- Employment: 0.8 - 1.0 FTE
- Gross monthly salary: € 2,770 - € 3,539
- Required background: Research University Degree
- Organizational unit: Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies
Are you eager to study the intersections of food, migration, and religion? Do you seek to develop an innovative research project that furthers academic debates in these fields? Then join us as a PhD candidate and research migrant Muslim foodways.
Scholars exploring Muslim food practices have been mostly concerned with the rules and rituals that make food permissible for consumption. This focus has been particularly prominent in studies of Muslims in minority or migratory contexts, where distinguishing lawful from unlawful food is both a pressing and challenging concern. And yet, the attention to 'halal food' elides other ways that food matters in Muslim's everyday lives. To address this lacuna, we are looking for a PhD candidate to develop an innovative research project that will offer a new perspective on migrant Muslim foodways, investigating the social significance of Muslims' culinary habits in migratory contexts.
We are interested in projects centred around two interrelated questions: How does food mediate social encounters in diverse migratory contexts? And how do such exchanges impact Muslims' practices and beliefs? Under this framework, we invite you to identify your own research questions, theoretical lens, methodological tools, and case studies.
Temporally, projects should be situated in the present. Geographically, projects that foreground the Middle East, Europe, or migrants to/from these regions will be given priority. Methodologically, projects should largely utilise qualitative methods such as interviews and ethnographic fieldwork. Theoretically, projects will primarily engage scholarship focused on Islam and religion, diaspora and migration, and food - even as it extends to fields beyond these.
You will devote 75% of your time to conducting research and writing your PhD thesis. The remaining 25% will be spent on training and academic service to the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, including 10% teaching. As part of your professional development, you will regularly participate in international workshops and conferences. With the assistance of Radboud University's research office, you will also apply for grants to support fieldwork and research expenses.
The project is funded by a starter grant awarded by the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology, and Religious Studies to Dr Joud Al Korani.
Profile:
- You have an MA degree in religious studies, anthropology, migration studies, or another discipline related to your project (or will obtain this degree before July 2024).
- You have a demonstrated interest in food and food-related practices.
- You have the necessary background knowledge, technical skills, and language competence to complete your proposed project.
- You have an excellent command of written and spoken English and, ideally, proficiency in at least one additional language.
- You have a clear and persuasive style of writing.
- You have excellent research and analytical skills.
- You are able to work independently and as a member of team.