Are you interested in questions of identity formation, nationalism, and exploring how to combine qualitative ethnographic methods with data science/text mining methods? Do you have the ambition to contribute to advancing scholarly research as well as to perform socially relevant research? Then this PhD position at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science is the right position and challenge for you.

In this project, you will investigate notions of Dutchness that underpin the nativist discourses,  responsible for current societal divisions, cultural tensions, and political polarization. Who can be Dutch, and why? What does it mean to be Dutch? Researching these questions with an innovative mix of research methods, including ethnographic fieldwork in social locations where ideas about Dutchness are produced and applying data science techniques on human-generated data to understand online and offline behaviour concerning this key notion, will engender new theoretical insights about identity formation in the paradoxical context of increased mobility and rising nativist sentiments and political projects.

Your work will include teaching tasks (10%). Throughout the project, you will be well-guided and supported by your supervisors.

We are looking for an enthusiastic colleague (m/f/x) who meets the following requirements:

• You have completed a Master’s in anthropology, data science or adjacent fields;
• You have demonstrated affinity with conducting interdisciplinary research and have a keen interest in the project’s subject matter;
• You have well-developed analytical skills;
• You are a motivated and collaborative team member, communicative and open for collaboration across scientific fields;
• You are able to work independently;
• You have excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Dutch. If you are not a Dutch-speaker, you are willing to learn Dutch quickly. We offer free Dutch language courses.

You will work in a collaborative, social and dedicated team. We will guide you in your research and teaching tasks, which will help you develop your academic career.

• You will be offered a temporary position (1.0 FTE), initially for one year with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period.
• The gross salary will range from €2443,- in the first year to €3122,- in the fourth year in the P-scale (Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) per month based on a full-time employment.
• The salary is supplemented with an annual holiday pay of 8%, and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% per year.
• We also offer a pension scheme.

We encourage you to grow professionally, and we support a healthy work-life balance. That’s why we offer employment benefits such as professional development, leave arrangements, partially paid parental leave and sports. We also give you the opportunity to expand your terms of employment via the Employment Conditions Selection Model.

And that's not all. We are happy with you as a new employee and you will be given a warm welcome. We host a good introduction process for our new colleagues where we will introduce you and show you around our faculty and university.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major societal themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe for research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, pedagogical sciences, psychology and sociology. We are a faculty at the heart of society and one which cooperates closely with others. Our almost 6,000 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. We have approximately 900 faculty and staff members, who all work closely together to educate and train young talent and to research and find solutions to scientific and societal issues. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth and Institutions for Open Societies.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences aspires to have a diverse body of staff and students and strives to create and sustain a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, in line with Utrecht University’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.