1 full-time four-year fixed-term contract (doctoral fellowship)

Contenido de trabajo

as part of the collective research program NarraMus Writing the Self and the Other: Identity and Societal Issues in Post-Migration Literatures in French, German and Italian by authors of Muslim Descent

Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain) in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium)

This PhD research is part of an interdisciplinary research project in the humanities and social sciences anchored in the following institutes and research centers

• Institute of Civilizations, Arts and Letters (INCAL); Center for Research in Writing, Creation and Representation: Literatures and Performing Arts (ECR).
• Institute for the Analysis of Change in History and Contemporary Societies (IACCHOS); Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World (CISMOC).
• Institute of Political Science Leuven-Europe (ISPOLE); GLOBALIT Research Center.
  

Description of the project

The candidate will conduct a doctoral research funded by the ARC (Concerted Research Action) NarraMus program, funded by UCLouvain:

The NarraMus project studies a selection of narrative texts by authors of Muslim descent and of diverse ethno-national backgrounds in European post-migration contexts. In a variety of narrative forms ranging from short stories to novels, from pop to rap songs as well from stories on social media to testimonies, these authors illustrate and address the "knots of identity", the challenges, opportunities and difficulties of belonging to or referring to different cultural backgrounds. The tensions or even the gap between parental roots and the socio-cultural environment in Europe are brought to the forefront as resources and obstacles.

These polyphonic narrative voices address – at the heart of constructions of identity and belonging – the disparate aspects of interculturality, of co-inclusion and of the images of the Self and the Other, as well as of the strained relations between Muslims and non-Muslims.

The main focus will be on the narrative themes, the writing processes, and the communication strategies through which these texts position themselves on socio-cultural issues related to identity.

The doctoral project will mainly focus on any form of narration ("written", pop and rap lyrics, etc.) that makes use of new media (YouTube, Spotify, Facebook, websites like El Ghibli | Rivista di letteratura della migrazione).

Description of the position and function

This research mandate, conceived as an integral part of the NarraMus project, will be conducted at UCLouvain, on the Louvain-la-Neuve campus, for a maximum duration of 4 years (starting date: October 1, 2022) under the direction of the professors Hubert Roland, Brigitte Maréchal and Costantino Maeder (main promoter of this doctoral research).

It will be conducted in close collaboration with the NarraMus research consortium and their respective research groups and networks. The position corresponds to a doctoral fellowship according to the salary scales in vigor at UCLouvain. The successful candidate will actively participate in the collective research dynamics of the NarraMus research team: workshops, seminars, international congresses, publications and cultural projects planned in the project as well as the constitution of data sheets. His/her work will also have to lead to a doctorate.

Required Degree And Main Skills

Master’s degree in Modern Languages and Literatures or an equivalent degree(e.g. semiotics, comparative literature, communication studies), obtained at least with distinction.

Excellent knowledge of Italian and English is required, as well as a good knowledge of French. Knowledge of German is an asset. The project requires expertise in semiotics, cognitive science, comparative studies, linguistics, cultural studies, literary theory and/or musicology, sociology, anthropology, or political sciences.

Application and Selection Procedures and Deadlines

Candidates are invited to submit their application in electronic format to costantino.maeder@uclouvain.be, with copies to brigitte.marechal@uclouvain.be and hubert.roland@uclouvain.be by July 20, 2022. Start date of the fellowship: October 1, 2022.

The application (to be written in French or English) will contain the following documents

• A CV with a possible bibliography (including an overview of the results obtained and a copy of the master title)
• A letter of motivation (max. 2 pages) in which the candidate will succinctly develop his/her interest for the theme and his/her vision of the research project.
• A pdf copy of the master’s thesis or of a publication that can attest to the candidate’s suitability for the project; a project that responds in whole or in part to the objectives of NarraMus and that has been submitted to the F.R.S.-FNRS or other research funds may also be attached to the application.
  

On the basis of these documents, the candidates will be selected for an interview, probably remote. A final answer will be given by August 1, 2022, at the latest.

UCLouvain, through its gender policy action plan, intends to promote gender equality by ensuring equal opportunities.

Further information can be obtained from Costantino Maeder.