PhD candidate will have access to relevant collections of the Netherlands Institute for Sound &Vision.
The PhD candidate is expected to fulfill the following tasks:
Please note that if you already hold a doctorate/PhD or are working towards obtaining a similar degree elsewhere, you will not be admitted to a doctoral programme at the UvA.
The Amsterdam School of Historical Studies (ASH) represents and fosters the study of the human past from Antiquity to the present day. It brings together more than 200 academics from Amsterdam’s Faculty of Humanities. ASH does not limit itself to a particular period, area or method, but integrates a variety of (inter)disciplinary perspectives, including history, literature and media studies.
The Amsterdam School of Historical Studies (ASH) represents and fosters the study of the human past from Antiquity to the present day. It brings together more than 200 academics from Amsterdam’s Faculty of Humanities. ASH does not limit itself to a particular period, area or method, but integrates a variety of (inter)disciplinary perspectives, including history, literature and media studies.
For questions about the position or department, you can contact us during office hours at:
If you recognize yourself in the profile and are interested in the position, we look forward to receiving your application. We ask the following documents:
Please send these documents as a single PDF file.
The vacancy closes on 15-12-2025. The interviews will take place in the last week of January 2026.
For questions about the position or department, you can contact us during office hours at:
If you recognize yourself in the profile and are interested in the position, we look forward to receiving your application. We ask the following documents:
Please send these documents as a single PDF file.
The vacancy closes on 15-12-2025. The interviews will take place in the last week of January 2026.