The Gerda Henkel Foundation is a German foundation supporting research in the historical humanities. Its priority areas include history, archaeology, history of art, history of law, history of science and Historical Islamic Studies. Its funding programs cover researchers at different stages, from doctoral candidates to postdoctoral scholars.
The Foundation’s PhD Scholarship supports highly qualified doctoral candidates whose research shows exceptional academic promise. Historical Islamic Studies is explicitly listed among the priority fields. Applicants must have been admitted to a doctoral program, and the scholarship is intended for the research phase of the dissertation rather than for completing a PhD after other funding has ended.
The scholarship provides a €1,920 monthly base stipend for 12–24 months, with a possible extension of up to 12 additional months in justified cases. Additional support may include travel funding, research materials, an overseas allowance and family allowances. Around 50 PhD scholarships are currently awarded each year.
The PhD program is aimed at exceptionally qualified early-career researchers in the historical humanities. Applicants must already have admission to doctoral studies. The Foundation’s current requirements also include an age and academic-performance criterion: candidates must not yet have turned 28 at the time of the qualifying degree, and the overall degree grade generally must be 1.5 or better under the German grading system.
For scholars who have already completed a PhD, the Foundation offers Research Scholarships for independent research projects. Historical Islamic Studies is again explicitly included among the priority fields. Postdoctoral researchers receive €2,760 per month, with funding normally lasting 1–24 months. Applicants with a PhD generally must have received it within the previous 10 years.
The Foundation also supports larger or more specific research projects through its Research Grants program. Funding can support research-related personnel, travel, materials and other project costs. Smaller grants of up to €30,000 can be submitted at any time, while larger applications are considered through the Foundation’s regular selection process.

Call for Applications
GINGKO, London, UK
Application Deadline: April 6, 2025

GINGKO awards two kinds of academic research grants: the Research Grant and the Werner Mark Linz Memorial Grant. The Research Grant is a small-scale award to fund academic research, conferences or symposiums on one or more of GINGKO’s academic subject areas – the history, art history or religions of the MENA region – in any time period.

GINGKO awards up to three Research Grants per year, normally up to a maximum of £3,000 for each grant (download grant description as a PDF HERE).

Research Grants are for professional academic researchers based anywhere in the world. They must work for or have an official connection with a higher education institution or be able to provide other evidence of their status as professional academic researchers. Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent qualification.

GINGKO particularly welcomes:

• applications from researchers in the MENA region and/or with MENA heritage;
• applications for collaborative projects, conferences or symposiums involving researchers both from the MENA region (and/or with MENA heritage) and the West;
• applications from researchers based at academic institutions in the MENA region or researchers of MENA heritage who plan to return to MENA academia; and
• applications for projects in regions and countries where there is limited financial support available for research.

Applicants should indicate their expected outcomes in their application. Outcomes should be specific and clearly defined. GINGKO welcomes projects that will result in publication, preferably in a peer-reviewed journal or as part of a book, or else the presentation of a paper at a recognized conference or similar event.

Where the outcome of the research is a published book, grant recipients are encouraged but not required to submit their book proposal to GINGKO. In any case, GINGKO’s support must be acknowledged in any published outcome.

Grant recipients must submit a brief report (750 to 1000 words) to GINGKO no later than two months after the completion of the project, detailing how the project turned out, assessing its outcomes and providing final accounts. Where possible, photos taken during the course of the project should also be included.

Applicants should include a schedule for their project in their application. GINGKO normally expects projects to be completed within two years of a Research Grant being awarded.

Applicants should submit a budget for the entire costs of their project, indicating as appropriate which parts of the budget will be funded by GINGKO’s grant. Applicants should indicate other sources of funding and whether these have already been secured. Applicants must include a declaration that without the grant they would not have the resources to carry out their proposed project.

GINGKO Research Grants will not normally cover salary costs or institutional overheads. Allowable costs include fieldwork and research costs, costs of attending a conference or symposium in the capacity of a contributor or organizer, equipment, travel, event costs, and article-processing fees. Some short-term wage costs, e.g. for research assistants, can be funded, but salary costs, teaching replacements, normal living costs, or institutional overheads are not generally expected to be funded.

Application

Application forms must be emailed to grants@gingko.org.uk by midnight (UK time) on 6 April, 2025. Decisions will be announced in June of the same year. Two letters of recommendation must be submitted in support of each application and should be sent to grants@gingko.org.uk by midnight (UK time) on 6 April. The letters of recommendation must be from academics with professional, academic experience of the applicant. References must come from the academic’s work email account.

Grant applications will be assessed by a panel of academic reviewers. Applications will be anonymized before assessment. GINGKO aims to have at least one assessor from MENA or of MENA heritage on the judging panel. Decisions are based on the quality and practicality of the proposed research, conference or symposium, the costing of the work, the qualifications of the applicant to conduct the work, and the reports of referees. The decision of the panel is final. It is regretted that feedback cannot be offered to unsuccessful applicants.

If you have any questions about the GINGKO Research Grant, please email them on grants@gingko.org.uk.

About GINGKO

GINGKO is a non-political, religiously neutral organisation which funds and publishes innovative research into the history, art history and religions of the MENA region. It works to improve mutual understanding between the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and the West and operates in accordance with the UK’s Equality Act.

More information on: GINGKO

Call for Applications
College of Social Sciences/School of Government, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
Application Deadline: February 16, 2025
Funding for: UK Students
Funding Amount: £19,237
Hours: Full Time

The University of Birmingham invites applications for a PhD studentship as part of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship project, Making Aid Work for Displaced Women: Integrating Islamic Philanthropy and the International Humanitarian System to Improve Outcomes for Women. This interdisciplinary initiative explores how Islamic philanthropy can enhance humanitarian efforts.

Studentship Details

• Duration: Up to 3.5 years, in collaboration with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IFRC and ICRC), focusing on humanitarian policy and displacement.
• Supervision: The doctoral researcher will receive guidance from an interdisciplinary team at the University of Birmingham (Edgbaston and Dubai campuses) and IFRC/ICRC advisors.
• Training & Development: The PhD student will benefit from:
  • Comprehensive methodological and theoretical training.
  • Exposure to diverse social science research methods.
  • Professional skills development, including project management, ethics, and impact assessment.
• Research Environment: The researcher will join the Making Aid Work for Displaced Women team and collaborate with experts across the University of Birmingham and partner institutions.

Application Process

1. University Application:
   • Apply for a PhD at the University of Birmingham through the International Development Department webpage.
   • Submit a research proposal aligned with Making Aid Work for Displaced Women.
2. Scholarship Application:
   • Complete the project application form.
   • Ensure you have an application number from the PhD registration before submitting the form.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Sandra Pertek (s.m.pertek.1@bham.ac.uk) with any project-related or proposal inquiries.

Funding & Eligibility

• The studentship covers a stipend at the UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25, paid in monthly installments) and full Home tuition fees.
• Dedicated project funds are available for fieldwork and academic conferences.
• Eligibility: Applicants must have or expect to obtain at least a 2:1 degree from a UK university (or an equivalent qualification from a non-UK institution) in a relevant field.
• Diversity Encouragement: Applicants from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

For further details, contact Dr. Sandra Pertek at s.m.pertek.1@bham.ac.uk.

More information on: jobs.ac.uk

Call for Applications
Politics International Relations and Philosophy Department, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025
Funding for: International Students
Funding Amount: Full Home Fee Waiver + 3 years of £20000 stipends
Hours: Full Time

Royal Holloway, University of London, is inviting applications for a PhD studentship within the Centre for Islamic and West Asian Studies (CIWAS), in partnership with the Mainstay Foundation. This pioneering program seeks to explore critical issues relating to the politics and international relations of the Middle East and Muslim-majority societies. We encourage innovative research projects that offer fresh perspectives on the political, social, and cultural dynamics of the Middle East, particularly those that employ comparative or cross-regional approaches. This unique opportunity supports research that contributes to a deeper understanding of the Islamic world and its global connections.

The studentship aims to provide new insights into the complexities of the Middle East, fostering research that ranges from modern history to current political and social transformations, religious authority, Islamism, and gender dynamics. We are also keen to support comparative, cross-regional, or cross-national studies, as well as research focusing on specific countries or themes, such as democracy and elections, the experiences of Muslims in Europe, diasporas, and the impact of media.

The successful candidate will be based in the Politics, International Relations, and Philosophy Department, which is home to several renowned research centers, including CIWAS, the Gender Institute, the Global Politics and Development Centre, the Democracy and Elections Centre, the Centre for International Security, and the New Political Communications Unit. We particularly encourage PhD projects that link CIWAS with one of these other centers, fostering interdisciplinary and collaborative research.

Applicants with experience in or research focused on lower- or middle-income countries are especially encouraged to apply. Proficiency in relevant foreign languages and expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methods will be highly regarded. This studentship is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research on some of the most pressing issues facing the Middle East and the broader Islamic world today.

Successful applicants must possess a relevant Master’s-level qualification in a social science or Humanities discipline, or be expected to complete their Master’s studies before the commencement of the PhD program (with merit or equivalent). They are also required to have a valid IELTS certificate, with an overall score of 6.5, a writing score of 7.0, and no other sub-score lower than 5.5, unless they have an English language university degree and have written their dissertation in English.

Interested candidates should submit the following to Dr. Mohammad Kalantari at mohammadreza.kalantari@rhul.ac.uk, using the subject line: “CIWAS-Mainstay PhD Studentship”:

1. A cover letter
2. PhD research proposal (for guidance see here)
3. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
4. A writing sample

More information on: jobs.ac.uk

Call for Applications
Leiden University, Netherlands
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025

The Juynboll Foundation and the Scaliger Institute of Leiden University Libraries have founded a collaborative fellowship program to enable one or two scholars to study the Arabic and Islam special collections of Leiden University Libraries. The allowance is € 1,500 per month.

The program will support scholars to work with the extensive Special Collections of Leiden University in the field of Arabic and Islam for a period of one to two months annually. They will be invited to share their research through public lectures and publications.

Fellowship applications will be reviewed by a special board consisting of: prof. dr. Petra Sijpesteijn (Professor of Arabic Language and Culture at Leiden University and member of the board of the Juynboll Foundation), prof. dr. Léon Buskens (Professor of Law and Culture in Muslim Societies at Leiden University and chair of the board of the Juynboll foundation), dr. Arnoud Vrolijk (Curator of Oriental collections of Leiden University Libraries) and dr. Kasper van Ommen (Coordinator Scaliger Institute).

The deadline for sending in the application form is 1 April 2025.

Conditions

Applications for a Juynboll fellowship have to comply with a number of conditions:

• Fellows are expected to conduct their research in Leiden University Libraries and/or The Scaliger Institute during the period of the Fellowship.
• Fellows are responsible for ensuring they have the correct visa to support a research trip in the Netherlands for the duration of the Fellowship.
• An invitation to take up a Fellowship will be made subject to agreement on the dates of the visit. Applicants should indicate their preferred dates on the application form.
• All Fellowships are to be started and completed during the period July 2024 to 31 December 2024, except when a special agreement is made.
• It is the fellow’s responsibility to find an accommodation for living (with the support of the Housing Department of the University) and to fund all the costs of the visit with the support of the funds awarded. Applicants should be aware that accommodation costs in Leiden may exceed the funds offered.
• The fellow will provide the Scaliger Institute with a written research report at the completion of the Fellowship.
• The fellow will provide Leiden University Libraries with a copy of every publication resulting from the research visit.

Applicants are reminded that if they require a visa in order to start a Fellowship in the Netherlands, they must secure the appropriate visa and, once a proposal has been accepted, awarding of the Fellowship will be on the condition of fulfilling this requirement.

Applications must include:

• A completed application form stating personal details, the name of the Fellowship, the title of the proposed research project, the preferred dates of the intended visit and the names and addresses of two academic referees;
• A proposal for research to be carried out in the Special Collections of Leiden University Library during the term of the Fellowship (1,200 words or fewer). Applicants should indicate how the proposed study advances their own research goals and how the study satisfies any particular aims of the award;
• The research proposal must specify the relation between the proposed research and the primary sources, which are to be researched and consulted in the Special Collections Department of the library;
• A list of manuscripts, editions of other items to be consulted in the library, supplied with shelf marks;
• A start and end date of the proposed research;
• A curriculum vitae;
• A list of relevant publications;
• Two letters of recommendation from the academic referees named in the application form. Applicants should ask the referees to comment on their professional knowledge of the applicant and the contribution the proposed research would make to scholarship. The referees should be asked to send their letters directly to the Coordinator of the Fellowship Program, by email to scaliger@library.leidenuniv.nl or by post to the following address: K. van Ommen, Scaliger Institute, P.O. Box 9501, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands;
• Researchers who have yet to obtain their doctoral degree also need to have a letter of recommendation from their supervisor(s);
• Fellows who have previously received a fellowship from the Scaliger Institute, cannot obtain this grant a second time.

The Juynboll fellow is expected to contribute to the activities of the Scaliger Institute, and to give a public lecture in the series of The Leiden University Centre for the study of Islam and Society (LUCIS).

Juynboll Stichting

The Juynboll Stichting (‘Juynboll Foundation’) is a chartered charity under Dutch law, established in Leiden, The Netherlands and was founded in 2011 as the heir of dr. GHA Juynboll, deceased in 2010. One of the main objectives of the Juynboll Foundation is to promote scientific work and research in the fields of Arabic and Islam.

More information on: Leiden University Libraries

Call for Applications
Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar
Degree Level: Bachelors, Masters, PhD
Application Deadline: February 2, 2025

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Scholarship is a Popular Scholarship Program for International students to Study in Qatar on a Fully Funded Scholarship. Applications are open to apply for the Hamad Bin Khalifa University Scholarship 2025. It offers Fully FundedBachelors, Masters, PhD, and Law degree programs. The Scholarship is open to Qatari students and International students from all over the world. The exact number of scholarships varies from year to year. To be eligible for the HBKU Scholarship students must first get an admission offer to a graduate program at the university. Once admitted further information on HBKU Scholarship will be discussed with the applicants. 

The Hamad Bin Khalifa offers Fully funded scholarships to all international students coming from outside Qatar. The scholarship typically covers:

• Monthly Stipend for (BS)
• Monthly Stipend for (MS)
• Monthly stipend for (PhD)
• Accommodation Coverage
• Tuition Fee Covered
• Return Ticket/Year
• Married students are provided with family housing.

Study Fields

• College of Islamic Studies

Arts in Applied Islamic Ethics (Masters)
Science in Islamic Art, Architecture, and Urbanism (Masters)
Arts in Islamic Studies (Masters)
Ph.D. in Islamic Finance and Economy
Science in Islamic Finance (Masters)
Arts in Islam and Global Affairs (Masters)

• College of Humanities & Social Sciences

Women, Society, and Development (Masters in Arts)
Intercultural Communication (Masters in Arts)
Digital Humanities and Societies (Masters in Arts)
Audiovisual Translation (Masters in Arts)
Translation Studies (Masters in Arts)
Ph.D. in Humanities and Social Sciences

• College of Science & Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
Masters in Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering
Science in Sustainable Energy (Masters)
Science in Data Science and Engineering (Masters)
Data Analytics in Health Management (Masters)
Master in Science in Sustainable Environment
Science in Sport and Entertainment Management (Masters)
Science in Cybersecurity (Masters)
Sustainable Energy (Ph.D.)
Ph.D. in Sustainable Environment
Information Systems in Health Management (Masters)
Ph.D. in Logistics and Supply Chain Management

• College of Law

Juris Doctor
LLM in International Law and Foreign Affairs
Doctor of Juridical Science
LLM in International Economic and Business Law

• College of Health & Life Sciences

Science in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (Masters)
Master of Science in Genomics and Precision Medicine
Ph.D. in Genomics and Precision Medicine
Ph.D. in Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Science in Exercise Science (Masters)

• College of Public Policy (CPP)

Master of Public Policy
Master of Social Policy and Program Evaluation

Eligibility Criteria

• The HBKU scholarship is open to all countries.
• Each degree program has its requirements and conditions. So make sure to read the academic and admission requirements of each program.
• Good Academic Records Needed.
• If you have IELTS you can submit your test score.
• The British Council has introduced a New scheme IELTS One Skill Retake in which you can re-appear in a single module to improve your score without taking the full test.

All Applicants must submit:

• Academic Transcripts
• Complete Application
• Standardized Test Results (Where applicable)
• Letters of Recommendation (Two)
• Personal Statement
• Resume/CV
• Passport Copy or any Identity Document
• Research Proposal (Where applicable)

More information on: Opportunities Corners

Call for Applications
Research Program the Middle East in the Contemporary World (MECW)
Centre for Theol & Rel Studies (CTR), The Faculties of Humanities and Theology, Lund University, Sweden
Starting Date: April 1, 2025
Application Deadline: December 22, 2024

The doctoral position, announced at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies (CTR), is part of “The Middle East in the Contemporary World” (MECW) research program at the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES). The CMES is coordinating the Strategic Research Area (SRA) and the MECW research program. The program conducts cutting-edge interdisciplinary research on the Middle East and comprises more than 40 scholars from five different faculties at Lund University.

The doctoral student will be part of the “EcoCos” project conducted by Associate Professor Sami Al-Daghistani at CTR and CMES, Lund University. The doctoral student will have access to workspaces at the CMES and the CTR and is expected to participate in activities at both centers.

The primary language of the doctoral program is English. However, non-Swedish speaking students are expected to acquire basic skills in Swedish during their employment.

Economic Cosmology: Ethics, Sustainability, and the Nonhuman in the Muslim World (EcoCos)

The Sharī‘a’s law has been crucial for understanding ethical approaches in Islamic tradition, including within economic and environmental thought. EcoCos analyzes sources from Islamic traditions – both pre-modern and modern – as resources for a new ethics of sustainability and places itself at the forefront of an on-going discussion on economic and environmental concerns, as well as their relation to knowledge production. It is devised as a critical and comparative study of contemporary (21st century) and classical (8th-16th century) epistemological, philosophical, and practical aspects of economic thought and the nonhuman across the Muslim world, especially in the MENA and in South(east) Asia regions.

This interdisciplinary project investigates ethical approaches to economics, sustainability, and the nonhuman environment – as a space that is more complex than just an invariable proxy for the human. Rather than embracing the fields of economic science and environmental studies in the context of neoliberal capitalism, this project examines various empirical, religious, philosophical, and historical manifestations of economic and environmental thought as they were conceptualized across the Muslim world. Pre-modern approaches to economic teachings and the nonhuman environment have called into question colonial and postcolonial imaginative circuits and political formations, creating new forms of ethical engagement and analysis. By considering the polyvalent nature of ethical-economic genre in Islamic traditions, EcoCos continues this inquiry with a sustained focus on how economics and environment have been rendered in various Islamic texts, schools of thought, movements, and institutions. It analyzes diverse contemporary and historical accounts on the role of wealth and money (māl), financial mechanisms and instruments (e.g. ribā, zakāt, ḥisba), religious endowment (waqf), the notion of balance and conservation (mizān), as well as human relation toward nature and natural resources. Simultaneously, it analyzes the development of modern Islamic economics and “green initiatives” in MENA, questioning their ideological dependence on global economy and methodological frameworks in relation to the very concepts of “progress” and “sustainability”.

By cross-pollinating methodological and theoretical approaches within the fields of Islamic studies, environmental humanities, ethics, and intellectual history, the project aims to provide a more nuanced, critical, and varied perspectives within Islamic intellectual history on economic and environmental thought through non-Western sources and channels of influences.

The doctoral student is expected to pursue independent research both as regards theory and method within the overarching aim and focus of the project.

For questions about the research project, please contact project leader Sami Al Daghistani.

Work Assignments

Doctoral education. Departmental work, such as teaching and administrative tasks, can be assigned.

Entry requirements for doctoral studies in History of Religion specializing in Islamic Studies are specified in the general syllabus, available at https://www.ht.lu.se/en/utbildning/forskarutbildning/dina-doktorandstudier/general-syllabi/. For this doctoral position, having knowledge of Arabic is required.

The selection process will primarily take into account the applicants’ ability to benefit from third cycle studies. This is assessed against the criteria quality, quantity, progression and relevance.

Application

The application must include:

• CV/list of qualifications including relevant administrative and educational qualifications
• cover letter
• records of first- and second-cycle studies (attested copies of official transcripts of records)
• documentation of language skills of relevance for the research studies
• first- and second-cycle theses/degree projects
• any scholarly publications
• project plan (1500 words max. excluding references).

Please note that you need to upload all documents with your application in PDF format.

Type of Employment

Limit of tenure, four years according to HF 5 kap 7§.

The Centre for Theology and Religious Studies (CTR)

The Centre for Theology and Religious Studies (CTR) has existed under various names in Lund ever since the University became operational in 1668. CTR conducts teaching in the specializations of history of religions and religious behavioral science, biblical studies, church and mission studies and studies in faith and world views. Research is carried out within all the disciplines of religious studies and theology.

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 47000 students and more than 8800 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. The university is united in its efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

More information on: Lund University

Call for Applications
Ghent University, Belgium
Doctoral and Post-Doctoral Fellowships
Application Deadline: December 1, 2024

The Arabic, Islamic and Middle East Studies program and Ghent University support applications in a wide-range of fellowships to pursue research at doctoral and postdoctoral levels.Early career researchers pursuing doctoral and postdoctoral research are especially supported through the following funding schemes:

1. FWO PhD Fellowships

The Arabic, Islamic, and Middle East Studies program supports exceptional candidates to apply for PhD fellowships funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) to pursue doctoral studies. The current research strengths of the program are focused on the following areas:

• The history of the Middle East, especially of Egypt, historical Syria, and the Ottoman Empire, with an emphasis on issues concerning state formation, knowledge practices, historical consciousness, interdisciplinarity, sovereignty, religiosity and language and text structures.
• The anthropology of the Middle East, with an emphasis on issues concerning love, sexuality, materiality, identity, gender and modernity.
• The analysis and preservation of source materials relevant to the study of the languages, cultures, and societies of the Middle East with an emphasis on epigraphy, historiography, and documents in various languages

Interested individuals pursuing an FWO PhD fellowship should contact one of the professors in the program to inquire about their willingness to act as a supervisor. It is essential to review the detailed guidance of the FWO fellowship scheme carefully to confirm eligibility for the fellowship.

The expression of interest should include the following materials:

• A project description (maximum 2 pages) addressing the project aims, objectives, research questions, methodology, and outcomes. The name of the agreed supervisor must be included. When preparing the expression of interest, it should be noted that it will be reviewed by staff, some of whom may be outside the applicant’s specialism.
• A transcript of MA coursework.
• A CV (maximum 2 pages)

These materials should be sent by 1 December 2024 to middleeast@ugent.be.

2. FWO Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) funds postdoctoral fellowships at junior and senior levels for exceptional researchers to pursue independent research projects for three years. Interested individuals pursuing one of these fellowships should contact the professor in the program whose research interests most closely align with the proposed project.

3. European Research Funding

The Arabic, Islamic, and Middle East Studies program has hosted four ERC research projects, and Ghent University has hosted more than 100 ERC research projects. The Arabic, Islamic, and Middle East Studies program supports the development of proposals for ERC Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, and Synergy grants, as well as Marie Skłodowska Curie (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships. Interested individuals seeking to bring their project to the program at Ghent University should contact one of the professors in the program.

More information on: Ghent University

Call for Applications
Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Institute of Islamic Studies (IIS), University of Toronto, ON, Canada
Application Deadline: December 2, 2024

The Structural Islamophobia Research Lab (SIRL) at the Institute of Islamic Studies (IIS), University of Toronto, supports leading scholars committed to examining institutionally entrenched modes of Islamophobia that defy simplistic analyses and require innovative research methods.

This call for applications seeks candidates to investigate the potential existence of Islamophobia within Canada’s immigration regime. Within this broad scope, inquiries are invited into whether racial and Orientalist notions are embedded in laws, policies, and institutional practices across various aspects of the immigration system. The research should explore how these notions may influence regime findings and actions, such as inadmissibility rulings, CBSA stops and detentions, and visa programs for individuals from Muslim-majority countries.

Over the years, particularly under the War on Terror, several aspects of Canadian immigration have faced scrutiny, including security certificates and unconstitutional detentions. However, a holistic analysis of Islamophobia within Canada’s immigration system remains lacking. This call for applications aims to address this gap. The successful research project will ideally demonstrate expertise in critical race and decolonial theoretical approaches, which will inform the analysis, as well as proficiency in relevant social science methodologies to undertake this complex research endeavor.

Eligibility Requirements

• Open to candidates with a completed PhD no earlier than December 2021.
• PhD candidates may apply if they complete their dissertation defence successfully no later than July 1, 2025.
• All nationalities may apply.
• Preference will be given to those with:
  o A proven record of research on immigration laws and policies in Canada
  o Experience obtaining and analyzing government data/records incl. using ATIPs
  o Knowledge of diverse social science methodological approaches
  o A theoretical commitment to critical race and decolonial approaches
  o Experience working with Muslim communities and organizational partners

Details on the Fellowship

• Remuneration: $60,000 CAD per year
• Duration: One to three years
• Location: Required to be in residence at the University of Toronto
• Start Date: No earlier than February 3, 2025 and no later than September 1, 2025
• Only one fellowship on this topic is available at this time

Application Process

• Application materials include CV, statement of interest, and a writing sample.
• Please submit all application materials via email to islamicstudies@utoronto.ca.
• In the subject heading of the email, please use the following: “SIRL Application”
• The application deadline is December 2, 2024.
• Decisions will be announced by January 20, 2025.

For any questions, please direct inquiries to islamicstudies@utoronto.ca

More information on: Institute of Islamic Studies

Call for Applications
Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS), Berlin, Germany
Application Deadline: November 18, 2024

The Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies investigates the plurality, changeability, and global connectedness of Muslim cultures and societies. The area of study includes Muslim societies in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, as well as Muslim communities in Europe and North America. Our researchers examine, in a systematic and comparative way, concepts, practices, and institutions variously understood as Islamic.

The call is open for recent postdocs (not more than four years after award of the doctoral degree) in the humanities and the social sciences.

Job Description

BGSMCS is seeking to appoint a postdoctoral fellow for four years (01.02.2025–31.01.2029).

They are interested in attracting an outstanding postdoctoral researcher engaged in work relevant to their research project “The socio-cultural life of sociological concepts: Arab contributions to global theory”, funded by the Einstein Foundation Berlin.

The project addresses the problem that key concepts used in sociological analysis have different meanings and histories in different world regions. Central concepts that are often assumed to be applicable across various societies emerged to standardize ways of organizing social observations globally.

This standardization often goes along with imposing concepts born in one specific time and place onto other regions. It moreover is underpinned by and perpetuates power asymmetries in the global production of knowledge.

Addressing these wider issues, the project more specifically explores how sociological concepts have been used in other times and places, and thus began to be understood in different ways.

The project is designed to produce a critical, historically informed, and comparative lexicon of 60 key concepts as used in Arabic, English and French—focusing on the Arab World and the two main colonial languages of the region. The lexicon is conceived as one infrastructure of global knowledge production and theory.

As such, the project will help those interested in global social theory to identify spectrums of meanings and establish thereby more saturated and nuanced conceptualizations and analyses.

The Postdoctoral researcher will coordinate the project together with the Einstein Visting Fellow Prof. Mohammed Bamyeh and the host, Prof. Florian Zemmin. Within the overarching project, they will be especially responsible for facilitating and editing the podcast series and the online lexicon.

In addition, they will work on a research project of their own conception which will result in a collection of articles or a monograph.

The successful applicant will be employed on salary scale (Entgeltgruppe) TV-L13. Berlin is an attractive location for families, as childcare and schooling is free of charge. Successful applicants are required to take residence in Berlin throughout their employment at Freie Universität Berlin.

Requirements

Completed university degree and completed doctoral degree in History, Islamic and Middle East Studies, Sociology or related fields (PhD)

Desirable

• Experience in working with Arabic texts and affinity to conceptual analysis
• Research projects situated in one of the following disciplines: Islamic and Middle East Studies; Sociology; Arabic Studies
• Excellent command of English in both writing and speaking
• Good knowledge of Arab societies and Arabic knowledge production
• Proven track record of publications, including Podcasts and, ideally, online publications.

For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Florian Zemmin (application@bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de).

Applications should be sent by e-mail, together with significant documents:

• A brief cover letter (1 page)
• PhD certificate
• CV, including complete list of publications
• Description of their own research project (max. 3 pages)
• Reflections on how their own work relates to our project on “The socio-cultural life of sociological concepts: Arab contributions to global theory”,
• Names of 2 referees,

indicating the reference code “Postdoctoral researcher Arab sociology” in PDF format (preferably as one document) to Prof. Dr. Florian Zemmin: application@bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de or postal to Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies, Prof. Dr. Florian Zemmin, Hittorfstr. 18, 14195 Berlin (Dahlem).

More information on: Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies