Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS) invites applications for a

PhD position within the project Judicial Guardians: Representing the Legally Incapacitated in Early Modern English Law and Literature (1542-1646) (1.0 fte, 4 years)

The PhD candidate will be working within the NWO Vidi research project ‘Judicial Guardians’, funded for 2026-2031 by NWO, and directed by Dr. Lotte Fikkers (Lecturer in English Literature). Prof. dr. Nadine Akkerman (Professor in Early Modern Literature and Culture) will be the co-supervisor of the PhD candidate.  

The project

This project examines legal and literary representations of early modern English ‘wardship’. In 16th- and 17th-century England, the Court of Wards and Liveries had the power to place so-called ‘wards’ (children and the intellectually disabled) in the custody of guardians whose job it was to protect their charge’s interests. Because such guardianships could be sold to the highest bidder, this care system was open to abuse by unscrupulous custodians seeking to enrich themselves at the expense of their vulnerable dependants. Indeed, this abuse happened so often that wardship became a common literary trope in early modern plays. This literary use of wardship is often missed by modern-day literary critics and audiences alike, which results in the social criticism at the heart of these plays being overlooked.

By reading legal records from the Court alongside literary representations of wardship and intellectual disability, this project seeks to uncover the historical realities that fed into this literary use (and vice versa). This will enable it to recover the voices of some of early modern England’s most vulnerable inhabitants, to historicise narratives of legal incapacity, and, ultimately, to re-interpret canonical literary works.

PhD position

The PhD candidate will analyse literary representations of wardship in early modern English drama. In order to do so, the candidate will first compile a complete overview of all plays featuring wards and their guardians, including those that mention wardship only in passing (such as William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet) as well as those to whose plot wardship is of vital importance (George Wilkins’s The Miseries of Enforced Marriage, for example). They will then examine the various ways in which wardship was depicted on the early modern English stage, reading plays featuring underaged wards alongside depictions of wards with (suspected) mental disabilities. The goal of the project is to offer a holistic overview and analysis of wardship in early modern English drama.

Key responsibilities

• Completing a PhD thesis (in English) within four years;
• Compiling an overview of all early modern English plays containing wardship references;
• Conducting research on representations of wardship in early modern English drama;
• Publishing at least one article in a peer-reviewed journal or volume;
• Presenting papers at conferences in the Netherlands and internationally;
• Publishing three (co-authored) blog posts on platforms such as the Leiden Arts in Society Blog;
• Participating in monthly meetings of the project research group;
• Contributing to the organisation of the events and activities within the project;
• Participating in the training programme of the LUCAS Institute, the Leiden Graduate School of Humanities, the National Research School in Cultural History (Huizinga Institute), and other relevant masterclasses, summer schools, seminars, workshops, and events;
• Participating in the PhD community and the intellectual life of the Institute (Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society, LUCAS);

• Subject to progress and demand, some teaching in the second and third year of your PhD project, in line with your expertise and prior experience.

Your profile

• You hold a ResMA or MA with a specialisation in English Literature or Early Modern Studies, with an MA thesis on a 16th -century or 17th-century topic;
• Your ResMA/MA should be awarded by time of appointment, with a grade of 8.0 or above on a ten-point scale (distinction or equivalent) for your thesis. If the MA thesis is not yet finished, we invite you to provide contact details for your supervisor in your application letter so we may consult with them on your progress;
• You have excellent close reading skills;
• You have well-developed general research skills, including the ability to formulate creative research questions, descriptive and analytical skills, and a clear and persuasive style of writing;
• You have an interest in or affinity with the (early modern) law; affinity with the fields of gender and/or disability studies is a bonus;
• You have full professional working proficiency in English (speaking, writing, reading);
• You have proven time-management skills;
• You are a team player and independent thinker;
• You have the ability to finish the proposed PhD research in 4 years.

International candidates are encouraged to apply but must be willing to relocate to the Netherlands for the duration of the project.

The organisation

The Faculty of Humanities at Leiden University is a unique international centre for the advanced study of languages, cultures, arts, and societies worldwide, in their historical contexts from prehistory to the present. Our faculty is home to more than 6,000 students and 800 staff members. For more information see: http://www.universiteitleiden.nl/.

Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS) is one of the seven Academic Institutes of the Faculty of Humanities. The institute hosts a range of academic disciplines, clustered around a key research theme: the relationships between the arts and society. Our members study cultural production over the course of two millennia, from classical antiquity to our contemporary world, and teach in programmes ranging from Classics and Book History to Modern Literature, International Studies and Art History. Strengthened by our diversity, LUCAS members are uniquely placed to study the broad concept of the arts, with its rapidly changing ideas, aesthetics, and theories of cultural production. Through research, teaching and outreach, the Institute aims to deepen our understanding, both inside and outside academia, of the cognitive, historical, cultural, creative, and social aspects of human life.

As an academic community, we strive to create an open and welcoming atmosphere, stimulating everyone to get involved and contribute, and connecting scholars from different fields and backgrounds.

Terms and conditions

Diversity & inclusion

Fostering an inclusive community is a central element of the values and vision of Leiden University. Leiden University is committed to becoming an inclusive community which enables all students and staff to feel valued and respected and to develop their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High quality teaching and research is inclusive.

Information

Enquiries can be addressed to the PI of the project, Dr. Lotte Fikkers (l.e.m.fikkers@hum.leidenuniv.nl). Questions about the procedure can be directed to Nina Schat (im-lucas@hum.leidenuniv.nl). Information about LUCAS can be found at http://www.universiteitleiden.nl/geesteswetenschappen/centre-for-the-arts-in-society  and about Leiden University at http://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en.

Applications

Please submit your application via the online recruitment system, accessed by the blue button at the top of this page, latest 31 May 2026. Applications received via e-mail will not be taken into consideration. Your application should include:

• Letter of application with a motivation statement of 1000 words max, in which you formulate your interest in the PhD project and some first ideas about how you would frame/approach it;
• Your CV, listing education and relevant employment history, and any other academic achievements (conference presentations, publications, organization of events, etc.);
• Names, positions and contact information for two referees (no reference letters); please list these on your CV rather than filling them out separately in the system;
• A copy of your MA-thesis or a writing sample (if the MA thesis is not yet finished);
• Copies of relevant course assessments (list of grades; certificates demonstrating language proficiency);
• A copy of your MA degree certificate or, if your MA thesis is not yet submitted, contact details for your supervisor so we may consult them on your progress.

(Online) interviews will take place on 2-3 July 2026. There may be a second round of interviews.

Enquiries from agencies are not appreciated.