Sciences Po Centre for History
Postdoctoral Recruitment

The European Research Council project “SlaveVoices” seeks a Postdoctoral researcher in the history of modern North Africa and the Mediterranean with an interest in the history of slavery and in North African Sufi Islamic sources (hagiographies and biographies of saints) from the mid-18th century to the 1930s.

Funded by the European Research Council, “SlaveVoices” aims at renewing our approach to the end of slavery by collecting and studying the testimonies of North African, West African and European slaves and their descendants written in Arabic, Ottoman Turkish and other European and African languages from the mid-18th century to the 1930s.
Researchers involved in the project “SlaveVoices” explore the reshaping of the connections that groups of slaves built up within North African societies and between this part of the Muslim world and other adjoining societies in Africa, Asia and Europe in the abolition era.

The successful applicant will start working on the project by September 2022 for one year followed by a renewal for another year upon positive evaluation.
The project is based at Sciences-Po Paris, and directed by Prof. M. Oualdi who specializes in early modern and modern history of North Africa.

Main tasks of the researcher

The successful applicant will work full-time on the project during the term of the contract and will undertake the following tasks:

- to find, collect, transcribe and translate into English (or French) North Africa Islamic sufi primary sources dealing with enslavement, captivity and liberation from slavery in sufi hagiographies and biographies (including manāqib and tarājim) from the 17th to the late 19th century.
- to write and publish papers in peer-reviewed journal and or a monograph related to the ERC research topic;
- to present research papers at international workshops and conferences;
- to contribute to popular dissemination of the research results;
- and to undertake administrative tasks related to the project.

Qualification

The successful candidate will have a PhD in hand or will have defended a PhD before September 2022. He or she will have a major expertise in the history of North Africa. He or she will have a command of Arabic, French and English. He or she will be expected to work full time on the project and participate in the academic life of Sciences Po.

Funding

For this position, we offer:

1. a contract for one year of full-time employment as a Postdoctoral Researcher, followed by a
renewal for another year upon positive evaluation;
2. an internationally competitive salary that include social benefits;
3. an allowance for travel and research expenses.

Application procedure

The following documents are to be submitted :

● A letter of application (no more than 2 pages) explaining your qualifications and
motivation for the project and the added value that you are expected to bring;
● A curriculum vitae with a list of education, positions, teaching experience,
administrative experience, other qualifying activities and a list of publications;
● Scanned copies of relevant diplomas and certificates;
● A final report on your dissertation;
● Representative sections of your dissertation (introduction, conclusion and two chapters)
and a writing sample that is relevant to the ERC project;
● Contact information (email addresses, number phones) for two academic references
(including your supervisor or former supervisor).

All documents in English, or in French, are to be sent in a single pdf. file to slavevoices.erc@sciencespo.fr using the title “Application-SlaveVoices-Sufi sources”

All queries can be addressed to slavevoices.erc@sciencespo.fr

Application deadline : May 15, 2022

The short-listed candidates will be interviewed by the beginning of June 2022 either in Paris
or by visio-conference.

Sciences Po is the first French university which has received the label “gender equity” delivered by the French national organisation for standardisation (AFNOR).

 ▸ SlaveVoices_Postdoctoral Recruitment North Africa Sufi 2022 (PDF, Ko)