PhD Fellowship in Human Rights, Transitional Justice, and Documentation at Ghent University Ghent University in Belgium

Ghent University’s Human Rights Centre is inviting applications for a fully funded PhD fellowship as part of the Justice Visions project. This opportunity is ideal for candidates passionate about human rights, transitional justice, and innovative documentation, with a particular focus on grassroots initiatives in the Philippines. The project is interdisciplinary, bridging law, social sciences, anthropology, and human rights practice, and aims to study the role of documentation in transitional justice, especially in contexts such as the extra-judicial killings under the Duterte administration.

The selected PhD researcher will lead a case study on grassroots documentation initiatives, working closely with senior researchers, PhD peers, and the Justice Visions team. The research will employ both quantitative and qualitative empirical methods, with the expectation to present findings in academic and policy-relevant forums. The position is based at the Human Rights Centre, Faculty of Law and Criminology, Ghent University, Belgium, and requires on-site presence due to the collaborative nature of the project.

Applicants must hold an MA, MSc, or LLM in law, social sciences, anthropology, or a related field by September 1, 2026. Fluency in English is required, and knowledge of languages relevant to the case study is advantageous. Candidates should have a strong interest or experience in transitional justice, human rights, or the Philippines context, and demonstrate strong academic writing and research skills. The ability to work collaboratively in an international, interdisciplinary team is essential. The university encourages applications from candidates belonging to vulnerable or minority groups and is committed to diversity and inclusion.

The fellowship offers a full-time, fully funded position with approximately 100% net salary, 36 days of holiday plus bridge days, bicycle allowance, eco vouchers, and access to training, workshops, and Human Rights Centre resources. The initial contract is for 12 months, with a possible extension of 36 months upon satisfactory progress. The PhD researcher will be co-supervised by Prof. Dr. Tine Destrooper (Ghent University) and Prof. Dr. Bono Olgado (HURIDOCS and University of the Philippines), and will collaborate with the Justice Visions team and the Human Rights Research Network at UGent.

To apply, candidates should prepare a single PDF containing a cover letter (max 500 words), CV (including publications and presentations), research statement (max 1,000 words), transcript of degree, one academic letter of recommendation, and a writing sample (up to 10,000 words). The PDF should be named LASTNAME_FirstName_Philippines and submitted to [email protected] by March 15, 2026. For further information or questions, applicants can contact [email protected].

Keywords: transitional justice, human rights, documentation, Philippines, law, social sciences, anthropology, grassroots initiatives.