Postdoctoral fellowship in Sociology of education

Two-year contract, full-time postdoc fellowship in sociology of education, within the framework of the ERC-Consolidator BildungLearning project n°101043433 (https://bildunglearning.be/)2-year contract, full-time postdoc fellowship in sociology of education, within the framework of the ERC-Consolidator BildungLearning project n°101043433 (https://bildunglearning.be/).

The main objective of this project is to compare the modern philosophy of Bildung and the contemporary paradigm of the Learning Society (LS) by systematically analyzing their homological structures. Through this comparison, we aim to expose the important conceptual mutations of the ideal of educational autonomy occurring from the first paradigm to the latter. 

This research combines history of philosophy and political philosophy. Through an analysis of political-educational narratives, we want to examine if the great narratives of the philosophical modernity – such as emancipation through self-cultivation – have become totally obsolete or ineffective, or if and how far they continue to be operating in current discourses under critical and fragmented forms.

Where to apply

E-mail: quentin.landenne@uclouvain.be

Requirements

Research Field: Sociology » Educational sociology

Education Level: PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

The main objective of this project is to compare the modern philosophy of Bildung and the contemporary paradigm of the Learning Society (LS) by systematically analyzing their homological structures. Through this comparison, we aim to expose the important conceptual mutations of the ideal of educational autonomy occurring from the first paradigm to the latter. 

This research combines history of philosophy and political philosophy and will follow a plan in four axes: 

1. Historical reconstruction of the texts formed around the concept of Bildung in classical German philosophy, through an original typology of the various and contrasting positions of the main authors of this period (Herder, Mendelssohn, Kant, Fichte, Schiller, Goethe, Schelling, Hegel, Humboldt), according to how they conceptualize the dialectics of educational autonomy and, in particular, how they theorize the political and cultural missions of the University in their conceptions of the emancipating project of the Bildung.  
2. Identification and analysis of the most significant critical transformations of the Bildung concept by Marx (allseitige Verwirklichung), Mill (self-development), Nietzsche (Zucht) and Dewey (growth), in order to bring to light the main theoretical divergences concerning the conditions of a partial reactivation and actualization of the modern emancipating project of the Bildung. 
3. Establishing a corpus of scientific and political texts and discourses on the LS, in order to provide a theoretical reconstruction of the underlying political philosophy of these discourses and to compare the paradigm of LS to the modern philosophy of Bildung following an analytical grid pointing out the conceptual and normative homologies and mutations between them 
4. Testing the concrete relevance of this systematic comparison and of the heuristic potential of the Bildung philosophy in the context of the current mutations of the Idea of University, by mapping the most important philosophical critiques of these mutations and by proposing a philosophical reconstruction of the concept of academic freedom in the light of the Bildung constellation first, and then from the various normative points of view underlying the critiques of Bildung and LS. 

Through an analysis of political-educational narratives, we want to examine if the great narratives of the philosophical modernity – such as emancipation through self-cultivation – have become totally obsolete or ineffective, or if and how far they continue to be operating in current discourses under critical and fragmented forms. 

The candidate will contribute to the advancement of the ERC research project in the third axis presented above, in connection with the fourth axis, with a particular focus on the effects of the Learning Society/Knowledge Society paradigm on contemporary changes in the idea of the university, in collaboration with the project leader, Quentin Landenne (FNRS/UCLouvain). This may involve, amongst other activities, in addition to the writing of scientific articles related to the project, the realization of a literature review on the axis in charge and the co-organization of scientific events.  

She or he may be invited to participate in the research activities of the Centre Prospéro. For this reason, the ability to communicate actively in French is an important asset. The successful candidate will also be asked to live in Belgium for the duration of the contract. 

Languages

FRENCH
Level: Good

ENGLISH
Level: Excellent

Additional Information

Eligibility criteria

• The candidate must hold a PhD in sociology or educational sciences (or equivalent) delivered before the start date of the mandate. 
• The candidate must be in a situation of international mobility for Belgium, i.e. not have resided or carried out their main activity in Belgium for more than 24 months during the 36 months prior to their engagement. 

Selection process

Composition of an application file in French or English (in a single file in PDF format) containing 

• Curriculum vitae. 
• Letter of motivation developing the postdoctoral research project and suggesting ways to contribute to the advancement of the BildungLearning ERC research project (4 pages maximum). 

Applications must be sent by September 5, 2025 at 11:59 pm (Brussels) to the following addresses: quentin.landenne@uclouvain.be (main recipient) and anne-sophie.declercq@uclouvain.be (cc) 

Interviews with shortlisted candidates will be held online. 

The hiring process will follow the guidelines defined in the Action plan: achieving 
excellence through diversity and gender equality carried out by the university. 

Additional comments

• Place of work: UCLouvain – Campus Saint-Louis Bruxelles   
• Attachment: Centre Prospéro (https://www.centreprospero.be) 
• Type of contract: 2-year contract, full-time postdoc fellowship in sociology of education, within the framework of the ERC-Consolidator BildungLearning project n°101043433 (https://bildunglearning.be/)
• Start date: from October 2025 

Research funded by the European Union (BildungLearning, ERC project No. 101043433). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.