Call for PhD Studentship in Middle East and Islamic Studies

The Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London has announced the availability of 4 PhD studentship opportunities within the Centre for Islamic and West Asian Studies (CIWAS) in partnership with the Mainstay Foundation.

This pioneering programme solicits research on critical and timely issues relating to the politics and international relations of the Middle East and Muslim-majority societies. We encourage research projects that employ innovative and under-explored approaches, offering fresh perspectives on the people and politics of the Middle East and the broader Islamic world.

The Politics, International Relations, and Philosophy Department is a research-intensive unit engaged in a wide range of studies across the disciplines of politics, international relations, and philosophy. We place special emphasis on our research centres. Along with our Centre for Islamic and West Asian Studies (CIWAS), we house the Gender Institute, the Global Politics and Development Centre, the Democracy and Elections Centre, the Centre for International Security, and the New Political Communications Unit. Consequently, we encourage PhD applicants who can propose research projects that link CIWAS with one of the other research centres in the department.

We welcome comparative, cross-regional, or cross-national research, as well as projects focusing on specific countries or themes. This includes, but is not limited to, research questions on the Middle East covering modern history, political and social changes, religious authority, Islamism, gender dynamics, democracy and elections, the experiences of Muslims in Europe, diasporas, and media influence. Applicants with experience working in or researching lower- or middle-income countries are particularly encouraged to apply. Proficiency in relevant foreign languages and expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods will be highly regarded.

Qualifications and Eligibility

Successful applicants must possess a relevant Master’s-level qualification in a social science or Humanities discipline, or be expected to complete their Master’s studies before the commencement of the PhD programme (with merit or equivalent). International applicants are also required to have a valid IELTS certificate, with an overall score of 6.5, a writing score of 7.0, and no other sub-score lower than 5.5, unless they have an English language university degree and have written their dissertation in English.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should submit the following to Dr. Mohammad Kalantari at mohammadreza.kalantari@rhul.ac.uk, using the subject line: “CIWAS-Mainstay PhD Studentship”:

1. A cover letter
2. PhD research proposal (for guidance see here)
3. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
4. A writing sample
5. The name of two potential supervisors at the Politics and International Relations Department

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