The Institute for History at the University of Leiden invites applications for:

PhD Position (1 FTE) in the area of Belonging of European Muslims to the EU

The PhD candidate will become part of the NOW Open-L funded project “European Muslims and Belonging to the EU, 2015-2025’ led by Professor Sarah Wolff. The expected starting date is 1 January 2027.

Project description

This project asks What is the sense of belonging of European Muslims to the European Union (EU)? How do they relate to the EU? And how do they experience their EU citizenship? Is there a relationship between sense of belonging, agency and representation in EU institutions? And how are EU and national institutions taking into account this minority in its policy-making? The main scientific objective is to answer these under-researched questions, and to deliver the first study of European Muslims’ belonging to the EU which will conceptualize how European Muslims experience, contest, embrace and negotiate their belonging to the EU. In this project,  European Muslims are defined as people self-identifying as Muslims with EU citizenship. Belonging relates to emotional attachment, political values and ethical commitments to the EU as a political community. The project hypothesizes that belonging varies across three dimensions: institutional (how the EU frame belonging), transnational (social mobilisation) and societal (individuals).

Moving away from conventional studies on Muslims in Europe, as foreigners and immigrants, this project considers Muslims as Europeans and agents of their own belonging to the EU. The project has four main scientific objectives:  (1) Analysing how the politics of belonging are produced by EU institutions and what space is given to ‘belonging’ and who can belong (2) To document and trace the ways European Muslims are active transnational and bottom-up agents through mobilisation, demonstrations and court litigation at EU level. (3) To use insights from Bulgaria, France and The Netherlands to theorize the varieties of belonging regimes of European Muslims and explain why this may vary across countries, communities and individuals. (4) To survey and examine what meaning do European Muslims give to belonging to the EU and what it means for the Future of Europe and European Democracy.

The candidate’s Profile

We are looking a candidate who will contribute primarily to WP2 ‘Agency of Belonging in Europe’ which addresses objective 2. The candidate will also contribute across the WPs and maybe more specifically to Objective 1. The successful candidate will investigate how European Muslims act as transnational and bottom-up agents, and how they actively shape, negotiate and contest their sense of belonging to European communities and institutions. Particular attention will be paid to mobilisation, demonstrations and strategic litigation at the national and EU levels, as well as to how these forms of political participation interact with and shape EU politics of belonging.

The research will draw on EU studies, social movement theory, digital methods and discourse analysis to examine transnational collective action among European Muslims. It will aim to understand how European Muslims actively shape, negotiate claim, contest their sense of belonging in a community such as the EU. The candidate will analyse selected pan-European organisations  and networks, including Muslims and non-Muslims organisations such the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisation, the European Network Against Racism. A case selection of mobilisation campaigns and political issues—including anti-racism and anti-Islamophobia, freedom of religion or belief, EU foreign policy and climate change—will be conducted. The PhD student will have the opportunity to contribute to the various deliverables across the working packages. The candidate will also contribute to the project's broader analysis of how European Muslims participate in and transform European politics, thereby contributing to Objective 1 on the changing forms of agency, citizenship and belonging in Europe.

Key responsibilities

• Completion of a PhD thesis within four years;
• Participation in meetings of the project research group;
• Presentations of intermediate research results at workshops and conferences;
• Participation in the training programme of one of the Graduate Schools;
• Co-organizing workshop and conference.
• Contributing to public outputs such as podcasts or policy briefs.

Requirements for PhD candidate

• An MA or RMES in political science, international relations, European (Union) studies, migration, or sociology held by time of appointment, with an MA thesis of high quality. If the degree is not yet obtained at the time of application, a statement by the applicant’s supervisor should confirm that it will be obtained by time of appointment;
• Well-developed research skills including interview skills, mostly qualitative, but quantitative is a plus.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of an (international) team;
• Excellent command of English and Arabic. Ideally French, Dutch or Bulgarian is a plus.
• Good writing skills;
• Interest in the European Union, Belonging, Minorities in Europe, Muslims.
• The PhD candidate will be required to live and work from the Netherlands.

Information

For more information, contact professor Sarah Wolff, s.wolff@hum.leidenuniv.nl

About our organisation

Since its founding in 1575, Leiden University has acquired an international reputation for excellent teaching and research. With its staff of over 800, the Faculty of Humanities provides 26 Bachelors and 27 Masters programmes for over 7,200 students based at locations in Leiden and The Hague.

The Institute for History is the home of a vibrant community of researchers and lecturers with outstanding track records and successful in attracting national and international research grants.

Under the label ‘Global Questions, Local Sources’ scholars affiliated to the Institute combine a deep knowledge of global interactions and of specific localities, regions and states in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. They use comparative, connective and entangled approaches and resort to qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. For more information on the Institute for History: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/humanities/institute-for-history/phd-programme.

Diversity and Inclusion

Leiden University’s Institute for History embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized backgrounds to apply.

Terms and Conditions

We offer a full-time position for initially one year. After a positive evaluation of the progress of the thesis, personal capabilities and compatibility the appointment will be extended by a further three years. Salary range from € 3,204.- to € 4,051.- gross per month (pay scale P, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. For international spouses we have set up a dual career programme. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break. More at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions. 

Applications

Applications should be submitted in English and include a:

• Cover letter;
• Research proposal (maximum 1000 words) which states how you would approach the subproject;
• Curriculum vitae, including publications (if applicable);
• Copy of MA thesis.

Applications should be submitted no later than 26 October via the blue button in our application system. Please quote the vacancy number in your application. All requested documents should be sent in PDF format.

An interview with the search committee (planned on 13 November 2026) is part of the procedure. A list of two referees (with email addresses and phone numbers) will be required at a later stage of the application. You do not need to enter details about referees at this stage.