Assistant in the field of History of Education

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Assistant in the field of History of Education

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Job description

Offer DescriptionAs an Assistant, you will devote approximately 60% of your time to the preparation of a doctoral dissertation in the history of education and 40% to teaching and service-related tasks.
Researchhe selected candidate will prepare a PhD dissertation under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Sarah Van Ruyskensvelde. The research will be situated within the framework of the “temporal turn”-a recent approach within the humanities, emphasizing the significance and role of time and temporality. In the field of historical studies in education, this shift challenges a conception of time as purely linear and chronological, instead highlighting an understanding of time as a historically situated phenomenon. This doctoral project will explore how “time” was experienced, constructed, and represented in the history of education, and how temporality shaped pedagogical thought and educational practice in the past.Candidates are invited to develop a concrete research proposal addressing this temporal dimension in historical schooling. Possible themes include:

• On ‘Regimes of Historicity’: Temporal Schemes in Educational Policy and Discourse

This project investigates how relationships between past, present, and future were constructed in national or international educational policies. What temporal concepts (e.g., progress, decline, acceleration, deceleration) appear in these discourses and/or policies? Were reforms framed as breaks from the past, or as returns to an idealized tradition? By analyzing policy documents, pedagogical journals, and public debates, this research project aims to provide insight into the ways in which time and ‘temporal evolution and change’ have structured discourses, policies and understandings of educational reform.

• A ‘History of the Future?’: Imagining the Future of Education in the Past

This project examines how reformers, teachers, and policymakers in the past have envisioned the futures of schooling. Drawing on historical sources such as pedagogical journals, policy documents, and the popular press, this study explores historical patterns of hope and fear linked to the promises of educational innovation.

• School Rhythms: A Historical Rhythm Analysis of Temporal Organization in Schools

Inspired by Henri Lefebvre’s Rhythmanalysis, this project looks at how school routines and rhythms (e.g., timetables, bells, seasons) have structured the organization of schooling and educational experiences in the past. The study will consider both formal time regulations and lived experiences of time, using sources like school rules, diaries, lesson plans, schedules, and oral histories.
Candidates may choose to elaborate a proposal on one of these themes or propose a related topic aligned with the temporal turn in historical studies in education.
Teaching and Service-Related Tasks

• You will assist in delivering high-quality academic teaching, supporting various courses across different subfields of the educational sciences. Your teaching responsibilities will evolve based on the program’s needs.
• You are expected to contribute to educational innovation, including the development of new teaching methods and materials.
• You will also co-supervise students preparing their bachelor’s and/or master’s theses.

• You have a strong interest in education and schooling, combined with a passion for historical research.
• You hold (or will obtain by September 2025) a Master’s degree in Educational Sciences, History, or a closely related field with a strong cultural-historical focus (e.g., Anthropology, Social Sciences, Political Science, …).
• You demonstrate strong academic skills, including academic writing and some familiarity with qualitative research methods.
• You are proficient in Dutch and English (reading, speaking, and writing), capable of teaching in Dutch and willing to do so in English.
• You possess good presentation skills and are willing to present your work at (inter)national conferences.
• You are committed to publishing in recognized national and international scholarly journals (in the field of history of education).
• You are open to sharing your research with a broader audience through public outreach & science communication activities.
• You are willing to contribute to service tasks within the research unit, such as organizing academic events or providing general support.
• You actively engage with the broader research lines of the Research Unit Education, Culture and Society, including participation in weekly seminars and forums.

We offer a full-time (100%) appointment for an initial period of two years, renewable up to two times. In total 6 years. Remuneration in scale 43 of KU Leuven. For more information please contact Prof. dr. Sarah Van Ruyskensvelde, tel.: +32 16 32 62 87, mail: or Prof. dr. Maarten Simons, tel.: +32 16 32 59 32, mail: .Where to apply WebsiteRequirementsResearch Field Anthropology Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Arts Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Cultural studies Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Educational sciences Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field History Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Philosophy Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Psychological sciences Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Sociology Education Level Master Degree or equivalentLanguages DUTCH Level ExcellentLanguages ENGLISH Level ExcellentResearch Field Cultural studies » European studies Years of Research Experience NoneAdditional InformationBenefitsWe offer a full-time (100%) appointment for an initial period of two years, renewable up to two times. In total 6 years. Remuneration in scale 43 of KU Leuven.Eligibility criteria

• You have a strong interest in education and schooling, combined with a passion for historical research.
• You hold (or will obtain by September 2025) a Master’s degree in Educational Sciences, History, or a closely related field with a strong cultural-historical focus (e.g., Anthropology, Social Sciences, Political Science, …).
• You demonstrate strong academic skills, including academic writing and some familiarity with qualitative research methods.
• You are proficient in Dutch and English (reading, speaking, and writing), capable of teaching in Dutch and willing to do so in English.
• You possess good presentation skills and are willing to present your work at (inter)national conferences.
• You are committed to publishing in recognized national and international scholarly journals (in the field of history of education).
• You are open to sharing your research with a broader audience through public outreach & science communication activities.
• You are willing to contribute to service tasks within the research unit, such as organizing academic events or providing general support.
• You actively engage with the broader research lines of the Research Unit Education, Culture and Society, including participation in weekly seminars and forums.

Selection processFor more information please contact Prof. dr. Sarah Van Ruyskensvelde, tel.: +32 16 32 62 87, mail: or Prof. dr. Maarten Simons, tel.: +32 16 32 59 32, mail: .Website for additional job detailsWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute KU LEUVEN Country Belgium City Leuven GeofieldContact CityLeuvenSTATUS: EXPIREDShare this page

Expected salary

Location

Leuven, Vlaams Brabant

Job date

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 01:03:06 GMT

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