Food thought. science of blockades, -1918 and 1939-1945

Join our team!

Social science, demography, and nutritional science played key roles during the blockades of the First and Second World Wars, especially where they related to food. This PhD project will analyse the interplay between the development of social, political and nutritional science and the blockades. In particular, it will study how, when, and why war‑related experiences, funding flows, and policy impacted scientific developments related to food consumption and production and their social and cultural environs – and vice versa.

Key sources for the study of the interplay between blockade and (scientific) knowledge are scientific journals, publications, conference proceedings and ego documents (in English, French and German), as well as select materials from local or state agencies in belligerent and/or neutral countries related to either the prosecution of or increasing resilience to the effects of blockade.

Samuël Kruizinga and Ingrid de Zwarte will be your PhD supervisors, Lisa Haushofer will co‑supervise.

• Submission of a PhD thesis within the period of appointment;
• Presenting intermediate research results at workshops and conferences;
• Participation in the Research School and Faculty of Humanities PhD training programmes;
• Participating in and contributing to seminars, workshops, and conferences of the BLOCKADE research group and contribute to its shared source base;
• (Co‑)teaching courses at BA‑level in the second and third year of the appointment (maximum 0.2 FTE per year).

• A completed Master’s degree in History, or a related discipline;
• Solid knowledge of European and/or international history in the period 1914‑1945;
• Good research skills, demonstrated by a completed Master’s thesis;
• Solid knowledge of qualitative research methods;
• (Passive) language skills that allow you to read source materials relevant to your research;
• A strong cooperative attitude and willingness to engage in collaborative research;
• Enthusiasm for communicating academic research to non‑academic audiences;
• Good command of English, both written and spoken.

Please note that if you already hold a doctorate/PhD or are working towards obtaining a similar degree elsewhere, you will not be admitted to a doctoral programme at the UvA.

• We offer a temporary employment contract for the period of 48 months. The first contract will be for 16 months, with an extension for the following 32 months, contingent on a positive performance evaluation within the first 12 months. The preferred starting date is between 1 June and 1 July 2026.
• Based on a full‑time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €3.059 in the first year to €3.881 (scale P) in the last year. This does not include 8 % holiday allowance and 8.3 % year‑end allowance. The UFO profile PhD candidate is applicable. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.
• PhD candidates receive a tuition fee waiver.
• PhD candidates have free access to courses offered by the Graduate School of Humanities and the Dutch National Research Schools.

We also offer:

• Generous funding for research and conference visits.
• Opportunities for intellectual growth and career advancement, including a wide variety of training, mentoring and professional development offerings available at the university.
• Open, inclusive and supportive work environment with committed colleagues.
• Excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.
• An inspiring academic and international work environment in the heart of Amsterdam.
• The opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers at research institutes that – partly as a result of their interdisciplinary approach – are world renowned.

At the Amsterdam School of Historical Studies (ASH) of the University of Amsterdam you will benefit from an international, creative and independent work environment, as well as excellent terms of employment. Your place of work will be the vibrant city centre of Amsterdam, as part of an internationally orientated history department.

The project you will be…