PhD Researcher in Multimodal and More-than-Human Ethnography
Explore multispecies governance through innovative ethnographic and multimodal research in Spain’s Canary Islands.
Best for:Best for anthropologists, visual ethnographers, or social scientists with a passion for multispecies studies, multimodal research methods, and Spanish-language fieldwork.
Overview
This fully funded PhD position at IPNA-CSIC (Spain) focuses on **multimodal and more-than-human ethnography**, investigating human-animal relations in contested governance contexts. Led by Dr. Pablo Alonso González under the ERC-funded FRONTCAT project, the role blends anthropology, environmental social science, and digital methods to study multispecies dynamics. The successful candidate will conduct ethnographic fieldwork in Spanish-speaking regions, combining traditional methods with photography, film, sound recording, and sensory ethnography. The project emphasizes **ethnographic depth** and collaborative development of a doctoral thesis with three publishable articles and a portfolio of multimodal research outputs. The position is based in La Laguna, Tenerife, within an interdisciplinary team examining multispecies governance.
What you'll do
- Conduct sustained ethnographic fieldwork in Spanish-speaking regions to study multispecies relations and governance.
- Develop and execute a doctoral research project focused on multimodal ethnography, combining photography, film, sound recording, and sensory methods.
- Produce three publishable academic articles and a portfolio of multimodal research outputs (e.g., short films, visual essays, sound pieces).
- Collaborate with the FRONTCAT team to contribute expertise in multimodal methods and develop a multispecies governance toolkit.
- Participate in interdisciplinary discussions and collective outputs related to multispecies governance and audiovisual research.
- Engage in collaborative research, including visual and sensory research protocols, audiovisual ethics, and multimodal data management.
- Present research findings at academic conferences and contribute to public engagement initiatives.
Requirements
Degree required: Master’s degree or equivalent in Anthropology, Visual Anthropology, Sociology, Human Geography, Science and Technology Studies, Environmental Humanities, or related fields.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English; Excellent proficiency in Spanish (required for fieldwork).
Instruction: English and Spanish
Publications: Three publishable academic articles during the PhD.
- Strong interest in ethnographic research and human-animal or more-than-human relations.
- Proficiency in Spanish (required for fieldwork in Spanish-speaking communities).
- Experience with qualitative research methods, including participant observation.
- Familiarity with visual or sensory anthropology techniques (e.g., photography, film, sound recording).
- Ability to develop a theoretically substantial doctoral project with interdisciplinary focus.
- Open to applicants from diverse academic backgrounds (anthropology, sociology, geography, etc.).
- No nationality restrictions mentioned, but Spanish proficiency is mandatory for fieldwork.
- No age or prior experience caps specified.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2027-08-01 (Europe/La Laguna)
Applicants must submit a CV, a research proposal (max 2 pages), a cover letter, and academic transcripts. Three reference letters are also required. Applications should be sent via email to the contact provided.
- CV
- Research proposal (max 2 pages)
- Cover letter
- Academic transcripts (BSc + MSc)
- Three reference letters
Contact
Pablo Alonso González· Principal Investigator (FRONTCAT Project)
Create a free profile to unlock your personal match score, the full requirements, funding details and how to apply — in English or Persian.