→ Apply before 31/07/2026 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels Time)
→ Department: LW21 - Talen en Culturen
→ Occupancy rate:100%
→ Number of positions: 1
→ Type of employment: Contract of unlimited duration with clause
→ Term of assignment: 1 year with the possibility of extension
→ Wage scale: PD1 to PD4 (doctoral degree)
→ Required diploma:PhD
ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY
Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15,000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With its 11 faculties and more than 80 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.
Postdoctoral Position (100%) – ERC Project “HAIR” (subproject UAE)
The Department of Languages and Cultures at Ghent University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position within the ERC-funded research project:
“HAIR – Hair, Identity, Beauty, and the Self in Muslim Contexts: Emotional Landscapes and Changing Femininities Beyond the Veil”
(Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Lisa Maria Franke, Ghent Centre for Arabic, Islamic and Middle East Studies, Department of Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Arts and Philosphy, Ghent University)
Project Description
The ERC project HAIR investigates the cultural, socio-religious, political and emotional meanings of beauty and body politics in Muslim majority contexts, with a particular focus on how beauty and hair practices intersect with identity formation, beauty ideals, gender norms, and selfhood beyond the veil. Combining approaches from Arabic/Islamic studies, anthropology, gender studies, literature studies and Middle Eastern studies, the project explores how beauty and the body can function as a site of negotiation between individual agency, religious discourses, policital agendas and societal expectations. The research includes ethnographic fieldwork, literary analyses and digital methodologies across selected contexts in Egypt, Lebanon and the UAE.
This specific postdoctoral position focuses on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a key site for examining contemporary socio-religious transformations. The project engages with both offline and digital environments, including beauty industries, influencer cultures, and curated cultural spaces. The Postdoctoral researcher will contribute to both academic research and innovative dissemination formats, including exhibitions. The Postdoctoral researcher will develop their own subproject on the UAE within the broader thematic and methodological framework of the ERC project.
Position Description
The postdoctoral researcher will develop and lead an original research strand within the ERC project, with a regional focus on the UAE. In addition to producing high-level academic research, the position includes a strong curatorial and public humanities component, contributing to the design and implementation of digital exhibitions linked to the project. The candidate is expected to bridge ethnographic research, visual/material culture, and curatorial practice. The candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary and international research team and is expected to actively engage in collaborative discussions, workshops, and project activities.
We invite proposals for research projects that fit within the wider context of the HAIR project. Such proposals can focus on any aspect of gendered body politics within the broad remit of the HAIR project, yet in all cases they should address the topic within the context of the UAE. Such proposals may include (but are not limited to) the following: the social power of generational structures, the relationship between religious discourses and political agendas, and social expectations towards embodied practices and representations, among other topics.
YOUR TASKS
As part of the ERC research project HAIR on Muslim femininities in Egypt, Lebanon and the UAE and connected regions within the research centre Ghent Centre for Arabic, Islamic and Middle East Studies of the Department of Languages and Cultures/Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, your assignment consists of:
Research
- At Least 70% of your assignment will be spent on academic research
- Develop and carry out an original Postdoctoral project within the scope of the ERC project
- Conduct ethnographic and digital fieldwork and analyses of Arabic literary texts
- Analyse qualitative data and source materials relevant to the HAIR research project and contribute to theoretical debates
- Prepare and process source materials for computational analysis within the project database
- Engage with visual, material, and cultural productions in the region
Academic Output
- Write a monograph and contribute to project related edited volumes
- Publish at least 1 article in a peer-reviewed journal
- Present research at international conferences
Curation & Public Engagement
- Conceptualise and contribute to exhibitions related to the ERC project
- Translate research findings into innovative visual and public-facing formats
- Collaborate with cultural institutions and museums
Collaboration & Participation
- Work closely with the PI and the ERC research team
- Participate in project meetings, workshops, and reading groups
- Contribute to the organisation of academic events
Training & Teaching
- Participate in training programmes at Ghent University
- Limited teaching may be possible (depending on department needs)
- Contribute to training activities and the intellectual life of the department
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
- You hold a thesis-based doctorate, or a diploma or certificate recognized as equivalent by law or in application of the guidelines of the European Union or a bilateral agreement in a relevant field (e.g. Arabic Studies, Islamic Studies, Anthropology, Middle Eastern Studies, Gender Studies, Religious Studies, Cultural Studies or related disciplines) obtained max. 6 years ago. This term of 6 years is determined by the date written on the above-mentioned required diploma)
- You have a strong research profile, including publications and/or a developing book project
- You demonstrate expertise related to the Gulf region and/or the UAE
- You have a strong interest in gender, embodiment, literature and Muslim societies demonstrated through publications commensurating with your career stage
- You have experience with ethnographic and/or qualitative research methods
- You have excellent academic writing and communication skills in English
- You are able to work independently and manage research projects while contributing to a collaborative team environment
- You demonstrate excellent research and writing skills
- You are motivated to conduct fieldwork (including international research stays)
- You are able to work both independently and as part of a team
- You have excellent communication skills in Arabic (spoken and reading)
- You have excellent academic writing and communication skills in English
- You are a dynamic and enthusiastic team player
Assets
- Experience with curation and exhibition-making (museum, gallery, or independent projects)
- Experience with digital or online exhibitions and/or visual storytelling
- Familiarity with museum or heritage contexts in the Gulf
- Experience with ethnographic or qualitative research methods in the region
- Knowledge of other relevant regional languages and dialects
- Familiarity with gender theory, affect/emotions, critical beauty and body studies
- Experience in or connection to the Middle East and/or Muslim majority societies
- Experience in digital humanities methodologies, including database construction for research purposes
- Experience working in interdisciplinary environments
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
- We offer you a contract of indefinite duration with a maximum term of 1 year and the possibility of extension (2 years) after positive evaluation
- Your contract will start on 1/04/2027 at the earliest
- Your remuneration will be determined by salary scale PD1. Click here for more information about our salary scales
- All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, a bicycle allowance and eco vouchers.. Click here for a complete overview of all the staffbenefits
- If the candidate is eligible for an international mobility appointment, a postdoc fellowship will be offered
- A dynamic, international, and interdisciplinary research environment
- Strong support for developing an independent research profile
- Access to high-level academic training and supervision
- Opportunities for international mobility and networking
- Integration into a collaborative research team
INTERESTED?
Apply online through the e-recruitment system before the application deadline (see above). We do not accept late applications or applications that are not submitted through the online system.
Your application must include the following documents:
- In the field ‘CV’: your CV and an overview of your study results (merged into one pdf file)
- In the field ‘Cover letter’: your application letter in pdf format
- In the field ‘Diploma’: a transcript of the required degree (if already in your possession). If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
- In the field “other documents”:
- a research proposal: (max. 2000 words plus references and bibliography) that outlines a potential postdoctoral project within the ERC framework (on the case study of the UAE) and includes 1) project title, 2) a rationale and positioning of the project in relation to existing scholarship, 3) a statement of the research objectives of the project, and 4) research methodology and work plan
- the names (with title, affiliation and email) of three people who have accepted to be contacted as potential referees
- an overview of your study results
- samples of published work (articles, chapters) in pdf, portfolio (documentation of curatorial or exhibition work) in pdf
Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.
As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Lisa Franke ([email protected]). Important: do NOT send your application by email,but apply online.
Do you have a question regarding the online application process? Please read the FAQ or contact us via [email protected].
