Department: LW21 – Department of Languages and Cultures
Degree Required: Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g. Arabic Studies, Islamic Studies, Anthropology, Middle Eastern Studies, Gender Studies, Religious Studies, Cultural Studies or related disciplines)
Occupancy Rate: 100%
Vacancy Type: Research Staff
Application Deadline: 31 July 2026 (23:59)

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 85 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.

Position

The Department of Languages and Cultures at Ghent University invites applications for one fully funded PhD 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 Philosophy
Ghent University

Subproject: Lebanon

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, political agendas and societal expectations.

The research includes ethnographic fieldwork, literary analyses and digital methodologies across selected contexts in Egypt, Lebanon and the UAE.

PhD researchers will develop their own subprojects within the broader thematic and methodological framework of the ERC project.

Your Tasks

Research

• Develop and carry out an original PhD 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.

Academic Output

• Write a doctoral dissertation.
• Submit at least one article for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Present research at international conferences.

Collaboration & Participation

• Actively contribute to the ERC research team.
• Participate in project meetings, workshops and reading groups.
• Contribute to the organisation of academic events.

Training & Teaching

• Participate in doctoral training programmes at Ghent University.
• Limited teaching may be possible (depending on department needs).

Position Description

The PhD candidate will conduct independent doctoral research (subproject on Lebanon) under the supervision of the Principal Investigator, contributing to the intellectual development of the ERC project.

They will be part of an interdisciplinary and international research team and are expected to actively engage in collaborative discussions, workshops and project activities.

The project welcomes doctoral research proposals that fit within the wider context of the HAIR project. Topics may focus on any aspect of gendered body politics within the broad remit of the project, including but not limited to:

• The social power of generational structures.
• The relationship between religious discourses and political agendas.
• Social expectations towards embodied practices and representations.
• Other related themes.

What We Are Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g. Arabic Studies, Islamic Studies, Anthropology, Middle Eastern Studies, Gender Studies, Religious Studies, Cultural Studies or related disciplines).
• Exceptional MA dissertation on an aspect of the contemporary Middle East.
• Strong interest in gender, embodiment, literature and Muslim societies.
• Excellent research and writing skills.
• Motivation to conduct fieldwork, including international research stays.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent communication skills in Arabic (spoken and reading).
• Excellent academic writing and communication skills in English.
• Dynamic and enthusiastic team player.

Assets

• 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:
  • Online exhibition curation
  • Digital storytelling
  • Database construction for research purposes

What We Can Offer You

• Full-time doctoral fellowship within a prestigious ERC project.
• Initial appointment of 12 months, extendable to a maximum of 48 months after positive evaluation.
• Dynamic, international and interdisciplinary research environment.
• Access to high-level academic training and supervision.
• Opportunities for international mobility and networking.
• Integration into a collaborative research team.
• Earliest start date: 1 December 2026.
• Fellowship amount equal to 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equivalent family circumstances.
• Fellowship is generally exempt from personal income tax under doctoral fellowship regulations.
• Staff benefits include:
  • Extensive training and education opportunities
  • 36 days annual leave (full-time basis)
  • Additional bridge days
  • Bicycle allowance
  • Eco vouchers

Application Procedure

Application Email: hair@ugent.be

Deadline: 31 July 2026

Late applications will not be accepted.

Selection Timeline

• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by 21 August 2026.
• Online interviews are expected during the first week of September 2026.
• Final decisions will be communicated shortly thereafter.

Required Application Documents

1. CV and transcript of academic record (combined PDF, maximum 2 pages).
2. Application letter outlining motivation and research interests (PDF, maximum 2 pages).
3. Undergraduate and MA transcripts.
4. Research proposal (maximum 2,000 words plus references/bibliography), including:Names, affiliations and email addresses of three referees willing to be contacted.
   • Project title
   • Rationale and positioning within existing scholarship
   • Research objectives
   • Research methodology
   • Work plan
6. Overview of study results.
7. Samples of published work (articles, chapters, etc.) in PDF format.

Maximum file size per upload: 10 MB.

Equal Opportunities

Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy. Everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.

Contact Information

For more information about this vacancy, please contact:

Prof. Lisa Franke
Email: lisa.franke@ugent.be

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