Doctoral fellow - Department of History

Last application date Aug 17, 2026 23:59

Department LW03 - Department of History

Degree Master in History

Occupancy rate 100%

Vacancy type Research staff

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, and technical and social services on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With each of its 11 faculties and more than 100 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes that are grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its employees as well as its students.

YOUR TASKS

You will conduct academic research in preparation of a doctoral dissertation. The dissertation fits in the research project ‘Language Struggle: National Movements in the Streets of Belgium, 1951–1993’.
Historians have established that Belgium’s national cleavage has generated far less collective action than either its ideological-religious or socio-economic cleavages. However, this view of relatively weak nationalist mobilisation is largely based on analyses of the period before 1950. In doing so, historians have often overlooked the years between the Royal Question and the Saint Michael’s Agreement, a period marked by several intense waves of nationalist agitation. Flemish, Walloon, Brussels Francophone, and Belgian nationalists took to the streets to advance their demands, and these mobilisations frequently resulted in confrontations. Both domestically and internationally, this agitation became known as the “language struggle,” although it encompassed much more than linguistic issues alone. It was only with the federalisation of the Belgian state that these conflicts gradually subsided.

To date, a comprehensive and systematic analysis of this “language struggle” remains lacking. The aim of this project is to address this gap. The researcher (doctoral scholarship holder) will systematically map nationalist agitation in post-war Belgium, focusing on aspects such as the spatial and temporal distribution of collective action, mobilisation strategies, underlying networks, interactions between different movements, and the repertoires of contention employed. Such a comprehensive analysis has only recently become feasible owing to the accessibility of newly available archives from the Belgian police services and the emergence of new techniques for the systematic processing of (digital) source corpora. These developments make it possible to compile a consistent dataset for the systematic study of nationalist agitation. Computational methods - such as GIS mapping, network analysis, and corpus linguistics - allow researchers to identify patterns and systemic trends that would remain invisible through traditional close reading alone.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• The candidate holds a Master’s degree in History or another Master’s degree demonstrating a clear interest in historical research. Candidates who have submitted their Master’s thesis this summer are also encouraged to apply; 
• The candidate has experience with qualitative and/or quantitative socio-historical research methods. Experience in the systematic processing of large source corpora is considered an asset; 
• The candidate is familiar with the recent history of Belgium; 
• The candidate is familiar with methods from the digital humanities or is willing to acquire such expertise; 
• The candidate demonstrates excellent research qualities, including intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, accuracy, independence, and the ability to work effectively within an interdisciplinary team; 
• The candidate has an excellent command of Dutch, French, and English. 

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months. Participation in the research group for Modern and Contemporary History at Ghent University and collaboration with the Ghent Centre for Digital Humanities (Ghent CDH); 
• Strong integration into both the national and international research communities; 
• The opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree in History, supported by an individualised training programme within the framework of the Ghent University Doctoral School of Arts, Humanities and Law; 
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales.; 
• All employees of Ghent University benefit from a range of advantages, including extensive training and professional development opportunities, 36 days of paid annual leave, bicycle commuting reimbursement, eco-vouchers, and other benefits Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits; 
• The exact starting date of the position is negotiable, preferably no later than 1 October 2026. 

INTERESTED?

Send your cv, copy of your diploma (if already in your possession), a motivation letter and a short research design (max. 1 page) to [email protected], by August 17 2026 at the latest. We do not accept late applications 
As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.