Endowed Professor 'Rijnlands kapitalisme: kenmerken, voorwaarden en mogelijkheden

is searching for a

(m/f/x, 0.2 FTE, 5 years)

Tilburg University invites applications for the endowed chair Rijnlands kapitalisme: kenmerken, voorwaarden en mogelijkheden. The chair focuses on the Rhineland, or continental European, approach to capitalism and examines the contributions it can make to contemporary societal challenges. The chair creates space for both academic research and public dialogue on the organization of the economy and society. Key themes include the moral and philosophical foundations of economic activity, the institutional conditions for broad prosperity, and new forms of entrepreneurship, cooperation and social responsibility.

The chair builds on a long-standing intellectual tradition at Tilburg University. From the university's early years onwards, scholars such as Martinus Cobbenhagen and Frans Weve reflected on the social responsibility of business and the relationship between economy and society. The chair connects this tradition to contemporary developments such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, economic inequality and democratic resilience.

The endowed professor will develop an independent research agenda on Rhineland capitalism and related questions. Possible themes include:

• What are the moral, political and institutional preconditions and characteristics of the Rhineland model of capitalism, and how can it further be developed in response to contemporary societal challenges?
• Which institutional arrangements, governance models and forms of entrepreneurship contribute to broad prosperity, social cohesion and sustainable economic development?
• How can insights from philosophy, economics, theology and related disciplines be integrated to better understand the relationship between markets, public institutions and civil society?
• How can scientific knowledge contribute to public debate and provide actionable insights for businesses, governments and societal organizations seeking to develop more inclusive and resilient economic systems?

An important part of the chair is its contribution to public debate. The endowed professor is expected to bring academic expertise into wider discussions about the economy, values and society, and to communicate complex questions in accessible ways. Public lectures, essays, dialogue sessions, media engagement and other forms of knowledge exchange may form part of this work.

Education is part of the chair, including guest lectures, seminars and student supervision. Depending on the candidate's profile and available opportunities, a broader contribution to interdisciplinary education may also be developed.

We are looking for someone who enjoys building connections: across disciplines, between academia and society, and between established research traditions and new ideas. Experience in supervising students and PhD candidates and in interdisciplinary collaboration is an advantage.

The chair is hosted by the Department of Philosophy of Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences (TSHD) and works closely with the Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM) and the Tilburg School of Catholic Theology (TST). This interdisciplinary setting brings together economic, philosophical, ethical and theological perspectives. The chair connects with existing university initiatives, including REDES – Resilient Democratic Society, the Academic Workplace (Be) sturen op Brede Welvaart, and the Centre for Religion in the Public Sphere.

The chair is a joint…