Doctoral fellow - Department of Literary Studies

Last application date Nov 15, 2025 23:59

Department LW07 - Department of Literary Studies

Occupancy rate 100%

Vacancy type Research staff

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. With more than 15,000 staff members, it is actively engaged every day in education and research, management and administration, and technical and social services. As one of the region’s largest and most dynamic employers, it offers excellent career opportunities. With its 11 faculties and over 80 departments providing high-quality programmes in every scientific discipline, Ghent University is a place of knowledge, innovation, and collaboration.

YOUR TASKS

You will prepare a doctoral dissertation under the supervision of Professors Marco Caracciolo, Stef Craps, and Elly McCausland. Candidates are invited to propose their own research project, situated firmly within the environmental humanities and combining theoretical exploration with textual analysis.

We seek candidates whose research intersects meaningfully with the research domains represented across our supervisory team. These include:

• Narrative theory and narratology, particularly in relation to ecological and environmental questions.
• Memory and affect studies, with attention to how cultural narratives address experiences of crisis, loss, and transformation.
• Children’s and young adult literature, including its engagements with risk, trust, imagination, and the environment.
• Ecocriticism and the environmental humanities, with an openness to decolonial, interdisciplinary, and cross-cultural perspectives.

We are especially interested in projects that cut across (some of) these areas, bringing them into dialogue in innovative ways. Proposals should demonstrate both a solid grounding in theoretical debates and a capacity for original analytical work.

You will also complete the doctoral training programme offered by Ghent University’s Doctoral School.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• You hold a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in English Literature, Literary Studies, Comparative Literature, or another relevant field. Candidates near completion may also apply, indicating the expected date of the degree award.
• You have an outstanding record of undergraduate and Master’s-level work.
• You have research experience in one or more relevant fields.
• You have excellent writing and speaking skills in English.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer you a full-time PhD scholarship, starting on 1 February 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.
• You will be appointed for one year. After a positive evaluation, the scholarship will be extended for three more years.
• The fellowship amount corresponds to 100% of the net salary of an AAP staff member with the same family circumstances. The exact amount is determined by Ghent University’s HR Department, based on family status and seniority. Fellowships that meet the conditions of the doctoral fellowship regulations are exempt from personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales.
• Additional financial support is available for conference and workshop attendance.
• As a Ghent University staff member, you will also enjoy a wide range of benefits, including extensive training and professional development opportunities, 36 days of annual holiday leave (for a full-time position), additional fixed bridge days, a bicycle allowance, and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of staff benefits.
• You will be based at Ghent University, as the project is funded by the university’s Special Research Fund (BOF).

INTERESTED?

Applications should be submitted in English as a single PDF and must include:

• A cover letter (1–2 pages) in which you specify why you are interested in this position and why you consider yourself a suitable candidate
• A research proposal (max. 4 pages) in which you outline your proposed research project.
• A current CV.
• Transcripts of your qualifications to date (degrees and grade lists).
• A writing sample (Master’s thesis, article, etc.).
• Names and full contact details of two referees.

Please send your application by email to [emailprotected], [emailprotected], and [emailprotected], with the subject line “PhD EnvHum Application – [Your Name]”. Name your PDF file “Lastname_Firstname_PhD_EnvHum.pdf”.

Application deadline: 15 November 2025.