Postdoctoral position in social science at The Center for Subjectivity Research, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen

The Center for Subjectivity Research (CFS), Department of Communication, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, invites applications for a postdoc position in social science (social psychology, sociology, cultural or social anthropology, or political science) to be filled by January 1, 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is for 2 years.

Information about CFS can be found at https://cfs.ku.dk/

Job content
The postdoc will be part of a project entitled Who are We? funded by the Carlsberg Foundation and headed by Prof. Dan Zahavi. Applicants are asked to situate and develop their research plan within the framework of the Who are we? project and are encouraged to contact Dan Zahavi, [email protected] , for additional information about the overarching project.

The larger project investigates what it means to feel, think, and act as part of a we. Its guiding hypothesis is that a systematic account of the we must be embedded in a more comprehensive investigation of selfhood and social cognition. The project will systematically develop this hypothesis by combining cross-disciplinary theorizing with historical scholarship. In particular, it will draw on seminal contributions from classical phenomenology. In addition to philosophers, the project will also involve social scientists (from social anthropology, sociology, and political theory).

The postdoc should be a theoretically oriented social scientist (with a background in social psychology, sociology, cultural or socialanthropology, or political science/theory) who is familiar with classical social identity and self-categorisation theory (e.g., Tajfel, Turner, Hogg, Abrams, or Brewer), but who is also up to date with more recent discussions on group identification. During the employment, the candidate should engage with the following set of questions: What is the link between identity and identification? How does group identification affect self-identity? What kind of individual heterogeneity and plurality does group-identification (and unification) allow for? What kind of interpersonal relation is particularly conducive for group-identification?

The successful candidate will be working in close cooperation with philosophers and other social scientists and should be interested in theory development. The postdoc is not expected to conduct new empirical research during the period of employment.

Qualification requirements
In order to be considered for the position, applicants must have research qualifications at least corresponding to what can be achieved as part of a successfully completed PhD. It is expected that the successful candidate will be in Copenhagen as part of the team and partake in the activities at CFS on a daily basis.

Furthermore, emphasis will be placed on the following:  

• Research qualifications, which will be assessed in relation to the period of active research, the degree of originality, and academic output.  
• The applicant’s scientific record, academic breadth and depth, rigor, thoroughness and accuracy, as well as academic relevance in relation to the job description.
• Participation in networks – national and international  
• Previous experience with interdisciplinary collaboration and research
• Familiarity with social identity and self-categorization theory is essential. Some familiarity with phenomenology and/or contemporary philosophical discussions of collective intentionality would be an additional asset  
• Good interpersonal skills  
• Excellent skills in English, written and spoken  

For further details about the qualification requirements for postdocs, please refer to the job structure for academic staff https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit/dokumenter/Ministerial_Order_no._1443_of_11_December_2019_on_Job_Structure_for_Academic_Staff_at_Universities.pdf

Application
Submit the application online in Adobe PDF or Word format.

ZIP-files cannot be uploaded.  

Please click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page.  

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

• Application letter/cover letter  
• Curriculum vitae (with applicant’s e-mail address & telephone number)  
• Documentation of qualifications (examination certificates/PhD diploma, etc.).  
• Complete and numbered list of publications. The enclosed publications must be marked with *.  
• Research plan (max 5 pages), including a short description of previous research and a plan for the coming years.  
• Publications. Applicants may choose a maximum of three publications for assessment, of which at least two must have been published within the five years immediately preceding the deadline for applications. Publication dates must be clearly marked on the publication list. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments and listed from 1 to 3.

Should any material submitted consist of work with named co-authors, or work that is otherwise the result of collective academic endeavors, the extent of the applicant’s contribution to the work must be clearly stipulated. The Faculty may ask for a signed statement from the co-authors stipulating the extent and nature of each individual’s contribution.

Only material in English or German can be expected to be assessed.

Appointment procedure
After the application deadline, the Head of Department selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the appointment committee.  All applicants are notified whether their application has been accepted for assessment. The Dean subsequently appoints an expert assessment committee tasked with carrying out an assessment of the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee. Applicants are ultimately offered the opportunity of commenting on the part of the assessment relating to themselves before the appointment is finalized.

Further information about the application procedure is available from Dorthea Andersen(HR), e-mail: [email protected] . Please refer to ID number 211-1177/22-2I #1. 

Salary and conditions of employment
Terms of appointment and salary will be in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The salary range starts at DKK 33,800 (EUR 4,540) + a 17,1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) have further agreed on a protocol that makes it possible for international researchers employed by the University to achieve a pension exemption, whereby the pension contribution will be paid out as salary. For more information about the different pension schemes, please read more here: https://ism.ku.dk/salary-tax-pension/pension/

If you consider applying from abroad, you may find useful information on how it is to work in Denmark and at UCPH here : http://ism.ku.dk , http://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-us/frontpage.htm and https://www.workindenmark.dk/

UCPH wishes to encourage everyone interested in this post to apply, regardless of personal background.

The closing date for applications is 1 November 2022 at 23:59 [CET].

Applications or supplementary material received thereafter will not be considered.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.