PhD Position in History

Radboud University

Netherlands

Department: Faculty of Arts, Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH)
Employment: 1.0 FTE
Gross Monthly Salary: €3,059 – €3,881
Required Background: Research University Degree
Application Deadline: 01 May 2026

Project Overview

Are you interested in curiosity‑driven research and medieval literature? For the ERC project CONSENT, you will study the theme of sexual consent in medieval European narrative songs (c. 1300–1550).

As a PhD candidate, you will conduct an independent research project within the CONSENT team. The project aims to unveil a positive, consent-oriented part of late medieval culture by investigating how song texts helped medieval people explore positive scenarios for sexual behavior and discuss the importance of mutual consent.

Your research will focus on the courts of the Rhine-Maas-Lorraine region (c. 1300–1430), a region known for its sociable song culture where audiences actively participated. You will investigate how this culture gave rise to new literary expressions of love and sexuality, acting as conversation starters or role-playing games. The manuscript list by Frank Willaert (2021) will serve as your core corpus. You will also explore connections between this region and other European regions investigated by the CONSENT team.

You will conduct your research at RICH under the supervision of Prof. Johan Oosterman (thesis supervisor) and Dr. Cécile de Morrée (PI of CONSENT). You will write a PhD thesis, present your results in publications and conferences, and participate in training and academic services (~6 months). A small number of teaching hours are expected.

For more information about the PhD trajectory in general, contact Suzanne van de Liefvoort. For questions about this project, contact Cécile de Morrée.

Candidate Profile

You are the right fit if you:

Hold or are about to complete a Master’s degree in Dutch Literature, Medieval Studies, Comparative Literature, Cultural History, or a related discipline before 1 September 2026 (thesis must be graded before July 2026)
Are a skilled philologist with excellent knowledge of Middle Dutch and Middle Low German language, literature, and culture; knowledge of High German and Middle French is an advantage
Are a communicative team player who thrives in a collaborative research environment
Have experience in codicological and palaeographical research or are willing to acquire these skills
Have an affinity with Digital Humanities, especially network analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Nodegoat, Gephi)
Can conduct independent research and present your findings in publications and international conferences
Have a good command of Dutch and English, with excellent writing skills; knowledge of German is an advantage

Employment Conditions

Contract: Temporary (1.5 years), with a positive evaluation leading to an extension of 2.5 years (total 4-year contract)
Salary: Starting €3,059 gross per month (38-hour week), increasing to €3,881 in the fourth year (Salary Scale P)
Additional Benefits:
- 8% holiday allowance
- 8.3% end-of-year bonus
- Extra days off: choose between 30 or 41 annual leave days
- Flexible working hours, work-from-home options
- Exchange income for extra leave days, sports membership reimbursement
- 34% discount on sports and cultural activities
- Pension plan
- Training and development schemes

Work Environment

Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH):

Dedicated to exploring past and present through culture, history, literature, and art
Collaborates with academic and societal partners
Project embedded in the research group Intercultural Dynamics, with collaboration between Dr. Cécile de Morrée, Prof. Johan Oosterman, and a postdoctoral researcher

Faculty of Arts: