PhD Activating Heritage as a Mediator for Dialogue and Belonging

This PhD project examines how heritage can be activated to support dialogue and strengthen connections between migrants and local communities. It addresses key societal questions about how people from different backgrounds can build shared futures through mutual understanding and belonging.

The PhD candidate will engage in original, practice-oriented research, working closely with an international and interdisciplinary supervising team and regional cultural institutions and stakeholders. A key part of the project is developing a case study in the Frisian region, which will involve building relationships and co-creating dialog tools with local partners. The position is embedded in the vibrant environment of the Faculty of Campus Fryslân, where research connects academic rigor with real-world relevance.

This PhD project combines locally grounded research in the Frisian context with strong international academic exchange. It offers the opportunity to work closely with regional stakeholders while contributing to global discussions. The candidate will develop strong research skills, with particular focus on participatory methods, and approaches grounded in cultural heritage and critical studies.

The PhD Project
This PhD project investigates how heritage can act as mediators between local communities and migrants in increasingly polarized societies. With a focus on the Frisian region, it explores how cultural heritage—both tangible and intangible, such as museum collections, archival materials, historical narratives, and local traditions—can be activated to support dialogue, foster a sense of belonging, and strengthen social cohesion.

Working with local cultural partners such as museums, archives, and community organizations, the candidate will co-develop dialog tools that make use of heritage materials as central components for engagement. These tools will be designed and tested through participatory and practice-based methods. Yet, depending on the candidate’s background and evolving project needs, including artistic and arts-based research approaches.

The objectives of the project are twofold

- To further understanding how cultural and heritage institutions can pose as mediators in inclusive sustainability in society and active agents shaping narratives.
- By collaborating with heritage sites and the resources of cultural institutions, leveraging their collections, material culture, and local stories as tools that have the capacity to instigate dialog, strengthen social cohesion in communities and thereby contribute to inclusive integration best practices.

Dr Loes Bouman and Dr Sabina Rosenbergova will supervise this project, with Dr Sepideh Yousefzadeh as the promotor. The position is based in Leeuwarden, at Campus Fryslân.

Your tasks as a PhD candidate will be

- Developing, conducting and completing independent doctoral research.
- Engaging in fieldwork and building collaborations with cultural institutions and community partners in the Frisian region.
- Designing, implementing, and evaluating dialog tools—such as exhibitions, workshops, or serious games, but by no means limited to these.
- Participating in academic events and contributing to publications and public engagement.
- Actively participating in the research environment at Campus Fryslân.

You are expected to have

- Strong motivation to complete a PhD dissertation in four years.
- Very good individual and collaborative working skills.
- Presenting, planning, and organizational skills.
- Developed conceptual capacity and analytical skills, such as the ability to critically engage with heritage theory, migration studies, and participatory or arts-based methodologies.

Organisation
Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programmes and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 34,000 students and researchers alike to develop their own individual talents. As one of the best research universities in Europe, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global centre of knowledge.

Campus Fryslân is the ambitious eleventh and newest faculty of the University of Groningen, located in Leeuwarden. Campus Fryslân is an interdisciplinary faculty that works closely together with regional, national and international partners on worldwide (sustainability) challenges and local solutions. The sustainable development goals of the United Nations thus serve as an important guideline.

We offer challenging Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD degree programs. The research institute covers six research domains: Global and Local Governance, Governance and Innovation, Sustainable Entrepreneurship in a Circular Economy, Language, Technology and Culture, Knowledge Infrastructures and Sustainable Health. In the summer of 2019, Campus Fryslân has moved to the new faculty building De Beurs: the first all-electric, monumental educational building in the Netherlands.

The Ideal Candidate
We are genuinely open and curious to learn how applicants see themselves contributing to this project. We invite you to make a case for how your background, interests, and experience make you a good fit. Whether your strengths lie in cultural studies, interdisciplinary research, heritage, design, migration, critical theory, or community engagement—we’re interested in being persuaded by you.

That said, we expect the following

- A (Research) Master’s degree in any area related to the project with an understanding how these studies has equipped you for this project.
- A good record of undergraduate and graduate studies.
- An excellent command of spoken and written English.
- Research experience is an asset.
- Willingness to work interdisciplinary.
- Knowledge of Dutch is an asset. We also welcome candidates without Dutch proficiency, especially if they can explain how this would not limit their approach.
- Familiarity with participatory / arts-based methods / development of dialog tools or a strong interest in developing them.

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 nine 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. Prolongation of the contract is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year to indicate that a successful completion of the PhD thesis within the contract period is to be expected.
- A PhD training program is part of the agreement and the successful candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School of the Faculty. As part of the program, the PhD researcher will take part in the Career Perspectives Series, which provides a thorough preparation on the career after the PhD, inside or outside academia. During the course of the doctorate, the PhD researcher will develop research and teaching competencies as well as leadership skills. For this, the PhD researcher will receive a tailor-made programme from the GSCF.
- The PhD candidate is expected to conduct a total of 0.2 FTE teaching spread over the first, second and third year of their appointment.
- Excellent work-life balance.
- Willingness to move and reside in The Netherlands.

The appointment will commence on 1 September 2025. We allow 3 months from selection in case of VISA applications.