PhD Position: Fatherhood, Emotions and Masculinity in Migration

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Radboud University

  • Career category: Research/ Data analysis
  • Job type: PhD
  • Experience level: 0-5 years
  • Organisation type: Research
  • Remote option: No
  • Right to work requirements: Anyone can apply
  • Remuneration: €2,901 EUR-€3,707 EUR / monthly
  • Work schedule: Full-time
  • Length of contract: Temporary/ Fixed-term
  • Deadline: 01/06/2025
  • Location: Netherlands
Masculinities Migration
This PhD position offers a unique opportunity to explore an innovative and socially relevant research topic at the intersection of migration, fatherhood, masculinity, emotions, and family-making. 

The project contributes to filling a significant gap in migration and gender research by focusing on the emotional, affective and cultural dimensions of migrant masculinity and fatherhood, areas that have remained underexplored in both academic and policy discourse. Your work will not only enrich academic debates but also have practical implications for understanding the complex realities of transnational family life in multicultural societies.

As a PhD candidate, you will investigate how migrant men in the Netherlands navigate their roles as fathers across transnational and intercultural family contexts. The project examines the emotional, memory-based, gendered, and cultural dimensions of fatherhood and masculinity, grounded in a theoretical framework that includes the sociology of emotions, memory studies, migration theory, role theory, and gender studies – with a central focus on intersectionality. The research will analyse how masculinity is shaped, expressed and redefined within migrant fatherhood, and how this affects broader processes of family-making.

The primary methodology is qualitative and based on in-depth interviews and participant observation, supported by document analysis (e.g. letters, diaries, digital communication). A potential quantitative component using existing survey data (such as the LISS panel) is possible, offering the candidate the opportunity to apply mixed methods if suited to their research interests and expertise.

You will be responsible for developing and executing your research plan, publishing peer-reviewed articles, presenting at international conferences, and writing a dissertation based on your findings. Throughout your doctoral journey, you will receive tailored academic support, mentorship, and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration within the Radboud Social Cultural Research Institute (RSCR).

Teaching is an essential part of this appointment and will make up approximately 10% of your time. You will contribute to undergraduate or graduate level courses related to sociology, gender studies or migration studies. These tasks are designed to support your academic development and prepare you for a future career in research or teaching.

Profile

  • You have a Master’s degree in sociology, anthropology or a related field in the social sciences.
  • You have a demonstrated interest in gender studies, family and migration sociology, masculinity studies, or emotional and memory studies and are familiar with or interested in applying role theory, intersectionality, and interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks in your research.
  • You are motivated to conduct in-depth qualitative research, including ethnography and narrative interviews. Knowledge of descriptive statistics or more advanced statistical methods is considered an asset.
  • You are fluent in English and preferably also in Dutch, Arabic or French. You are committed to intersectional and transdisciplinary research perspectives.
  • You have excellent analytical, writing and communication skills.
  • You enjoy working independently as well as in a collaborative academic environment.
  • You are willing to contribute to teaching activities at the departments of Gender and Diversity Studies and Sociology

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