Visiting Fellow - Witteveen Memorial Fellowship in Law and Humanities

Tilburg University | Tilburg Law School

is looking for a

Visiting Fellow – Witteveen Memorial Fellowship in Law and Humanities

Location : Tilburg

School : Tilburg Law School

Contract : Non-employed fellowship

Duration : One month

Intended state date : Between February and May 2027

Job Closing Date. : September 21, 2026

Join Tilburg Law School as a Witteveen Fellow and develop your research at the intersection of law and humanities in a highly interdisciplinary law school. During a one-month residency, you will engage with an active scholarly community and share your work through teaching and research activities.

Your position

The Witteveen Memorial Fellowship in Law and Humanities aims to promote research and teaching on law and humanities. As a Witteveen Memorial Fellow, you will spend one month in residence at Tilburg Law School, where you will further develop and share your research at the intersection of law and humanities. During your stay, you will actively engage with the academic community and contribute to ongoing discussions on themes such as law and rhetoric, narrative, image, performance, sound, and culture.

You will have the opportunity to present your work, receive feedback from scholars and students, and explore new interdisciplinary perspectives. The fellowship offers a flexible format in which you can shape your contribution in line with your research interests and expertise.

During the fellowship, you are expected to:

• Present your research in a research seminar to faculty members and researchers
• Deliver one guest lecture or class to students, integrating your research into teaching
• Actively participate in the academic community, including attending seminars and engaging in discussions with staff and students
• Contribute to interdisciplinary exchange, for example through workshops, informal talks, or other scholarly formats
• Develop your ongoing research, making use of the time and academic environment provided during the residency

Past Fellows have introduced film screenings, have organized a reading of their play with students, have read their poetry, have mounted exhibitions, have given teach-outs, and have given a lecture performance, in addition to participating in various research seminars.

Your profile

We are looking for a motivated and engaged early-career scholar with a strong interest in the intersection of law and humanities.

• You are in the final stage of your PhD or have obtained a PhD within the last five years
• You have a clear research focus in law and humanities (e.g. law and rhetoric, narrative, culture, or related fields)
• You are able to present your research clearly and engage students in an educational setting
• You demonstrate interest in interdisciplinary collaboration and academic exchange
• You have an excellent command of English (minimum CEFR C1/C2 level)

Our offer

The Witteveen Memorial Fellowship offers a unique opportunity to further develop your research within an inspiring and interdisciplinary academic environment at Tilburg Law School. During your residency, you will become part of an engaged scholarly community and will be supported in making the most of your stay.

Please note that this is a non-employed fellowship. No employment contract or salary is associated with this position.

We offer:

• A one-month research residency at Tilburg Law School, embedded in a vibrant academic community
• A dedicated academic contact person, who will support you in shaping your visit and connecting with relevant colleagues
• Opportunities for academic exchange, including participation in seminars, workshops, and informal discussions
• The possibility to present your work and receive feedback from faculty members and students
• Shared office space and access to library facilities, including online academic resources
• Reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs, within the available financial budget and fiscal (tax) rules

In principle, the fellowship covers travel and accommodation expenses only and does not include an allowance for salary or other living expenses.

Tilburg University is committed to an open and inclusive culture, embracing diversity, and encouraging the mutual integration of groups of staff and students.We work in a vibrant and lively environment on our beautiful campus, close to the forest and easily accessible by public transport. We are committed to a sustainable society.

Information and application

We kindly invite you to apply before September 21, 2026. Applications can only be submitted online.

Please include:

• A CV, including a list of publications
• A writing sample (article or chapter)
• A short research statement (approximately one page), explaining how your research relates to law and humanities
• One letter of recommendation

Selection will be based on the submitted materials. Candidates will be informed about the outcome as soon as possible after the selection process.

More information can be obtained from contact Michiel Bot, Associate Professor of Law and Humanities: michiel.bot@tilburguniversity.edu

The selection committee consists of: 1. Dr. Michiel Bot, Associate Professor 2. Dr. Richard Clements, Assistant Professor

3. Dr. Inge Graef, Associate Professor and Vice Dean for Research

4. Dr. Emily Sipiorski, Assistant Professor

5. Dr. Inge van de Ven, Associate Professor

About the fellowship

Willem Witteveen (1952-2014) was a Professor of Jurisprudence at Tilburg Law School and a Labor Party Senator who practiced and promoted research and teaching at the intersection of legal scholarship and rhetoric, literary analysis, political philosophy, and cultural history, and who fostered an academic environment that revolved around thinking and discussing. After Professor Witteveen’s untimely death in the MH17 shoot-down, Tilburg Law School established the Witteveen Memorial Fellowship in Law and Humanities to commemorate his life and work.

About Tilburg University

Tilburg University is the university in the humanities and social sciences. Ever since our foundation in 1927, we have been committed to a just, inclusive, and sustainable society. With leading research and inspiring education, we contribute to the interpretation and, where possible, solutions to current societal issues, from climate change to digitalization.

Our community is personal, engaged, and small-scale. On our green, compact, and vibrant campus there is room for encounter, collaboration, reflection, and personal growth. Read more about Tilburg University.

Working at Tilburg University means working in an inclusive team with attractive employment conditions. At Tilburg University, you will receive ample opportunities to strengthen your talents and develop your career, in a warm working atmosphere where we attach great importance to the following values: curious, connected, caring, and courageous.

About Tilburg Law School (TLS)

Founded in 1963, Tilburg Law School has grown into a leading School of law and public administration. Our education and research have a clearly innovative and interdisciplinary character. In doing so, we are driven by our mission to effectively influence challenging societal developments such as new technology, sustainability, and vulnerable individuals in the rule of law from the perspective of law and public administration. We act from local, regional, national, and international developments and collaborate with other disciplines such as economics, the behavioral and social sciences, philosophy, history, and digital sciences. The School is organized into five Departments: Public Law & Governance; Private, Business, and Labor Law; Criminal Law; Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology & Society; and Tax Law.

Recruitment code

Tilburg University applies the recruitmentcode of the Dutch Association for Personnel Management & Organization Development (NVP).

Disclaimer

The text of this vacancy advertisement is copyright-protected property of Tilburg University. Use, distribution and further disclosure of the advertisement without express permission from Tilburg University is not allowed, and this applies explicitly to use by recruitment and selection agencies which do not act directly on the instructions of Tilburg University. Responses resulting from recruitment by non-contractors of Tilburg Universities will not be handled.