Description du sujet de thèse

Jerusalem is, from the point of view of the laws in force and the courts in operation, a mosaic of texts, institutions, jurisdictions and statutes that are at once complementary, superimposed and contradictory, a mirror of the ongoing conflict and a source of new disputes. It is necessary to map out, on the smallest possible scale, the laws in force and the courts in place, as well as to carry out a close and detailed ethnography of their functioning. The doctoral student will have to map, document and ethnographically describe, in the field of the family, the different laws and legal practices coexisting in Jerusalem, in order to account for both their ordinary modes of operation and the inscription of this ordinary in a regime of exception. To carry out his/her descriptive and analytical work, the doctoral student will first undertake a historical and spatial mapping of Jerusalemite inter-legality. Secondly, s/he will explore the diachronic process by which religious laws have been transformed into positive law supported by the State. Thirdly, combining pragmatic history and legal ethnography, the doctoral student will observe legal practices in religious courts . Two other questions will be raised transversally. On the one hand, the question of whether the diversity and fragmentation of the Jerusalem legal and judicial landscape, which generates a discourse on multiculturalism, does not serve as a cover for discrimination, negligence and the formation of a hegemony. On the other hand, it is a question of knowing if the strongly gendered character of these orders is not exacerbated by the asymmetries generated by the territorial and institutional fragmentation.

Contexte de travail

The CRFJ is a research center belonging to the UMIFRE system, i.e. research institutes belonging to both the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) and the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). It is located in Jerusalem and deploys its annual scientific program in all disciplines of archaeology, humanities and social sciences.

Contraintes et risques

The researcher will have to take into account the security constraints specific to the city of Jerusalem and to a context of conflict.

Informations complémentaires

Candidates must demonstrate their proficiency in Arabic, Hebrew and English. A good knowledge of French is also recommanded.
Candidates must have a master's degree in humanities or social sciences. Ethnographic skills are highly desirable, as is a knowledge of current legislation.