PhD in Literary Studies, Media History, and Translation History on Hoaxes and Disinformation at Ghent University Ghent University in Belgium

PhD opportunity at Ghent University in literary studies, media history, and translation history, focused on how hoaxes, misinformation, disinformation, and deception circulated within and between nations in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The project is hosted by Ghent University and funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). The doctoral researcher will work under the supervision of Prof Dr Brecht de Groote and within the TRACE (Translation & Culture) Research Group in the Faculty of Arts & Philosophy.

The research combines close reading and digital methods to build and analyse a corpus of texts, examining how writers and translators identified, created, disseminated, or resisted misinformation across borders, especially in the transnational context of Britain and France during the Romantic period.

This is a fully funded 4-year doctoral fellowship, starting with an initial 12-month contract and extendable to 48 months after positive evaluation. The salary is set at 100% of the net salary of an AAP staff member, and the appointment includes a yearly bench fee for research-related expenses such as conferences, equipment, and specialist courses.

Eligibility highlights: applicants should have a Master’s degree, or be on track to obtain one by the start date, in a relevant field such as Literature, Translation Studies, Comparative Literature, History, Language and Literature, Cultural Studies, or Philosophy. Strong analytical and communication skills are expected, along with excellent English and at least reading comprehension of French.

Application deadline: 1 June 2026. Apply by sending a single PDF to [email protected] with the subject line FWO26 PhD Application. The application should include a cover letter, CV with two references, degree documentation, transcripts if available, and a single-authored writing sample of up to 5,000 words. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview and may be asked to prepare a short presentation on a case study related to the project.