Postdoctoral position "History of Africa before 1800" 60%

The Department of History of the University of Basel offers a 60% postdoctoral position "History of Africa before 1800" to be filled as of February 1st, 2026.

Your position

The Department of History consists of around 150 staff members and eight professors, who research and teach in a context across different time periods with diverse interdisciplinary collaborations and international networks. Many of our activities focus on a common interest in European history in a global perspective. With the Center for African Studies Basel, the successful candidate will be able to affiliate with a widely recognized interdisciplinary network in the field of African Studies.

Your profile

The successful candidate will pursue a second book / "Habilitation" research project, teach courses, contribute to the Department's profile areas "Premodern History" and "History of Africa", and assume responsibilities in academic self-administration. The department is looking for a committed and independent scholar with an excellent doctorate on a subject related to African history before 1800. Candidates are conversant with current historiographical developments and have developed strong methodological skills in dealing with different source corpora of African history. We expect applications from independent and proactive researchers who wish to further their careers in a diverse and inspiring university environment.

We offer you

We offer attractive employment conditions in an intellectually stimulating environment (employment category: POSTDOC 5). The position is initially limited to two years with an option to extend; the maximum employment period is six years. The conditions of employment follow the guidelines of the University of Basel.