Job description
A Doctoral Research Fellowship (SKO 1017) in the study of religion and politics is available at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, University of Oslo.
The fellowships are part of the Religion and Politics Research Initiative (https://www.hf.uio.no/ikos/english/research/groups/religion-andpolitics/index.html). This initiative asserts that the political implications of religions and the religious aspects of politics make it increasingly important to think of religion and politics together. Relevant issues range from religious nationalism and identity politics to conspiracy theories including vaccine resistance, pro- or anti-democracy activism, disputes over political, judicial or religious authority, responses to climate change and environmental activism, blasphemy controversies, and much more. Globally, several of these phenomena have a significant potential for conflict as well as connections, which makes it an important part of society’s mission to understand them.
The project description must be submitted as part of the application. The proposed project needs to be thematically relevant to research interests in the Religion and Politics Research Initiative; prospective applicants may approach potential supervisors or a member of the Religion and Politics Research Initiative before submitting their application.
The successful candidates are expected to join the existing research milieu and contribute to its development. In addition to their own research, they will take part in ongoing research related activities at the department or the relevant section.
The person appointed will be affiliated with the Faculty’s organized research training. The academic work is to result in a doctoral thesis that will be defended at the Faculty with a view to obtaining the degree of PhD. The successful candidate is expected to join the existing research milieu or network and contribute to its development. Read more about the doctoral degree.
The appointment is for a duration of 3 years. All PhD Candidates who submit their doctoral dissertation for assessment with a written recommendation from their supervisor within 3 years or 3 ½ years after the start of their PhD position, will be offered, respectively, a 12 or 6 month Completion Grant.
Qualification requirements
- A Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (study of religion, history, cultural studies, area studies, social anthropology, political science or other). The Master’s degree must have been obtained and the final evaluation must be available by the application deadline.
- Fluent oral and written communication skills in English, see Language requirements. Other language requirements may apply when relevant for the applicant’s project.
- Personal suitability and motivation for the position.
To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Oslo, applicants must, as a minimum, have completed a five-year graduation course (Master’s degree or equivalent), including a Master’s thesis of at least 30 ECTS. In special cases, the Faculty may grant admission on the basis of a one-year Master course following an assessment of the study programme’s scope and quality.
In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on:
- The project’s academic merit, research-related relevance and innovation
- The applicant’s estimated academic and personal ability to complete the project within the time frame
- The applicant’s ability to complete research training
- Good collaboration skills and an ability to join interdisciplinary academic communities
Applicants who have recently graduated with excellent results may be given preference.
We offer
- Salary NOK 501 200 – 544 400 per annum depending on qualifications
- A professionally stimulating working environment
- Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
- Attractive welfare benefits
How to apply
The application must include:
- Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position (one page)
- Curriculum Vitae (with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities, including a complete list of publications if any)
- Transcript of records of your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Applicants with education from a foreign university must attach an explanation of their university’s grading system
- Documentation of Language requirements (if applicable)
- Project description, including a detailed progress plan for the project (maximum 14,000 characters). See Template for project descriptions (all points except dissemination).
Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language.
Educational certificates, master thesis and the like are not to be submitted with the application, but applicants may be asked to submit such information or works later.
The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, jobbnorge.no.
Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.
Formal regulations
See also regulations as well as guidelines for the application assessment process and appointments to research fellowships.
Following the Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) § 25, Chapter 2, demographic information about the applicant may be used in the public list of applicants even if the applicant opts out from the entry in the public application list.
The University of Oslo has an Acquisition of Rights Agreement for the purpose of securing rights to intellectual property created by its employees, including research results.
The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.
Contact information
For questions about the position:
Professor Anne Stensvold
For questions on how to apply:
HR-Officer Natali Helgesen
About the University of Oslo
The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 28 000 students and 7500 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.
The Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages (abbreviated IKOS from its Norwegian name) is one of the seven departments at the Faculty of Humanities. The Department has a broad competency in the study of religion and culture and in language based area studies of South Asia, East Asia and the Middle East and North Africa. IKOS also hosts the Oslo School of Environmental Humanities. The Department has several study programmes at both BA and MA levels. Among the Department’s 110 employees about 40 are PhD and Postdoctoral Fellows.