Job Information
- Organisation/Company: Universidad de Granada
- Department: Departament of Sociology
- Research Field: Juridical sciences » Social law; Sociology » Other; Religious sciences » Other
Offer Description
The MINARET Doctoral Network invites applications for a doctoral position (DC5) at the University of Granada (Spain) on “Hybrid Secularism and Constitutional Pluralism.”
Doctoral Candidate Position (DC5) – Hybrid Secularism and Constitutional Pluralism
Research Project
The doctoral project explores hybrid models of secularism and constitutional legitimacy, with a comparative focus on Morocco and Indonesia. Both countries have developed constitutional systems that combine religious and secular sources of legitimacy. The project will examine how these hybrid constitutional orders manage religious and societal diversity, incorporate religious values into constitutional arrangements, and contribute to governance and constitutional stability.
The project forms part of the MINARET Doctoral Network, which trains 15 doctoral candidates in the sociology of post-imperial Islamic legal cultures, with a regional focus on Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. The programme examines the interactions between law, religion, and governance in Muslim-majority societies shaped by imperial legacies and ongoing processes of constitutional transformation.
The programme has three main objectives:
- To advance empirical and theoretical research on the interconnections between law, religion, governance, constitutionalism, democratization, and security in post-imperial Muslim-majority societies.
- To provide sustainable interdisciplinary doctoral training across disciplines, sectors, and regions.
- To strengthen policy outreach and societal impact by translating research findings into workshops, conferences, publications, policy briefs, and stakeholder engagement activities.
Doctoral candidates will be hosted at one of the leading European universities within the MINARET consortium and will work closely with academic and non-academic partners across Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and North America.
Position and Contract
The position is a full-time Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network position with a duration of 36 months, in accordance with the MINARET recruitment framework.
The successful candidate will be employed as a doctoral researcher at the University of Granada for the duration of the project and will receive the benefits and training opportunities associated with the MSCA Doctoral Network.
Training, Fieldwork and Secondments
Doctoral candidates will benefit from joint supervision, international and intersectoral secondments, advanced methodological and transferable skills training, and opportunities to connect academic research with policy and professional practice.
Fieldwork and secondments are integral components of the MINARET Doctoral Programme. The successful candidate will be required to undertake international fieldwork and two international secondments abroad: one academic and one non-academic secondment, each lasting between two and six months.
Through collaboration with universities, civil society organisations, think tanks, public institutions, and development agencies, the doctoral candidate will gain first-hand experience of legal, political, and governance transformations in post-imperial Muslim-majority societies.
The successful candidate will also participate in conferences, network training events, and other MINARET activities, work collaboratively within an international research team, and contribute to the wider scientific and societal objectives of the project.
Supervision
The doctoral candidate will be supervised at the University of Granada by:
Principal Supervisor:
Rafael Martínez Martín
Email: rmmartin@ugr.es
Co-Supervisor:
Tamara Álvarez Lorente
Email: talvarezlorente@ugr.es
For any questions or requests for clarification regarding the research project, doctoral position, supervision, or other aspects of the position, prospective applicants are welcome to contact the supervisors using the email addresses provided above.
Eligibility
To be eligible, candidates must have obtained a degree that formally entitles them to start a doctorate, either in the country where the degree was obtained or in the country where the researcher is recruited.
Candidates must not have been awarded a doctoral degree and must not have completed more than four years of full-time equivalent research experience.
Candidates must also not have resided or carried out their main activity (e.g. work or studies) in Spain for more than 12 months during the three years immediately preceding the recruitment date.
The successful candidate will be required to work as part of an international research team, travel to conferences and MINARET network training events, undertake international fieldwork, and participate in both academic and non-academic secondments abroad.
For further information on the MINARET Doctoral Network and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks, please consult the relevant project and programme information provided in the application materials.
Selection Process
Applicants shall submit their application in English and include the following documents:
- Cover letter, explaining the applicant’s academic background, research interests, motivation for applying for the doctoral position, and suitability for the project.
- Curriculum vitae (CV), including academic qualifications, research experience, publications and other relevant academic achievements.
- Official degree certificates and academic transcripts for the main qualifications, including Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, where applicable.
- Short research proposal, related to the doctoral project for which the candidate is applying, of approximately 2–3 pages. The proposal should demonstrate the candidate’s understanding of the research topic, ability to formulate relevant research questions, and capacity to develop an appropriate research approach.
- Contact details of two academic referees who may be contacted during the selection process to provide information on the candidate’s academic and research profile.
- Writing sample, consisting of an academic text that allows the selection committee to assess the candidate’s analytical, argumentative and academic writing skills.
Applications will first be assessed against the eligibility requirements established in the call. Eligible applications will then be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria: (i) academic qualifications and academic record; (ii) research experience and potential; (iii) quality, originality and relevance of the research proposal to the doctoral project; (iv) quality of the writing sample; (v) motivation and suitability for the doctoral project and the MINARET Doctoral Network; and (vi) academic references, where applicable.
Following the assessment of the written applications, a shortlist of candidates will be established. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview, which may be conducted online or in person. The interview will assess the candidate’s motivation, understanding of the proposed research, methodological preparation, communication skills, and suitability for the doctoral project and the MINARET Doctoral Network.
The final selection will be based on an overall assessment of the application documents and the interview, taking into account the selection criteria specified above. The selection committee will establish a ranked list of candidates on the basis of the documented assessment and in accordance with the applicable recruitment procedures of the MINARET Doctoral Network and the University of Granada.
The selection procedure will be conducted according to the principles of transparency, fairness, equal treatment and equal opportunities. All applications will be assessed against the same eligibility and selection criteria, and decisions will be based on the merits and suitability of candidates in relation to the doctoral position. The University of Granada and the MINARET Doctoral Network are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the recruitment and selection process. Candidates will be considered without discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, nationality, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by applicable legislation.
For further information regarding the application procedure, eligibility requirements or the doctoral project, applicants may contact:
Dr Tamara Álvarez Lorente
University of Granada
Email: talvarezlorente@ugr.es
Prof. Rafael Martínez Martín
University of Granada
Email: rmmartin@gmail.com
Where to apply
E-mail: talvarezlorente@ugr.es
Requirements
- Research Field: Sociology » Other
- Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
- Languages: ENGLISH
Level: Excellent - Languages: SPANISH
Level: Good - Research Field: Political sciences » Other; Sociology » Sociology of religion
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available: 1
- Company/Institute: University of Granada
- Country: Spain
- State/Province: Granada
- City: Granada
- Postal Code: 18071
Contact
- State/Province: Granada
- City: Granada
- Website: https://www.ugr.es/
- Street: Cuesta del Hospicio, s/n, 18071 Granada
- Postal Code: 18071
- E-Mail: rmmartin@ugr.es, talvarezlorente@ugr.es
