"PhD Position on Royalist Radicalism and Parliamentary Democracy in Restoration France"

The University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam School for Regional and Transnational and European Studies (ARTES) are pleased to announce a fully-funded 4-year PhD position in Political and Intellectual History. The successful candidate will be part of a project ‘Royalist Radicals: Royalist Opposition and the Making of Parliamentary Democracy (France and Europe: 1814-1830)’ (2026-2030), funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The project is led by Dr Matthijs Lok.

The history of democracy in nineteenth-century Europe is often written as a progressive march of liberals and socialists against the claims to power of conservative and monarchical governments. In this deterministic and triumphalist narrative, the contribution of royalist opposition to monarchical governments is often overlooked. In the project “Royalist Radicals”, we will examine the ambivalent and multifaceted democratic legacy of royalist radicals in early nineteenth-century France and Europe. As a PhD candidate and central researcher in this project, you will work with the PI to study why and how royalist radicals between 1814 and 1830 appropriated and developed the instruments of parliamentary democracy for their own agenda, despite their ideological opposition, and how they legitimized this strategy. The main focus is France, but the European and imperial/global context is also taken into account. The project can be adapted to meet the individual interests and skills of the PhD candidate.

As PhD candidate, you will: Conduct research in French archives and libraries; Author/co-author peer-reviewed articles and chapters; Present project findings at international conferences; Co-organize the project conference; Disseminate the results among the wider public; Participate in PhD training and project meetings; (Co)-teach courses at the BA-level in the 2nd and 3rd year of the appointment for 0.2 FTE per year; Complete your PhD thesis within the required timeframe of 4 years.

The successful candidate will have: A master’s degree in history, philosophy, French Studies, political thought or a related field by 1 October 2025; Good passive and active command of the French language; Professional proficiency in English; An ability to work both independently and as a team member; A demonstrable interest in academic research and a strong drive to grow in the profession; Ability to relate historical research to contemporary political debates.

We offer a temporary employment contract for the period of 48 months. The first contract will be for 16 months, with an extension for the following 32 months, contingent on a positive performance evaluation within the first 12 months. The preferred starting date is 1 January 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. PhD candidates receive a tuition fee waiver; PhD candidates have free access to courses offered by the Graduate School of Humanities and the Dutch National Research Schools; Excellent possibilities for further professional development and education; An inspiring academic and international work environment in the heart of Amsterdam; An enthusiastic, international and professional academic team. Based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €3,059 in the first year to €3,881 in the last year. This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile PhD candidate is applicable. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in the field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes. The Amsterdam School for Regional and Transnational and European Studies (ARTES) combines humanities and social science-based approaches to the study of Europe and other world regions, and the relations between them. Our scholars work on and in between Europe, the Mediterranean and Middle East, the former Soviet Union, the Caucasus and Central and East Asia, and Latin America.