Doctoral Researcher: Islamic Finance, Governance and Constitutional Legitimacy

The Bristol Business School of the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) invites applications for a Doctoral Researcher position in the MSCA Doctoral Network MINARET: A Sociology of Post-Imperial Islamic Legal Cultures.

Do you want to explore how Islamic finance institutions shape public trust, economic governance, and constitutional legitimacy? Can principles such as fairness, risk-sharing, and social responsibility contribute to stronger governance and more trusted public institutions? This PhD opportunity is your chance to join an ambitious international research programme investigating the relationships between law, religion, economy, and governance in Muslim-majority societies, with a particular focus on Central Asia and Southeast Asia (Uzbekistan and Indonesia).

This doctoral position is part of the Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network A Sociology of Post‑Imperial Islamic Legal Cultures (MINARET), funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe programme. MINARET brings together leading universities and research partner institutions to train 15 doctoral candidates investigating the relationships between law, religion, economy and governance in post‑imperial Muslim‑majority societies. The network's three core aims are to advance empirical and theoretical understanding of the interactions between law, religion, economy and governance;

to deliver sustainable, interdisciplinary doctoral training across disciplines, sectors, and regions; and to contribute to global debates on democratisation and good governance through policy‑relevant research, publications, workshops, and outreach activities.

The doctoral project (DC9) at UWE Bristol forms part of MINARET's work package on law, economy, and governance in post‑imperial Muslim‑majority societies. It will examine how Islamic finance institutions contribute to public trust, economic governance, and constitutional legitimacy in Central Asia and Southeast Asia (Uzbekistan and Indonesia).

The research focuses on how Islamic principles such as fairness, risk‑sharing, and social responsibility are translated into contemporary legal, financial, and governance arrangements. It will explore how Islamic finance institutions interact with state structures, influence governance practices, and shape citizens' perceptions of state authority and institutional legitimacy. The project aims to bridge debates in economics, law, governance, political economy, and Islamic studies by generating new empirical and theoretical insights into the relationship between religion, economy, and governance.

The doctoral candidate will be based at the Bristol Business School of UWE for most of the three years, undertake funded secondments with MINARET partner and associate partner institutions, collaborate closely with the other 14 doctoral candidates across the network, participate in joint training through workshops and summer schools, and engage with academic and non‑academic stakeholders. The programme offers joint supervision, international mobility, strong transferable skills development, and a clear bridge between academic research and policy.

UWE Bristol is one of the largest providers of higher education in the Southwest of England.

Based in Bristol, a thriving and multi‑cultural city just over an hour by train from London and surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the Southwest of England and Wales, the University is regionally embedded and internationally connected.

The Bristol Business School is renowned for research across economics, governance, public policy, and international development, offering a vibrant and inclusive research culture. Research group Bristol Research in…