1. You have the passion for heritage and historical research and the ambition to become an outstanding researcher.
2. You have strong academic abilities and you have completed (or are about to complete) a Master in History, a Master in Heritage Studies or an equivalent degree in which a historical and/or a heritage studies and/or a memory studies perspective played a prominent role.
3. You combine an active knowledge of Dutch and English with at least a passive knowledge of French.
4. You are willing to work in Leuven and live in Belgium during the main period of the PhD scholarship.
5. You have the skills to interact with a wide range of both academic and non-academic actors, and are willing to engage with the latter in participatory research practices.
6. You are willing to communicate on your research at conferences, on social media, through publications, and by engaging in outreach activities in collaboration with heritage professionals.
7. You are willing to play an active role within the Cultural History since 1750 Research Group.
At the intersection of heritage studies and (public) history, supervisor Andreas Stynen and co-supervisors Kristof Smeyers and Kaat Wils are hiring a PhD researcher for an innovative project on the memory and heritage practices surrounding the persecution of witches in the Low Countries since the early nineteenth century. This research is part of the 'Chair on witchcraft memorials and historical memory in the Low Countries' established thanks to the donation of Mr and Mrs Van Vlasselaer-Van Camp and focuses on the development of the ways in which public memory and heritage practices have shaped the representation of the witch hunts. The recent renewed public interest in witch persecutions, from official apologies by local governments to new commemoration initiatives, show the constantly renewed topicality of this topic. The research analyzes the dynamics of remembrance and forgetting, and the historically grown tensions between heritage, identity, and politics.
The Low Countries provide a unique case study due to historical differences in the handling of witch persecutions in the North and South, and the different ways in which the Netherlands and Belgium dealt with this past after 1830. The researcher will examine how specific cultures of memory in the Netherlands and Belgium developed over the last two centuries. Central to this analysis is the history of topics such as shifting emphases in stereotypes, public attitudes towards fraught histories, the social functions of historical consciousness and particular forms of heritage practices and memorialization. At the crossroads of history and heritage studies, the doctoral researcher will combine historical sources with interviews, surveys, and material culture studies. Outputs will include both academic publications and public engagement activities, such as heritage workshops, guided tours, and policy recommendations. Collaboration with heritage professionals, policymakers, and citizen initiatives is essential for the successful completion of this project.
The research group for Cultural History since 1750 focuses on the history of knowledge and science, historiography and historical culture, cultural infrastructure and cultural transfers, by considering the various shapes and meanings of scientific and cultural practices. (Critical) heritage studies are also part of the group's research agenda. We offer a fully funded, full-time PhD position for the duration of four years. The initial contract will cover one year; after a positive evaluation, this can be extended with one year and subsequently with two years. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the university salary scales for PhD students and highly competitive by international standards.You will complete a doctoral training program at the History Research Unit of KU Leuven, which has a lively international community of PhD researchers. The Cultural History since 1750 Research Group offers a stimulating intellectual environment.You will benefit from guidance and research training from experts in the field. You will be be given a work space and the resources to attend and present at conferences, to publish and to cover travel expenses for research.