PhD Position: Democratising Heritage Tourism – Risk, Governance, and Inclusivity (Marie Skłodowska-Curie HERITOUR Network) Erasmus University Rotterdam in Netherlands

The Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) at Erasmus University Rotterdam invites applications for a fully funded PhD position as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network fellowship “HERITOUR – Enhancing collaborative synergies between Cultural HERItage and TOURism.” This interdisciplinary project explores how the cultural heritage and tourism sectors can collaborate to address shared challenges, reduce negative impacts of tourism, and promote ethical, sustainable, and inclusive practices.

The HERITOUR network brings together six universities across Europe and the Caribbean, offering doctoral candidates the opportunity to engage in international research and professional secondments. The successful candidate will focus on democratising heritage tourism, investigating how inclusivity can be strengthened through collaboration between heritage and tourism sectors. The research will involve the co-production of tools and guidelines for regenerative and inclusive engagement at heritage tourism sites, using multi-sited ethnographic methods to uncover narratives and practices of inclusion and exclusion. The project also critically examines the securitisation of heritage and tourism, aiming to reconcile protection strategies with social justice and participatory development.

This PhD position (DC-8) is embedded in Work Package 4 “democratisation” and is supervised by Dr. Naomi Oosterman and Prof.dr. Stijn Reijnders (Erasmus University Rotterdam), and Dr. Luc Alofs (University of Aruba). The candidate will undertake secondments at the Monument Fund Aruba and Sámi Museum Gaaltije in Sweden, gaining hands-on experience in heritage and tourism organisations.

Eligibility: Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the European or Caribbean territories of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the start date (1 September 2026), must not already hold a doctoral degree, and must have a (research) master's degree or equivalent in a relevant social sciences or humanities discipline. Excellent English (CEFR C1), strong analytical and collaboration skills, and motivation for high-level research are required. Interest in indigenous epistemology and knowledge of a Scandinavian language are assets.

Funding & Benefits: The position offers a gross monthly salary of €3,059–€3,881 (full-time, 38 hours), a 3-year contract, 8% holiday pay, 8.3% end-of-year bonus, pension contributions, paid leave, relocation support, and additional benefits in line with the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Universities (CAO-NU). The HERITOUR network provides interdisciplinary training, international secondments, and a supportive, diverse academic environment.

Application: Submit a completed and signed Declaration of Honours, a motivation letter (max. half A4), your CV with publication list, a brief research idea (max. 300 words), and names/contact details of two references by 19 April 2026 via the official EUR application portal. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview in May 2026. For more information, visit the vacancy page or HERITOUR project website.

ESHCC and Erasmus University Rotterdam are committed to diversity, inclusion, and positive societal impact, providing a stimulating environment for ambitious researchers from all backgrounds.