Nadia Fadil

KU Leuven’s Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies is offering a three-year postdoctoral position at 0.75 FTE on Interreligious Dialogue, Power and Global Discourses . The project asks how interreligious dialogue (IRD) became a global response to religious diversity, conflict, and social cohesion, and how religious, secular, and colonial assumptions continue to shape it. The successful candidate will lead the research package on the global genealogies and discourses of interreligious dialogue. The role involves building and analyzing an international corpus of policy documents, ecclesiastical texts, and statements from international religious organizations, especially in relation to the post-9/11 security shift and debates around violence, extremism, citizenship, and social cohesion. The research uses Discourse-Historical Analysis, qualitative methods, and NVivo, and will contribute to publications in international peer-reviewed journals. The postdoctoral researcher will also play a key role in the project’s comparative synthesis, helping develop a power-sensitive theoretical framework that links discursive research with ethnographic studies in Flanders and Morocco. The position is embedded in an interdisciplinary environment spanning theology, anthropology, and religious studies, with close collaboration with Prof. Marianne Moyaert and Prof. Nadia Fadil. Applicants should hold, or be near completion of, a PhD in religious studies, theology, social sciences, or social and cultural anthropology with a focus on religion, or a related discipline. Experience in qualitative research is expected; expertise in discourse analysis, ethnography, and tools such as NVivo is a strong asset. The post is aimed at researchers with a strong international publication profile, independent project leadership skills, and an interest in critical approaches to religion, secularism, coloniality, and power. The appointment includes competitive compensation according to KU Leuven scales and a research budget for conferences, workshops, and training. Applications must be submitted via the online system by 2026-10-16. Required materials are a cover letter (max. two pages), CV, and two writing samples.

KU Leuven is recruiting a doctoral researcher for a fully funded PhD project on anthropological research into interreligious dialogue in Morocco. The project is based in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology and the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, and is part of the larger comparative project Interreligious Dialogue between Promise and Power: A Comparative Study of Belgium/Flanders and Morocco . The position combines anthropology, theology, religious studies, and education in an interdisciplinary team of two PhD researchers and one postdoc. The research focuses on ethnographic and qualitative study of interreligious dialogue, Jewish-Muslim heritage, religious diversity, and education in Southern Morocco. The successful candidate will examine how coexistence is experienced and negotiated in schools, heritage sites, pilgrimage contexts, and community initiatives, with particular attention to Islamic ethical traditions, shared Amazigh heritage, and contemporary efforts to promote pluralism and dialogue. Supervision is provided by Prof. Nadia Fadil and Prof. Marianne Moyaert at KU Leuven, with external supervision from Professor Farid El Asri of the Université Internationale de Rabat. The researcher will be affiliated with the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology and also with the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, while conducting extended fieldwork in Morocco. The post offers a fully funded full-time PhD scholarship for one year, renewable up to four years after positive evaluation at the first doctoral committee meeting in month 9. A competitive salary follows KU Leuven regulations, and a research budget is available for conferences, training, and fieldwork. Eligibility highlights include a master’s degree in Anthropology, Middle Eastern Studies, Islamic Studies, Religious Studies, Qualitative Sociology, or a related discipline; strong qualitative and ethnographic research experience; familiarity with the Moroccan context; excellent English; and competence in French and/or Moroccan Arabic (Darija) or Standard Arabic. Knowledge of Amazigh (Tashelhit) is an advantage. Applications require a motivation letter, CV, and writing sample. The deadline is 2026-10-16.