2−4 Positions as Researcher in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies (1−3 months)

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The Faculty of Arts and Humanities – which is one of five faculties at Linnaeus University – is a dynamic, flexible, and international knowledge environment that spans a wide range of subjects in the arts and humanities. We build complete academic environments, where the interaction between education, research, and collaboration creates a driving force for quality at the university and in the wider community.

The Linnaeus University Centre for Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies announces two or four fulltime positions as researcher in colonial and postcolonial studies (including, but not limited to, archaeology, comparative literature, ethnology, philology and history) lasting between one and three months during the autumn semester 2024. The earliest possible starting date for each of the positions is 1 August 2024 and the last possible end date is 31 December 2024.

Subject area for the position
The main subject area is Colonial and Postcolonial Studies but the appointment will be made in one of the following subjects:

Department of Cultural Sciences: Archaeology, Comparative Religion, Cultural Sociology, Geography, History, Human Geography, Library and Information Science, Philosophy.

Department of Film and Literature: Comparative Literature, Creative Writing, Film Studies.

Department of Languages: English Language, Literatures in English, French Language, Literatures in French, German Language, Literatures in German, Spanish Language, Literatures in Spanish.

Location until further notice: Växjö, Sweden

The university may be able to subsidise the relocation costs (travel and costs for visas and permits) for the applicant (not including family members); this applies mainly to applicants from the Global South.

Form of employment and hours: The position is limited in time to between one and three months. The position is full time unless otherwise agreed upon.

For more information about employment and working conditions at Linnaeus University, please see the university website.

Starting date: 1 August–1 December 2024.

End date: 31 August–31 December 2024

Job description
The job responsibilities include research for the purpose of initiating a major research project – either an individual project or a collaborative project together with one or more current members of the Linnaeus University Centre for Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies. The successful candidates are each expected to produce a project description for a major research project, which is to be submitted as part of a competitive application for research funding to one or more research councils or other external funding agencies in 2024­−25. If the application is successful, the research project must be administered by Linnaeus University (main host) and be associated with the Linnaeus University Centre for Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies. Applications for developing research projects in collaboration with current members of the centre are particularly encouraged, as are projects that in other ways can be expected to generate positive synergies with ongoing research at the centre.

The successful candidates are expected to take active part in the research activities organised by the Linnaeus University Centre for Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies and to join one of the centre’s three research clusters (Aesthetics of Empire, Colonial Connections and Comparisons and Migration, Citizenship and Belonging).

For more information, see the webpage of Linnaeus University Centre for Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies.

Context of the position
The positions are funded by the Linnaeus University Centre for Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies. The successful candidates will each be employed by one of three departments at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities: the Department of Cultural Sciences, the Department of Film and Literature or the Department of Languages.

Requirements
Eligible candidates must have a PhD, or the equivalent, in a relevant discipline in the humanities or social sciences by the application deadline. Eligible candidates must also be able to speak and write fluently in English on a professional level.

Application
The application must be written in English and include the following:

1. a cover letter explaining why you are applying for the position and a rough estimate of relocation costs, if you want to apply for a subsidy for such costs (max one page)
2. your CV (max two pages)
3. a list of up to ten of your most important publications
4. an outline of the research project that you wish to develop, including brief outlines of purpose, state of the art, theory, research questions, method, sources, time plan and expected results (max two pages)
5. names of and contact information (email addresses and phone numbers) for up to three referees
6. certified copies of records supporting your eligibility for the position (including proof of academic degree and proficiency in English). 

For further information about the application procedure and to apply, please visit Linnaeus University’s vacancies page 

Assessment of applications
Selection will be based on the following criteria: 

1. the academic qualifications of the applicant in relation to their career age (measured by the time elapsed since obtaining their PhD)
2. the quality of the proposed research
3. the relevance of the proposed research for the field of colonial and postcolonial studies, including potential synergies with ongoing research at the centre
4. personal and other qualifications and references.

Further information
For further information about the position and the expectations of the successful candidates, please contact one of the following:

Director of the Linnaeus University Centre for Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies, Professor Stefan Amirell, stefan.amirell@lnu.se.
Head of the Department of Cultural Sciences: Fredrik Hanell, fredrik.hanell@lnu.se
Head of the Department of Film and Literature: Piia Posti, piia.posti@lnu.se
Head of the Department of Languages: Anna Greek, anna.greek@lnu.se
HR partner: Maria Furbring, maria.furbring@lnu.se

For union representatives, please contact the university switchboard at 0772-28 80 00.

We welcome your application no later than 15 May 2024!

Linnaeus University has the ambition to utilize the qualities that an even gender distribution and diversity brings to the organization.

Please apply by clicking on the Apply button at the bottom of the ad. The credentials you invoke must be verified with certification and they must be attached digitally in your application. The application and other documents to be marked with the reference number. All documents cited must be received by the University no later than 23.59 (Local time in Sweden) on the closing day.