PhD Position: Abrahamic Entanglements: Intersections of Religion and Philosophy

Full-time PhD Position: “Abrahamic Entanglements: Intersections of Religion and Philosophy in the First Millennium CE”

Are you looking for a challenging position in a dynamic setting? The Amsterdam School of Historical Studies (ASH) currently has a vacant PhD position as part of the starting grant Abrahamic Entanglements: Intersections of Religion and Philosophy in the First Millennium CE, led by principal investigators Dylan Burns and Liana Saif. The ASH is one of the five Research Schools within the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research(AIHR).

The capacity group Religious Studies/Hermetica (part of the department of History, European Studies, and Religious Studies/Hermetica) has deep expertise in the history of study of religion, spirituality and esotericism, and their manifestations in contemporary society, with a developing specialisation in Islam. The Center for the History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents, which hosts five full-time, internationally renowned specialists in the study of esotericism and the occult sciences from antiquity to the present day, is embedded in this capacity group. Students at Religious Studies/Hermetica thus are afforded terrific opportunities to learn about these topics in Amsterdam, and to partake of the manifold resources offered by other Dutch universities in the area (such as the Vrije Universiteit, Utrecht, and Leiden) in the study of religion, philosophy, and culture in antiquity and the Middle Ages.

What are you going to do?

The candidate’s project will address the intersections of religion and philosophy in, between, and beyond the Abrahamic traditions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) in the First Millennium CE. Suggested topics could include the evolution, transformation, and reception of Plato, Aristotle, later Greek philosophy (such as Neoplatonism), Gnostica, and Hermetica in the construction of belief systems and practices within the Abrahamic traditions; the entanglement of Jewish, Christian, Manichaean, and/or philosophical systems in the formation of early Islam; or the development of First Millennium-Coptic literature (monastic, apocryphal, magical, theological) in the context of the Islamicate Egypt.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• submission of a PhD thesis within the period of appointment;
• participating in meetings of the project research group and developing a shared database;
• publishing one single-authored, peer reviewed article;
• presenting intermediate research results at workshops and conferences;
• organising knowledge dissemination activities;
• (co-)teaching courses at BA-level in the second and third year of the appointment (maximum 0,2 fte per year);
• participation in the Research School and Faculty of Humanities PhD training programmes.

What do you have to offer?

We seek a passionate and dedicated researcher who thrives in both collaborative team environments and independent work. The ideal candidate will bring experience in archival research and/or fieldwork, and will have a deep enthusiasm for making connections across linguistic, religious and philosophical traditions.

Your experience and profile

Candidates need to have the following qualifications:

• a completed Master's degree in religious studies, philosophy, classics, or near eastern languages and civilizations or a comparable discipline. You may apply if you have not yet received your MA diploma, but only if you can provide an official signed letter from your university stating that you have met all criteria for obtaining your master’s degree and will graduate before 1 February 2025;
• excellent research skills demonstrated by an outstanding Master's thesis and a demonstrable capacity to develop a track record of publishing in high-ranking journals and/or with leading presses;
• a strong cooperative attitude and willingness to engage in collaborative research;
• enthusiasm for communicating academic research to non-academic audiences;
• excellent command of academic English, and at least one of the following research languages: Arabic, Coptic, Greek, Hebrew, Middle Persian, or Syriac
• The applicant is encouraged to express in the application a willingness to take on further language study as part of the doctoral training.

Additional relevant (but not required) experiences or skills that the candidate may have could include archival work, codicology, lexicography, manuscript studies, palaeography, papyrology, translation, and digital humanities. The successful candidate will have opportunities to develop these skills as part of the Abrahamic Entanglements project.

Please note that if you already hold a doctorate/PhD or are working towards obtaining a similar degree elsewhere, you will not be admitted to a doctoral programme at the UvA.

What can we offer you?

We offer a temporary employment contract for the period of 48 months. The first contract will be for 16 months, with an extension for the following 32 months, contingent on a positive performance evaluation within the first 12 months. The employment contract is for 38 hours a week. The preferred starting date is 01 February 2025.

Your salary is in the first year of the employment contract € 2,872 and in the last year a maximum of € 3,670 gross per month on the basis of a full working week of 38 hours. This sum does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8,3% year-end allowance. Favourable tax agreements may apply to applicants moving from abroad. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

What else do we offer?

• PhD candidates receive a tuition fee waiver;
• PhD candidates have free access to courses offered by the Graduate School of Humanities and the Dutch National Research Schools;
• excellent possibilities for further professional development and education;
• an inspiring academic and international work environment in the heart of Amsterdam;
• an enthusiastic and professional academic team.

About us

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 42,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds.

The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in de field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes.