Postdoc in the History of Global North-south Public Health Cooperation

Utrecht University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher in the ERC Consolidator Grant project “Fighting Pandemics from Below: Global North-South Public Health Cooperation in the Middle East and North Africa, 1792-1942 [COOPERATION]”. 

Your job

As a postdoctoral researcher you will be working on a subproject within the Consolidator Grant project COOPERATION (2024-2029) funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and directed by Dr. Ozan Ozavci (Principal Investigator, PI) at the Department of History and Art History. COOPERATION project recapture the lost archives and historical knowledge of international public health cooperation between the ‘global north’ and the ‘global south’ by analysing its first and longest-lasting instances: the sanitary councils in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Established in Tangier, Alexandria, Tunis, Istanbul and Tehran, these unprecedented institutions strategised against waves of epidemics and pandemics between the 1790s and the 1940s. Their European, American and native co-founders invented new models for fighting pandemics from below and stopping the diseases in their tracks. They continually strove to overcome the familiar barriers to cooperation posed by inter-imperial competition in a multipolar world, economic inequities, protests against quarantine restrictions and racial and Orientalist biases, among others. COOPERATION project will write an entangled history of health cooperation, by shifting the focus from top-down to bottom-up processes. Consulting archival sources in Europe, MENA, and North America, it will determine the historical preconditions for effective international public health cooperation. 

You will be responsible for sub-project 1: Morocco, which will look into the dynamics of public health cooperation in the city of Tangier. 

You will:

• conduct research within the period of appointment in the Netherlands as well as at archives in Europe, North America, the Middle East and North Africa;
• publish a peer-reviewed journal article and a book chapter;
• help organise a workshop on sanitary internationalism in the Middle East and North Africa;
• participate in project meetings and closely collaborate with the other members of the research team;
• help set up project data;
• help with knowledge dissemination activities of the project;
• present research findings at national and international workshops and conferences. 

Your qualities

• You hold a doctoral degree in a relevant field (e.g. nineteenth- and early twentieth-century international history, imperial history, history of medicine, Middle Eastern/North African history, etc.) at the time of appointment.
• You have a proven track record of academic publications and public outreach.
• You have excellent command of spoken and written English.
• You have very good reading ability of one or more European languages.
• You have very good reading ability of MENA languages or willingness to improve your linguistic skills.
• You have archival research experience.
• You are flexible to travel.
• You are collegial and have a responsible relationship with co-workers.
• You are a team player and an independent thinker. 

Our offer

• A position for 12 months, with the possibility of an extension of 12 months (24 months in total);
• a working week of 30.4 - 32 hours and a gross monthly salary of €4,728 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 11 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU. 

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University also offers a range of its own schemes for employees. This includes arrangements for professional development, various types of leave, and options for sports and cultural activities. You can also tailor your employment conditions through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage you to keep investing in your personal and professional development. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow. 

The Faculty of Humanities has around 7,000 students and 1,100 staff members. It comprises four knowledge domains: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Culture Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. With its research and education in these fields, the Faculty aims to contribute to a better understanding of the Netherlands and Europe in a rapidly changing social and cultural context. The enthusiastic and committed colleagues and the excellent amenities in the historical city centre of Utrecht, where the faculty is located, contribute to an inspiring working environment. 

Meer informatie

For more information about this position, please contact Dr. Ozan Ozavci at h.o.ozavci@uu.nl. 

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University. 

Sollicitatie

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute. 

To apply, please send your curriculum vitae, and a two-page statement in which you clearly explain how you intend to contribute to the project, via the 'apply now' button. 

The candidates who will be invited for an interview will be asked to provide two reference letters sent directly by their references. The first round of interviews is expected to take place online on 13 November 2025. 

The preferred starting date of the position is 1 March 2026. It is possible to start earlier upon agreement with the PI. 

The application deadline is 2 November 2025.