Doctoral scholarship holder in children’s literature studies

Departement: Departement Letterkunde
Regime Voltijds

Let’s shape the future - University of Antwerp

The University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20,000 students, conduct dynamic scientific research and play an important service-providing role in society. We are one of the largest, most international and most innovative employers in the region. With more than 6000 employees from 100 different countries, we are helping to build tomorrow's world every day. Through top scientific research, we push back boundaries and set a course for the future – a future that you can help to shape. 

The Department of Literature in the Faculty of Arts is looking for a full-time (100%) doctoral scholarship holder in the field of children’s literature studies.

Position

You will work actively on the preparation and defence of a PhD dissertation on "Scenes of friendship in German and English children’s literature.” Friendship is a central theme in children’s literature, with many famous friends populating both classics and contemporary titles. Despite its omnipresence, a systematic exploration of friendship in children’s books is currently lacking. Starting in sociology, friendship studies has only recently emerged as a vibrant field in cultural studies, with key publications by historian Barbara Caine (2009), philosopher Alexander Nehamas (2010) and literary scholar Andree Michaelis-König (2023). In times of polarization, the abilities to foster meaningful and reciprocal connections with other human beings, to overcome differences and resolve conflicts get particular pedagogical weight. This doctoral project draws on the field of friendship studies to analyse how friendship is practiced in a selection of English and German children’s books. Using narrative analysis, close reading and discourse analysis as its main methods, it seeks answers to the following research questions: How is friendship practiced in children’s literature? Who becomes friends with whom? What is the impact of age, gender, race, class and religion on how friendships are practiced? How are differences between friends negotiated and conflicts resolved? What contextual factors (space, role of adults, historical time period, national context, genre, age range, etc.) influence how fictional friendships are framed and practiced? What function does friendship have for the characters, the plot and the implied reader? The project’s focus on “scenes of friendship” responds to a broader need today to attend more closely to “notions of entanglement, co-dependency, and living networks” (Fuchs & Cosgrove 2024). In doing so, it answers a call to pay more attention to relationality in philosophy, education and literary studies. You will publish peer-reviewed articles and deliver conference papers related to the research project.

You will carry out a limited number of teaching and research support tasks for the Department of Literature in the areas of English and German Literature.

Profile

You hold a Master's degree in German and/or English Literature or an adjacent field relevant to the project, or you will have obtained it by the time you start work.

Preferably, you can demonstrate experience in studying children’s literature.

You can demonstrate excellent study results.

Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.

Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.

You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.

You can read, write and speak English and German with high proficiency.

You work effectively in a team and can balance independent and collaborative work.

What we offer

We offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of two years. Following a positive evaluation, the scholarship can be renewed once for another two-year period.

The planned start date is 1 October 2026, or as soon possible after that date.

Your monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders.

You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance, and bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.

As a doctoral researcher, you will have access to a wide and varied range of courses and an educational credit through the Antwerp Doctoral School.

You will be based at University of Antwerp’s city campus (Stadscampus) in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.

Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.

Want to apply?

Apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 10 August 2026 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button and complete the online application form. Be sure to include the following attachments:

a motivation letter in English (up to 1500 words)

your academic CV (in English or German) including:

educational background

other academic experience (e.g., teaching, certificates, etc.)

your experiences abroad

list of publications and/or presentations

list of prizes, honors, and/or achievements

language skills

a writing sample: an academic paper or (excerpt from) your Master's thesis; up to 6000 words (excluding bibliography); in English or German.

names and contact information of up to 3 references

The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify you. If you are still eligible after the pre-selection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure. The selection interview will take place on 26 August.

If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to Het emailadres op uantwerpen.be bekijken. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Prof. Andree Michaelis-König and Prof. Vanessa Joosen with "Friendship in children’s literature" in the subject.

The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversityand attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.