PhD Position in Social Anthropology: Religious Book Markets in the Middle East
Join a multidisciplinary project investigating the production, circulation, and social impact of religious books in the Maghreb and Mashreq.
Best for:Anthropology graduates with strong ethnographic skills and regional expertise in the Middle East or North Africa.
Overview
The Centre for Studies in Social Sciences of the Religious (CéSor) is seeking a doctoral candidate for the LIV-REL project. This research investigates the contemporary religious book market in the Maghreb and Mashreq, focusing on the production, circulation, and public controversies surrounding religious texts. The successful applicant will conduct ethnographic fieldwork in the region to analyze the economic, political, and social dimensions of these materials. The position is based at the Campus Condorcet in Aubervilliers and involves collaboration with a team of 16 researchers. The candidate will be enrolled in the EHESS Social Sciences Doctoral School.
What you'll do
- Conduct independent ethnographic fieldwork in the Maghreb, Middle East, or Gulf region, or their European diasporas.
- Analyze the religious book industry, including publishers, printers, and bookstores.
- Participate in collective research activities, such as regional book fairs and team-based site visits.
- Contribute to project deliverables including online seminars, academic conferences, and collective publications.
- Engage in the production of thematic journal dossiers and traveling exhibitions.
Requirements
Degree required: Master 2 in Social and Cultural Anthropology or a related social science discipline.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: French (working language) and English; proficiency in Arabic, Hebrew, or a regional dialect is mandatory for fieldwork.
Instruction: French
- Proven proficiency in ethnographic research techniques.
- Academic specialization in the anthropology of religion, economic anthropology, or anthropology of knowledge.
- Documented research experience in the Maghreb, Middle East, or Gulf region.
- Professional proficiency in French and English.
- Advanced proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic, Hebrew, or a relevant regional dialect.
- Must hold a Master 2 degree or equivalent.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-21
Submit a detailed application via the CNRS employment portal. The application must include a research proposal (max 3 pages), a cover letter (max 2 pages), a detailed scientific CV, and the Master 2 thesis.
- Research proposal
- Cover letter
- Master 2 thesis
- Scientific CV
Contact
Anouk Cohen· Project Coordinator
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