Postdoctoral Researcher in MENA Constitutionalism and Field Research

The position is supported by the ERC Consolidator Grant RECONCILE and the Center for Inequality and Open Society (CIOS) www.RECONCILE / www.CIOS.

The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary research program examining how constitutionalism can contribute to political community.

The position focuses on the relationship between formal constitutional authority and the lived normative and political order in MENA societies. The research asks how authority, belonging, obligation, and conflict are organized in everyday life; why constitutional institutions frequently remain peripheral to these relations; and what constitutionalism would need to recognize, constrain, transform, or replace in order to become more socially embedded and effective.

Fieldwork is central to the position. The project will investigate formal and informal institutions, social and religious norms, local intermediaries, political networks, and other structures through which political community is organized and conflicts are managed.

Your Tasks

• Design and conduct qualitative field research in selected MENA countries, including interviews, observation, institutional mapping, and case-based research.
• Analyze how formal constitutional institutions interact with lived normative, social, religious, economic, and political orders.
• Investigate the conditions under which constitutional authority becomes socially meaningful and capable of sustaining political community.
• Contribute findings to the Institute’s work on the conditions under which constitutionalism becomes socially embedded and capable of sustaining political community, including constitutional authenticity, normative compatibility, and institutional adversariality.
• Collaborate with researchers across law, political theory, and social science.
• Publish in leading academic journals and present research at international conferences.

Your Profile

• A Ph.D. in socio-legal studies, political science, political sociology, sociology, anthropology, Middle Eastern Studies, or a closely related field.
• Substantial prior experience conducting qualitative field research in the MENA region.
• Demonstrated competence in interview-based, observational, ethnographic, interpretive, or comparable qualitative methods.
• Arabic proficiency sufficient to conduct field research and interviews independently, and excellent written and spoken English.
• Familiarity with constitutionalism, political community, informal institutions, religion and politics, or related debates is an advantage.
• A strong publication record appropriate to career stage.
• We particularly encourage applications from researchers who completed their Ph.D. within the last three years. Outstanding candidates at other early-career stages are also welcome.
• Willingness to reside in Prague for the duration of the appointment.

What We Offer

• An initial two-year appointment, renewable.
• Gross monthly salary of approximately CZK 75,000.
• Flexible working conditions within a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment.
• The Institute aims to build a stable long-term research team and, where academic performance, funding, and institutional conditions permit, to offer successful researchers opportunities for continued employment.
• Start date: as soon as possible, by agreement.

How to Apply

Application deadline: October 20, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and early applications are strongly encouraged.

Please submit in a single PDF:

• a cover letter briefly explaining your relevant fieldwork experience, experience conducting research in Arabic, and fit with the position;
• CV;
• one relevant publication or writing sample;
• names and contact details of two referees, who will be contacted only with your agreement.

Applications should be emailed to Jana Malucha (maluchaj@prf.cuni.cz). For academic inquiries, contact Volker Kaul (kaulv@prf.cuni.cz).