Do you have an MA in history and are you passionate about the history of feminism and in developing your expertise in the fields of gender, women’s and oral history? Then you may be interested in this PhD position to work on an oral history project concerning the history of feminism and women’s movements in the Netherlands in the period 1965-1990.
This PhD project will explore the complexity and diversity of the history of feminist movements in the years 1965-1990. Traditionally, historical research on the second feminist wave in the Netherlands has largely been published by those involved in the movement itself with a focus on well-known groups and individuals. The result is that a variety of women related to the second feminist wave are missing from previous studies. By studying these women, you will make an innovative contribution to the historiography of feminism in the Netherlands.
You will study groups and individuals that have not been very visible in the historiography so far. For example organisations of female journalists, abortion doctors and nurses, the Turkish workers’ women’s movement Hollanda Türkiye Kadinlar Birligi, politicians, trade unions, organisations of Black and migrant women, or other local, regional or national or transnational organisations.
Oral history will be your central research method. By interviewing a selection of relevant actors, you will try to answer questions such as: How did specific groups and individuals relate to ideals, ideologies and action repertoires of feminism in everyday practice? Who actually identified themselves as feminist and for whom and why has this been problematic in the past and/or present? How do memories of individual women relate to collective images and historiography?
Throughout your research project, you will explore the added value of oral history in cultural-historical research with an intersectional and cultural approach, paying specific attention to gender, ethnicity, class and region. Part of the project will involve establishing contacts, connections and collaborations with individual and groups of women. We explicitly invite you to formulate your own research question and select and motivate your own case study or case studies.
Your research will be embedded in the Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH), and you will be part of the Graduate School for the Humanities (GSH). You will devote 75% of your time to the research for and writing of your PhD thesis. The remaining 25% will be spent on training and academic service to the Faculty of Arts, including teaching.
We offer you the opportunity to develop and carry out your own PhD project within the areas of expertise of your supervisors, Dr Marloes Hülsken and Dr Remco Ensel. Your Promotor will be Prof. Jan Hein Furnée. The project will be funded by a Starters grant from the Faculty of Arts awarded to Dr Marloes Hülsken.
We are
The Faculty of Arts is committed to knowledge production with a significant scientific and social impact. With over 500 academic and support staff, we teach and conduct research in the fields of history and art, languages and cultures, and linguistics and communication, using innovative methodologies and working in close collaboration with each other. Our research is embedded in two research institutes: the Centre for Language Studies (CLS) and the Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH). We currently have approximatively 2,500 students, enrolled in three departments: the Department of History, Art History and Classics, the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, and the Department of Language and Communication. We aim to contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive world, which is why we especially seek applications from candidates who bring diverse perspectives, backgrounds and skills that will be assets to our study programmes and research profiles.
Radboud University
We are keen to meet critical thinkers who want to look closer at what really matters. People who, from their expertise, wish to contribute to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. This ambition unites more than 24,000 students and 5,600 employees at Radboud University and requires even more talent, collaboration and lifelong learning. You have a part to play!
Additional employment conditions
Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University’s primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.
Would you like more information?
For questions about the position, please contact Dr Marloes Hülsken, Assistant Professor of Gender History at marloes.hulsken@ru.nl. Alternatively, you can contact Suzanne van de Liefvoort, coordinator of the Graduate School for the Humanities (GSH) at gshcoordinator@let.ru.nl.
Practical information and applying
You can apply until 31 October 2023, exclusively using the button below. Kindly address your application to Dr Marloes Hülsken. Your application (in Dutch or English) should include:
- Your own short research proposal for this PhD project: title, provisional research question and case study(s), scientific relevance in context of current historiography aims, methods; maximum 500 words, excluding bibliographical references.
- Motivation letter, explaining why you are interested in this opportunity and how it fits with your experiences and short- and long-term plans and ambitions; maximum 1 page.
- CV, including names, affiliations and email addresses of two referees (no need to send letters at this stage).
- List of courses and grades (BA and MA).
The first round of interviews will take place between 22 November and 1 December (online). The second round of interviews will take place between 11 and 15 December. You would preferably begin employment on 1 April 2024.
We can imagine you’re curious about our application procedure. It offers a rough outline of what you can expect during the application process, how we handle your personal data and how we deal with internal and external candidates.
