Institutions for Open Societies (IOS), in collaboration with Utrecht School of Governance, Faculty of Law, Economics & Governance, are honored with the appointment of Prof. Ine Apapoe (Anton de Kom University) as the Prince Claus Chair under the theme: Equity from Within: Maroon Governance and the Future of Development in Suriname. To support this appointment, we are seeking a postdoctoral researcher, based in Utrecht, for the period February 2027 until January 2029. The postdoctoral researcher is co-funded by Utrecht University Fund and IOS.

Your job
In this role, you will combine theoretical and methodological expertise in research with organizational and social skills to advance the goals of the Prince Claus Chair (approximately 50-50%). The postdoc position is designed to enhance high-quality academic scholarship and leverage evidence-based research for equity and development, with an emphasis on Suriname and the advancement of Inclusive Governance in Suriname. You will work closely with the Prince Claus chairholder, who will stay in Suriname and Utrecht on an alternating basis.

The postdoctoral researcher will play a pivotal role in advancing the strategic and academic objectives of the Prince Claus Chair. The research focuses on the intersection of traditional governance, post-slavery legacies, and inclusive development. By placing Maroon communities of Suriname in a comparative global context, alongside other traditional societies and African-descended populations, the PCC aims to deepen our understanding of shared governance challenges and strategies. The research by the PCC fits into current societal debates around ethnicity, land rights, sustainable development, female leadership and the social, economic and environmental impacts of utilizing natural resources. It provides an opportunity to explore important themes such as equity, access to resources, and the participation of marginalized populations. This will come together under the heading of Inclusive Governance. Research will have academic and societal impact, and tasks include:

1. Designing and conducting research approaches and methodologies aimed at understanding Inclusive Governance, in Suriname and elsewhere;
2. Involvement in developing research proposals, instrumentation, design, sampling, data collection, data analysis and report writing;
3. Publishing and disseminating research findings to (inter)national academic, public and practical audiences, in multiple (written and oral) ways;
4. Editorial roles related to writing and publishing a book on public governance and administration in Suriname.

Approximately half of the available time is reserved for research aligned with the PCC’s goals, and half of the time for organizational and project support. The postdoctoral researcher will be the first point of contact for these organizational activities and will work closely with the chair holder, prof. Ine Apapoe, and representatives of the strategic theme Institutions for Open Societies, Utrecht School of Governance, REBO faculty, and other key stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the chair’s objectives.

Key organizational responsibilities will include:

• Facilitating international collaboration, for example by organizing events;
• Developing and implementing activities within UU (IOS and REBO/USG) in line with the workplan of the PCC;
• Managing the visits of the PCC to Utrecht, and organizing events, workshops and meetings;
• Practical support to the PCC related to proposal writing, book publishing and other activities as defined in the workplan.