Post-doc position in the ERC Synergy project “Party Systems and Social Cleavages in the Post-Ottoman Space of the MENA Region” (CLOSER)

Organisation/Company

Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Research Field

History » Political history
History » Social history

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Positions

Postdoc Positions

Application Deadline

30 Apr 2026 - 23:58 (Europe/Prague)

Country

Czech Republic

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Horizon Europe - ERC

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

The CLOSER project investigates the interplay between party politics and social cleavages in the post-Ottoman space of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It involves today’s Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia, and Turkey, covering a period from 1908 to the present. Bringing together political scientists, geographers, and historians, not to mention experts from other disciplines, CLOSER enquires into the applicability and possible extension of the Lipset-Rokkan theory (and its updates) on the origins of political parties in Western Europe via a non-European setting, challenging both the imposition of Western norms as well as the exclusiveness of national exceptionalisms. On the historical level, CLOSER aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the specifics of party politics in local circumstances, the evolution of relevant political currents, and the genealogy of social cleavages. The trajectory of events is interpreted through key moments of history, such as the origins of party systems, their openings, or their closures. CLOSER seeks research based on a detailed examination of primary sources in their original languages and their proper positioning within a broader regional/global historical context.

Requirements:

• Working knowledge of the relevant Middle Eastern language (Arabic/Turkish/Hebrew)
• Fluency in English (both spoken and written)
• Passive knowledge of French (or another major European language) is an advantage
• A degree in the relevant discipline, such as Middle Eastern studies, modern and contemporary history, or historical sociology
• Readiness to relocate to Prague for the duration of the project

Benefits:

• Gross salary of 2,500 EUR (app. 61,000 CZK) per month
• Funding for field research of approximately 1 year
• Acquirement of new skills (interviews, surveys, data management, maps creation, archival research)
• Research of a modern topic with a high degree of social relevance under a prestigious ERC label
• Onboarding support: Welcome Office at Oriental Institute supports new team members during their first months
• Hybernská 8: From 2027, the Institute will be based in the centre of Prague in a new interdisciplinary research hub for the humanities and social sciences

Application:

• Cover letter with CV and two recommendation letters
• Standard research proposal (in English, max. 5 pages)
• Writing sample (a chapter of the Ph.D. dissertation, a publication, etc.)
• Proof(s) of language skills
• Copy of Ph.D. diploma

The research proposals should deal with one of the following research areas:

National consolidation and party politics
Focus on the origins/history of the party systems/political movements, primarily before the late 1940s/early 1950s. It concerns any country in the region covered by CLOSER, with a preference for candidates who work on Egypt, Lebanon, and/or pre-1948 Palestine.

State-building and social cleavages
Focus on the genealogy of social cleavages, i.e., the secular/religious, urban/rural, center/periphery, and owners/workers cleavages, and their correlation with selected issues, such as institutionalization of the modern state, the land question, incorporation of the region into international markets, or new social stratification. Research should particularly consider the early decades of the modern nation- or state-building process. It concerns any country in the region covered by CLOSER.

Nation-states and minorities
Focus on the role and place of ethnic and religious minorities or culturally distinct groups in the political landscape of the post-Ottoman Middle East, namely with regard to party politics. It concerns any country in the region covered by CLOSER.

In practical terms, the team of political scientists will be based at the Institute of International Relations Prague (IIR), the team of geographers at the Free University of Brussels (ULB), and the team of historians at the Oriental Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, in Prague (OI CAS). These will overlap with territorial research units across the three institutions. The project is divided into two stages, each spanning three years.
The Oriental Institute is committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable research environment. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and believe that diversity of perspectives is essential to academic excellence.

The position is open for a three-year term (36 months), starting on September 1, 2026.

E-mail

closer@orient.cas.cz

Research Field

History

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Website for additional job details

https://www.iir.cz/en/party-systems-and-social-cleavages-in-the-post-ottoman-sp…

Number of offers available

3

Company/Institute

Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Country

Czech Republic

Geofield

City

Prague

Website

http://www.orient.cas.cz

Street

Pod Vodárenskou věží 4

Postal Code

18200

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