PhD and Postdoc Positions in History of Black Madonnas and Early Modern Religious History at University of Neuchâtel University of Neuchâtel in Canada

Call for applications for 1 PhD and 1 Postdoc position in the SNSF/FNS project Black Madonnas: Making Sense of Unusual Artifacts (15th–21st Centuries) at the University of Neuchâtel.

The project studies the history, perception, and interpretation of so-called Black Madonnas—statues, icons, and paintings of the Virgin Mary characterized by dark coloration—across France, the Italian peninsula, and the Iberian peninsula. The research spans from the early modern period to the present, with the PhD focusing on the 16th to late 18th centuries and the postdoc on the 19th to 21st centuries.

PhD position: 100% for up to 4 years. The successful candidate will prepare a doctoral thesis on the history of the perception of Black Madonnas in the early modern period and publish initial results as articles. The candidate will work under Prof. Nicolas Balzamo and collaborate with the postdoctoral researcher.

Postdoc position: 65% for up to 3 years. The postdoctoral researcher will reconstruct the history of the perception of Black Madonnas in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, organize an international colloquium in the second year, and direct the resulting publication. The postdoc will also collaborate with the doctoral researcher.

Eligibility highlights: PhD applicants should hold a Master’s in history or art history; a thesis topic in early modern cultural history is an advantage. Postdoc applicants should hold a doctorate in modern or contemporary history; backgrounds in religious history, cultural history, or history of the human sciences are advantageous. For both positions, excellent French and/or English is required, along with the ability to read sources in French, Italian, and Spanish; Latin is an asset.

Application deadline: 5 July 2026. Applications must be submitted by email as PDF files to [email protected]. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview in mid-July 2026.