PhD researcher in Regional Human Rights Regimes

Do you enjoy doing research and writing on regional human rights regimes? Being part of a vibrant research community and work in a team? Participating in academic exchanges about the intersection of law, history and social sciences? Analyzing the impact of international human rights law in non-democratic contexts? Then the job of PhD researcher at the University of Amsterdam is perfect for you!

Beyond Compliance: Rethinking the Effectiveness of Regional Human Rights Regimes
We are inviting prospective researchers to apply for a PhD project within the ERC project ‘Beyond Compliance: Rethinking the Effectiveness of Regional Human Rights Regimes’, led by Dr. Dilek Kurban. In light of the growing authoritarian challenge to human rights, the project investigates the limitations and possibilities for regional human rights regimes to be effective in non-democratic contexts. Beyond Compliance investigates, based on an inter-disciplinary approach combining historical, legal and social science research, how the European, African and inter-American human rights regimes have developed and enforced their norms against states engaging in gross violations, legal repression, and/or systemic rule of law violations.

What are you going to do
Within this overall framework, the PhD research project will engage in a comparative historical institutional analysis to investigate:

1) how the European, African and inter-American human rights regimes designed their structures and set their goals at the outset of their founding and;

2) how their efforts to achieve these goals, and the competences of their institutions have evolved over time.

The PhD researcher is expected to conduct innovative research on these issues, leading to the completion and publication of a PhD dissertation within four years with the guidance and support of their supervisors. As part of their PhD trajectory, the successful applicant will be coordinating and agreeing with their supervisors on the content, planning and supervision of the trajectory. Tasks:

• Design the scope of the individual PhD research project, and fine-tune the research questions and methodology together with the whole research team;
• Engage autonomously in the collection of data (e.g. archival work, document analysis and interviews);
• Present intermediate research results in internal discussions and at workshops and conferences;
• Contribute to project activities, such as organizing academic events or outreach; and communication of research results to activists, relevant communities of practitioners and policy makers; and
• Optionally, and in mutual agreement with the project leader and in line with the teaching needs of the International and European Public Law Department, have teaching responsibilities.

What do you have to offer
You have:

• (or are about to obtain) a master’s degree in law, history or political science, with a focus on human rights or legal history;
• an interest in conducting multi-method research on a topic related to the broader theme of the project, namely regional human rights regimes and their evolution;
• experience with conducting academic research and academic writing in English;
• very good knowledge of Spanish, in order to access the archival materials of the inter-American system. Knowledge of French would be welcome; and
• the ability to set and attain your (own) goals.

What we offer

• An employment contract for one year with a probationary period of two months, preferably starting on 1 September 2025. The appointment will be extended for another three years upon favourable evaluation, i.e. until 31 August 2029;
• the opportunity and obligation to participate in the Amsterdam Law School’s PhD training program.
• for international staff, support in obtaining residence permit, registering with the municipality, finding housing (not guaranteed), learning Dutch and applying for a 30% tax ruling.

You will be working in this team
You will be part of a project funded by an ERC Starting Grant and running 5 years, as part of a team consisting of the principle investigator, two postdoctoral researchers, one PhD researcher, and one student assistant. The project team will be based at the Amsterdam Center for International Law (ACIL), the Center of Excellence for Public International Law of the University of Amsterdam. ACIL’s research activities aim at a critical understanding of international law in society, its progressive development, and its effective rule.In order to do that, it typically starts by critically reflecting on the roles that the law plays in its context, in the pursuit of justice and the perpetuation of injustice.

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application consisting of the documents listed below. Please apply online via red button above. We will accept applications until 9 March 2025. We plan to conduct the interviews in early April. Depending on the current location of eligible candidates, interviews may also be conducted online. Please note that it is only possible to upload two documents, therefore please combine the required files in two (PDF) documents.

File 1:

• Motivation letter;
• a CV of no more than two pages, please indicated the names and email addresses of two referees;
• research proposal outline of no more than 2 000 words, excluding references; and
• writing sample of a recently written, single authored manuscript (e.g., your master’s thesis or other work written during your degree) in English of no more than 30 pages.

File 2:

• Copies of the LL.B. and LL.M. degrees or equivalent, providing information about the program's length, content, passed courses and grades.

If you choose to upload your documents differently, you run the risk that the files are rejected for being too big or that we miss part of your application.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact by email: Dilek Kurban: d.kurban@uva.nl

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