PhD position on family formation among sexual minorities within the QPATHS project at NIDI-KNAW

The project

Despite growing social acceptance and legal recognition of same-sex unions, many individuals in same-sex relationships still face major obstacles when trying to become parents. Funded by the European Research Council, QPATHS (Queer Pathways to Parenthood) studies the pathways and challenges sexual minorities face in achieving their family goals. The project focuses on LGB couples’ family formation, covering the full process from initial desires for parenthood to becoming parents. It examines the barriers that these couples face, such as complex legal and institutional procedures, experiences of discrimination and stigma, and high financial and practical costs.

The project’s central aim is to provide insights into how sexual minorities form their families and what factors aid or hinder their ability to do so. The PhD candidate will contribute to this agenda by combining large-scale demographic patterns with personal family formation pathways. They will work with two main data sources:
(1) longitudinal population register data from the Netherlands documenting parenthood trajectories over time.
(2) a newly collected national probability-based longitudinal survey of individuals in same- and different-sex relationships in the Netherlands, drawn from population registers and linked to administrative data. Together with the PI and a postdoctoral researcher, the PhD candidate will be actively involved in the design and data collection of this survey.

Examples of research questions include:

• How do parenthood trajectories (entering parenthood and having additional children) differ between and within male same-sex, female same-sex, and different-sex couples, and which (socio)demographic factors shape these differences?
• How do parenthood desires and intentions translate into parenthood outcomes? What routes to parenthood do male and female same-sex couples follow?
• What role do emotional and practical costs (such as stigma, financial burdens, career disruptions, legal constraints) play at different stages of family formation?
• How do direct social networks (partner, family, friends) and wider environments (e.g., neighborhood context, LGBTQ+ organizations) support or hinder family formation?

QPATHS has clear societal and policy relevance in addition to its academic contributions. The findings will inform debates on equal access to parenthood and will be shared with the general public, policymakers, and LGBTQ+ stakeholders through presentations, reports, and popular science outlets.

What you will be doing
In this four-year project, you will:

• Carry out cutting-edge academic research within an international team of engaged researchers.
• Publish national and international journal articles, resulting in a PhD thesis.
• Participate in, and present at (inter-)national scientific meetings.
• Contribute to the project, including dissemination and communication activities aimed at policymakers, stakeholders, and the general public.
• Collect new survey data on family formation pathways among sexual minorities.

A full-time, 4-year PhD position is available. We offer a 1-year contract, which will be extended with 3 additional years after a positive evaluation. We provide a personal development program within the UMCG, following the terms of employment outlined in the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Universities (CAO). Gross monthly salary is €3.059 in the first year, increasing each year to €3.881 in the fourth year. We offer excellent benefits, including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme. As an employee at the KNAW/NIDI, you will receive a full status, which includes pension, health care benefits, and good secondary conditions. Benefits meet your needs depending on your stage of life, lifestyle, or career ambitions.

A full overview of the conditions of employment can be found at: Work for the Academy

NIDI is one of the research institutes of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and one of the leading demographic institutes in Europe. The mission of NIDI is to carry out the most excellent scientific work and share this knowledge with societal stakeholders to address challenges related to demographic change.

What do we offer?
NIDI is a scientific research institute that employs PhD students, postdocs, and professors at all levels. NIDI is located in The Hague, a 10' walk from The Hague Central Station, situated in an historical building in the city center. NIDI employees work at least half of their work time on-site, a practice that fosters cohesion, creativity, and productivity. The work climate is based on mutual respect, openness, and direct contact. Many employees collaborate both across and within levels of seniority. Training the next generation by supervising PhD projects and guiding postdocs is one of the institute's key tasks, and NIDI prides itself on a tradition of close and successful supervision. NIDI participates in giving courses at universities, supervises national and international internships, and supervises master theses.

The project will be supervised by dr. Maaike van der Vleuten (PI) and prof. dr. Matthijs Kalmijn.

For additional information you may contact Maaike van der Vleuten (vleuten@nidi.nl).