fellowship: moving objects, mobilising culture

The Fellowship ‘Moving objects, Mobilising Culture’ enables researchers and heritage practitioners from formerly colonised countries to access and conduct research on (collections of) objects – whether defined as cultural, historical, ancestral, art or otherwise – which are currently (lost) in the Netherlands, as well as on related archives and documentation.

The fellows are invited to actively use, reflect on and engage with these collections, but are also encouraged to explore and (re-)establish connections with related communities, collections and sites in the country of origin or other countries. Fellows are encouraged to follow queries regarding the social histories and valuation of objects, in relation to or beyond questions of restitution, and to seek for the signification of objects and their trajectories in space and time, beyond the framings of heritage institutions or national histories.

The host and accommodating institution is NIAS. NIOD and KITLV will provide structural support and supervision. The fellows are encouraged to conduct research in depots, archives and collections of the museums that are affiliated to the Colonial Collections Consortium (Wereldmuseum, Rijksmuseum, Museum Bronbeek and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands) and beyond.

The Fellowship Moving objects, Mobilising Culture hosts two fellowships in the academic year 2025 – 2026 (September 2025 to end January 2026). The duration of the fellowships is five months each.