PhD in Multilingualism, Identity and Emotion in Post-Migratory Contexts

Job Description

Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD position to investigate the complex interplay of multilingualism, identity, and emotional labor within migrant communities in the Netherlands. This project will explore how linguistic choices and practices, including the maintenance of heritage languages and the acquisition of Dutch and English, intersect with the emotional and psychological experiences of migrants and their children. This PhD project will employ a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from fields such as sociolinguistics, psychology, and migration studies. The project will involve conducting empirical research, analyzing data, and disseminating findings through publications and presentations. Candidates should possess a strong background in one or more of these areas, with a demonstrated interest in qualitative research methodologies.

We welcome PhD proposals centred on the role of language(s)/language practices with a focus on the interplay between emergent multilingualism, identity, socio-emotional dynamics and the navigation of (and between) different social contexts (the household, schools, communities, institutions). We are also interested in proposals that explore differences across generations of immigration, and/or integrating post-conflict informed approaches, raciolinguistic perspectives, and bear on frameworks that (may) include concepts such as well-being, trauma, adaptation, racism and xenophobia, belonging, resilience, and empowerment, emphasizing their linkages with multilingualism and identity co-construction. Methodologically, we are interested in applicants with strong ethnographic research skills, or a clear disposition to develop them. This includes an understanding of (and/or experience with) multi-site research design and implementation, qualitative data collection, management and analysis, multimodal data collection and analysis, as well as approaches, such as critical conversation analysis, phenomenology, and grounded theory. Other methodological designs, as long as they are well described and justified in the proposal, are also desirable.

The PhD Project

In the PhD project, jointly supervised by dr. Seyed Hadi Mirvahedi, dr. Josh Prada, and with dr. Charlotte Gooskens as promotor, the selected candidate will identify their own interdisciplinary focus and interest within the broad framework set out above. Candidates are asked to formulate and explain their focus in a research proposal in which they describe the research idea, possible primary sources, and define a research plan that reflects continuities and meaningfully bridges the academic disciplines relevant to the project. Note that an interdisciplinary focus is fundamental to this project.

During the four-year PhD position, you will be required to:

• Write and complete a dissertation within the framework of the project.
• Publish a number of academic and popular articles and/or papers about your research (in discussion/collaboration with your supervisors).
• Present research emerging from the project at national and international conferences.
• Participate in teaching activities in the (Applied) Linguistics (and related programs) at the University of Groningen.
• Engage actively with other research and professionally-oriented activities proposed by the supervisors.
  
  

Organisation

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has established an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative university offering high-quality teaching and research. Its 34,000 students are encouraged to develop their own individual talents through challenging study- and career paths. The University of Groningen is an international centre of knowledge: It belongs to the best research universities in Europe and is allied with prestigious partner universities and networks worldwide.

The Faculty of Arts is a large, dynamic faculty in the heart of the city of Groningen. It has more than 5,000 students and 700 staff members, who are working at the frontiers of knowledge every day. The Faculty offers a wide range of degree programmes: 15 Bachelor's programmes and over 35 Master's specialisations. Our research, which is internationally widely acclaimed, covers Archaeology, Cultural Studies, History, International Relations, Language and Literary Studies, Linguistics and Media and Journalism Studies.

Qualifications

• A Research Master’s or Master’s degree in any area related to the project (grade 8 and above).
• Excellent academic writing skills in English.
• Proficient in the migrant/heritage language(s) of the community the candidate wants to work with.
• Dutch desirable (or a willingness to develop it from the onset of the project).
• Desirable: professional, educational and/or personal experience with/in post-migratory contexts, and a sensitivity to the realities of working with/for the improvement of minoritized communities.
  
  

Organisation

Conditions of employment

In accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, the University of Groningen offers you:

• A salary of € 2,901 gross per month in the first year, up to a maximum of € 3,707 gross per month in the final year, based on a full-time position.
• A holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income.
• An 8.3% end-of-the-year allowance.
• A temporary 1.0 FTE appointment for a specified period of four years. The candidate will first be appointed for twelve months. After six months, an assessment will take place of the candidate’s results and the progress of the PhD project, in order to decide whether employment will be continued.
• The PhD candidate is expected to conduct a total of 0.4 FTE teaching spread over the second, third and fourth year of their appointment.
• Excellent work-life balance.
• Willingness to move and reside in the Netherlands.
  
  

The appointment will commence on 1 September/October 2025 at the very latest. We allow 3 months from selection in case of VISA applications.

Application

Applications should be made in English and contain the following materials:

• A short statement (c. 1,000 words), explaining your motivation for applying.
• An outline of max 5 pages with your own research proposal in the wider frame of this project.
• A curriculum vitae.
• Copies of MA diploma and list of BA and MA grades.
• Copy of MA thesis.
• If available, a copy of an article, book chapter or other academic text that you feel best represents your work.
• Contact details of two academic referees (no letters of recommendation are needed for the application process).
• In case your ReMA degree is not in English/Dutch, please include a language certificate.
  
  

Please send in your application as two PDF files (one for the MA thesis, and one for all other documents). You may apply for this position until 30 April 11:59pm / before 1 May 2025 Dutch local time (CEST) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).

Interviews with selected candidates will be held on May 9th 2025.

The University of Groningen strives to be a university in which students and staff are respected and feel at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identities. We believe that working on our core values of inclusion and equality are a joint responsibility and we are constructively working on creating a socially safe environment. Diversity among students and staff members enriches academic debate and contributes to the quality of our teaching and research. We therefore invite applicants from underrepresented groups in particular to apply. For more information, see also our diversity policy webpage: https://www.rug.nl/(...)rsity-and-inclusion/

Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the Recruitment code (NVP): https://www.nvp-hrnetwerk.nl/sollicitatiecode/ and European Commission's European Code of Conduct for recruitment of researchers: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/charter/code

We provide career services for partners of new faculty members moving to Groningen.

Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated.

Information

For Information You Can Contact

• Seyed Hadi MirvahedI, s.h.mirvahedi@rug.nl
• Josh Prada, josh.prada@rug.nl
• Maarten Schmaal, for questions regarding the submission procedure, gsh-groningen@rug.nl
  
  

Please do not use the e-mail address(es) above for applications.

Apply

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has established an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative university offering high-quality teaching and research. Its 34,000 students are encouraged to develop their own individual talents through challenging study- and career paths. The University of Groningen is an international centre of knowledge: It belongs to the best research universities in Europe and is allied with prestigious partner universities and networks worldwide.