Kawader Research Assistant - Voice Studies

Allocation Assist Middle East; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 100,000 - 167,000; Full time

Job summary

New York University Abu Dhabi invites applications for a Kawader Research Assistant Fellow in Voice Studies and Cultural Anthropolinguistics within the Arts and Humanities division in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The fellowship supports archival research, ethnographic fieldwork, and editing toward scholarly books and a new Voice Studies Centre in the UAE.

The role includes mentorship, international residencies, and coordination with editors, publishers, and researchers across multiple continents.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in Arts or Humanities or Master’s degree in a related field.
• Fluency in English and Arabic.
• Knowledge of Classical Arabic or regional dialects suitable for fieldwork.
• Experience or training in qualitative research methods.
• Ethnography, oral history interviewing, or field audio recording experience.
• Strong academic writing and citation skills.
• Willingness to travel internationally, including residency at the University of Victoria.

Responsibilities

• Conduct archival and secondary literature research on Artaud's theatre of cruelty and glossolalia.
• Review sound studies and Middle Eastern oral histories.
• Synthesize complex theoretical, historical, and field data.
• Plan and document ethnographic fieldwork and recruit participants.
• Contribute to academic writing for book projects and co-author chapters.

Skills

English fluency

Arabic fluency

Qualitative research

Ethnography

Oral history interviewing

Academic writing

Field audio recording

Communication coordination

International travel

Education

Master's degree or graduate degree in Arts/Humanities

Tools

Audacity

Adobe Audition

Job description

Kawader Research Assistant - Voice Studies Job Snapshot Role: Kawader Research Assistant - Voice Studies Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE Industry: Higher Education Function: Research Experience: Not specified Job Type: Full Time Position Overview New York University Abu Dhabi invites applications for a Kawader Research Assistant Fellow in Voice Studies and Cultural Anthropolinguistics within the Arts and Humanities division in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Supervised by Chinasa Ezugha, the position supports interconnected research and book projects examining voice, cultural performance, glossolalia, and alternative linguistic modalities. The fellowship combines archival research, ethnographic fieldwork, academic writing, audio documentation, publishing support, international research exposure, and participation in the development of a new Voice Studies and Epistemological Research Centre in the UAE.

Job Details

Country: UAE City: Abu Dhabi Industry: Higher Education Function: Research Salary: Not disclosed Gender: No Preference Candidate Nationality: Not specified Job Type: Full Time Work Arrangement: On-site

Research Projects

The successful candidate will contribute to two interconnected scholarly projects exploring voice, cultural performance, linguistic expression, and epistemology. The first project is a monograph examining the sonic philosophies of Antonin Artaud, reframed and analyzed through Bedouin vocal traditions. The second project is an edited volume or monograph investigating glossolalia, including speaking in tongues and non-semantic vocalization, and its cultural, ritualistic, and spiritual relevance within the Arab world and beyond. The Research Assistant will help connect theoretical inquiry with field-based research and may have the opportunity to co-author a chapter arising from field data or theoretical synthesis.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct archival and secondary literature research on Artaud 's theatre of cruelty and glossolalia.
• Review scholarship in sound studies and Middle Eastern oral and vocal histories.
• Synthesize complex theoretical, historical, and field-based research materials.
• Assist with planning, conducting, and documenting ethnographic fieldwork.
• Support research into vocal traditions and glossolalia across the Arab world.
• Recruit, communicate with, and coordinate research participants.
• Contribute to conceptual development and academic writing for the book projects.
• Collaborate on draft materials with the potential to co-author a scholarly book chapter.
• Manage administrative workflows associated with the research and publication projects.
• Correspond with co-editors, publishers, contributing authors, and other stakeholders.
• Assist with manuscript and publication-related coordination.
• Support administrative and strategic work associated with establishing the Voice Studies and Epistemological Research Centre in the UAE.
• Participate in international research activities, including a four-month visiting fellowship at the University of Victoria in Canada.

Required Qualifications

Applicants must have:

• Graduate degree in an Arts or Humanities discipline, or a Master 's degree in a related field.
• Fluency in English and Arabic.
• Knowledge of Classical Arabic and-or relevant regional Arabic dialects suitable for fieldwork.
• Experience or training in qualitative research methods.
• Experience or training in ethnography, oral history interviewing, or field audio recording.
• Strong academic writing skills.
• Familiarity with academic citation and formatting standards.
• Excellent organizational and administrative capabilities.
• Experience coordinating communications involving multiple stakeholders.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally.
• Ability to participate in the four-month residency at the University of Victoria in Canada.
• Wilingness and ability to undertake fieldwork across the Arab world.

Preferred Research Background

Candidates with a background or strong research interest in one or more of the following areas are particularly relevant:

• Voice Studies.
• Sound Studies.
• Performance Studies.
• Cultural anthropolinguistics.
• Decolonial epistemologies.
• Avant‑garde studies.
• Antonin Artaud and related scholarship.

Previous experience with academic publishing workflows, manuscript preparation, indexing, or copyediting is preferred.

Research and Technical Competencies

Methodological Versatility Candidates should be able to work across varied research methodologies and demonstrate strong analytical capabilities when synthesizing complex research materials and data.

Audio and Field Technology

Familiarity with high-quality field recording equipment and basic audio editing or archiving software is relevant to documenting and preserving vocal performances. Applicable tools may include:

• Audacity.
• Adobe Audition.
• Field audio recording equipment.
• Digital audio editing and archiving tools.

Epistemological Frameworks

The role requires strong literacy in decolonial methodologies and non-Western epistemologies concerning language and the body, supporting the project 's theoretical and field-based research objectives.

Program and Professional Development

The Kawader fellowship provides a full-time paid research position for up to three years and includes mentorship from NYU Abu Dhabi faculty. The source-listed development opportunities include:

• Professional development and research training.
• Interdisciplinary experience across voice studies, cultural anthropolinguistics, and performance studies.
• Direct mentorship through the academic publishing process.
• Potential co-authorship of a scholarly book chapter.
• International research experience at the University of Victoria in Canada.
• Academic networking across North America and the Middle East.
• Practical experience supporting a complex multi-author editorial project.
• Experience contributing to the establishment of a new research centre in the UAE.

Kawader Research Assistantship Program

This position is offered through the NYU Abu Dhabi Kawader program, a three-year national capacity‑building research fellowship program providing outstanding graduates with experience in an advanced academic research environment. The individually tailored program includes two pathways designed for Emirati graduates considering further graduate education or a career in research.

About New York University Abu Dhabi

New York University Abu Dhabi is a research university in Abu Dhabi and part of NYU's global university network. Its academic and research activities span the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and engineering, supporting interdisciplinary scholarship and international academic collaboration within a globally connected university community.