The Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies (both at the University of Groningen, NL) offer a four year studentship to complete a PhD within a joint interdisciplinary project led by Prof. Daan Raemaekers (https://www.rug.nl/staff/d.c.m.raemaekers/) and Dr. Brenda Mathijssen (https://www.rug.nl/staff/brenda.mathijssen/). The proposed PhD research plan will be embedded in the Groningen Institute of Archaeology (GIA) at the Faculty of Arts and the Department of Comparative Study of Religion the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies.

The PhD candidate will analyse various present-day ritual activities that take place at the megalithic tombs in the Netherlands (hunebedden). Examples of such rituals include commemorative practices, pilgrimage journeys, the disposition of cremated remains, and druidic ceremonies. How can we understand these emerging practices in the socio-cultural context of the Netherlands and Western Europe? And what is the significance of the materiality and temporality of the megalithic tombs? The PhD student will analyse these questions by employing qualitative research methods and by engaging with theory from the field of ritual studies. For example the notion of “ritualisation” and the theoretical concept of “ritual framing”, indicating that rituals and ritualisations are devices that enable people to frame and deframe their experiences and realities.

We are looking for talented and ambitious researchers in relevant disciplines, such as anthropology, archaeology, cultural geography, and religious studies.

Your qualifications are:

- a research masters degree, or comparable selective masters, with an excellent academic record
- demonstrated research abilities and affinity with the research topic
- demonstrated experience in qualitative research
- demonstrated experience in the study of ritual or material culture
- great communicative skills
- native or near-native command of Dutch (C1 or C2)
- excellent command of English and proven academic writing skills.

Fixed-term contract: 48 months.

The successful candidate will receive a scholarship € 2,249 gross per month. She/he will be required to be resident in Groningen.

General information about the University of Groningen’s PhD scholarship programme can be found here https://www.rug.nl/education/phd-programmes/phd-scholarship-programme/conditions-application/

The preferred starting date is 1 September 2022

Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Balanced study and career paths in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 36,000 students and researchers to develop their own individual talents. Belonging to the best research universities in Europe and joining forces with prestigious partner universities and networks, the University of Groningen is truly an international place of knowledge.