Tunisian Philosopher Sarhan Dhouib Appointed to Prestigious Chair at University of Vienna
The University of Vienna, one of Europe's most prestigious institutions and the oldest in the German-speaking world, founded in 1365, has appointed Tunisian philosopher Sarhan Dhouib as the holder of the Chair of Intercultural Philosophy of Religion. He will assume his new role in September 2026.
A New Chapter in a Distinguished Career
This appointment marks a significant milestone in the career of an academic whose work lies at the intersection of Western philosophy and Arab-Islamic thought. The chair he will lead is dedicated to the study of philosophical and religious traditions from a comparative and intercultural perspective, a field of research that has become strategic in addressing contemporary issues related to pluralism, human rights, and intercultural dialogue.
Academic Background and Achievements
Sarhan Dhouib was educated at the University of Sfax and the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, before earning his doctorate in 2008 from the University of Bremen, with a thesis on the philosophy of identity of German philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling. In 2011, he received the Young Researchers Award in Philosophy from the Goethe-Institut for his work on the debate on human rights in contemporary Arab political philosophy.
Research Focus
His research focuses primarily on German idealism, Arab-Islamic philosophy, political philosophy, human rights philosophy, and intercultural philosophy. Throughout his career, he has established himself as one of the leading specialists in intellectual exchanges between European and Arab philosophical traditions.
International Cooperation and Engagement
In addition to his academic work, Sarhan Dhouib has distinguished himself through his commitment to international university cooperation. Since 2011, he has led a network of dialogue, within the framework of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) partnership program, bringing together universities from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia to discuss issues of democracy, justice, tolerance, and human rights. Between 2013 and 2015, he also directed a German-Arab group of young researchers focused on responsibility, justice, and collective memory.
Previous Affiliations and Current Appointment
A former member of the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA) from 2013 to 2018, he previously taught at the Institute of Philosophy at the University of Kassel and pursued his research as a Project Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy in Hanover. With nearly 90,000 students, the University of Vienna is one of the main European hubs for research in the humanities. Sarhan Dhouib's appointment as the head of this chair reinforces the university's position in a field where issues of interculturality, philosophy of religion, and dialogue between intellectual traditions are increasingly prominent in international academic debates.
Source: AGYA
