PHD positions, Department of Economic History

Published: 2023-05-04

Uppsala University is a comprehensive research-intensive university with a strong international standing. Our ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a long-term difference in society. Our most important assets are all the individuals whose curiosity and dedication make Uppsala University one of Sweden’s most exciting workplaces. Uppsala University has over 54,000 students, more than 7,500 employees and a turnover of around SEK 8 billion.

The Department of Economic History is a strong research and teaching environment with over 40 researchers, plus around 12 PhD students. Our PhD Program forms part of the National Postgraduate  School in Economic History. For more information, please see our website

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

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Duties/project description
The Department of Economic History invites applications for fully funded PhD positions beginning 1 September 2023 on campus in Uppsala. One PhD candidate position is available without a specific research orientation, two are tied to specific research projects.

The PhD program consists of four years of full-time studies. In terms of the Swedish university credit system, the program comprises 240 credits (30 credits = 1 semester of full-time study). There are two main components of the program: coursework (75 credits) and work that is related to the PhD dissertation (165 credits). Positions are fully funded throughout the four years. Those part of a specified research project are funded through a combination of stipends and university employment, others are funded via a four-year employment as a PHD candidate.

PhD candidate positions without a specific research orientation denote that the subject matter of the dissertation can be chosen within the economic-historical field, provided that the department has the capacity to supervise the chosen project. PhD candidate positions linked to specific research projects have a stipulated research direction, but the PhD candidate is encouraged to define his/her own research in line with the project, in conversation with the project’s principal investigator.

To date, the following research projects are offering doctoral positions:

Project #1: Transbordering business: passenger ferries as enactments of consumption in postwar Finnish-Swedish relations. While nations and borders have been central within business history and economic history, the borders themselves as commercial liminal spaces have been overlooked. In the post-war era, taking a ferry between Finland and Sweden became a popular pastime, with 8-10 million passengers travelling every year. In order to examine this mobile consumption theoretically and empirically, an international research network has initiated several projects, of which this is one. This PhD project will focus on the business model used by the ferry companies, which has relied heavily on offering goods and entertainment that has been the subject of extensive regulation ashore in the two countries. Empirical materials include archival material from the ferry companies, business archives, parliamentary sources, legal sources etc. in Finland, Sweden and Åland.  Applicants are assumed to have an interest in nations, identity, and borders on the one hand, and economic resources and the material and spatial dimensions of consumption on the other – as well has an interest in historicizing these dynamic relations.

Project-specific requirements: Applicants must be able to read Swedish or Finnish fluently since the research entails reading and collating archival sources. Project-specific skills: Bilingualism (Swedish and Finnish) is an advantage, as is experience of interpreting financial accounts and using qualitative methods. For more information about the project, contact principal investigator Daniel Normark ([email protected])

Project #2: Regulations and the Labor Market in Ninteenth Century Sweden.At the beginning of the nineteenth century the Swedish economy was still characterized by a number of regulations aiming to reduce competition and constrain labor mobility. These institutions were abolished during the course of the nineteenth century, but their real impact is debated within research. This PhD project will use detailed wage data to study the development on the labor market and the effects of these institutional changes on wages. Part of the work will consist of completing the digitization of a large wage material that the project has initiated. The PhD student also has the possibility to collect and study additional data regarding the historical development of labor markets, in Sweden and elsewhere. The project therefore presupposes that the applicant has an interest in the historical development of labor markets and the driving forces behind changes in wages and living standards. Within these boundaries, the PhD student has broad scope to formulate his/her research project.  

Project-specific requirements: Applicants require a good working knowledge of quantitative methods, preferably with a specialization towards modern microeconometrics. Project-specific skills: Experience of working with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is particularly advantageous, as is the ability to read Swedish.   For more information about the project, contact Principal Investigator Jakob Molinder ([email protected]).

Additional PhD positions in externally funded projects may be announced.

Qualification requirements
Entry requirements for third-cycle (doctoral) programmes require both general and specific eligibility. These should be upheld before being formally accepted to the program. The general entry requirements for third-cycle (doctoral) programmes are:

• academic degree at an advanced (Master’s) level, or
• attainment of at least 240 higher education (HE) credits for courses, of which at least 60 HE credits are awarded in the second cycle, or
• equivalent training either in Sweden or abroad.

• additionally, admission to the third-cycle programme in economic history also requires:

• attainment of 90 higher education credits for courses in economic history at any level, or
• completion of equivalent training either in Sweden or abroad.

Qualified persons must master English in speech and writing. Applicants not fluent in Swedish are expected to learn Swedish during their time as PhD-students. For some specific projects, it may be a required that the applicant masters Swedish from the beginning. PhD candidates are expected to work on campus, participate in departmental activities such as seminars, workshops, etc., and actively contribute to the research environment.

How to apply
Applications can be written in Swedish or English, and should be submitted via Uppsala University’s electronic application system, and consist of:

• A completed application in Varbi
• A Curriculum Vitae
• A description (max. 1 page) on why you are applying to the PHD program. Indicate whether you are interested in the PhD candidate position without specific research project and/or those related to specific research projects (you may indicate your interest in any of the announced positions).
• A short research plan (max. 3 pages) in which you describe
• what type of research you are interested in conducting as a PhD-student och which major themes in the subject of Economic history you would contribute to.
• why you want to pursue that particular topic of research
• what makes you particularly suitable (in the form of studies, work experience) for the particular PhD project, and why you think it would be particularly appropriate to pursue at the Department of Economic History at Uppsala University.
• Certified transcript(s) of your academic record/degree(s) to date
• Copies of your academic theses and other independently authored scholarly texts (from bachelor and master degrees or equivalent academic papers)
• Contact details for no more than two academic reference persons, primarily teachers and/or supervisors
• Other documents you may wish to submit (including, for instance, documentation of relevant work-life experiences, additional written academic work, or other references)
• Declaration of language proficiency: State which languages you are fluent in, and specify whether you are able to participate in academic discussions in English. If applying for any of the announced projects: state if you can Swedish read and understand Swedish source materials.

Assessment procedure
Admittance of a doctoral student is based on an assessment of the candidate’s ability to benefit from third-cycle studies. It is also dependent on the possibility of the Department to provide high-quality supervision to the doctoral student’s research. The main emphasis is laid on the scientific quality of the texts/thesis submitted by the applicant. The applicant’s education, work experience and research plan are also weighed in.

A recruitment committee first makes a shortlist selection on the basis of the submitted files, after contacts with references. The shortlist is discussed within the supervising committee and a small group of candidates is selected for interviews. The interviews will be carried out in at the end of June 2023 by representatives of the department, on campus or via Zoom. During the interview, the applicant will receive information about the competition for the different announced positions, and how his/her profile has been assessed in relation to the different projects. The applicant will have an opportunity to ask about the projects and state his/her preferences. After the interviews a final decision is made. The shortlisted applicants will be individually informed of the results of this selection process shortly afterwards. 

More information concerning doctoral education, requirements and rules for admission can be found at http://www.ekhist.uu.se/phd-studies/ at http://www.uu.se/en/admissions/phd-studies/ and http://www.hum-sam.uu.se/research/forskarutbildning/

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines .

About the employment
The employment is atemporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %.Starting date September 1st 2023. Placement: Uppsala

For further information about the position, please contact
Anders Ögren, email: [email protected] or Director of doctoral studies, associate professor Nikolas Glover, email: [email protected]

Please submit your application by June 2nd 2023, UFV-PA 2023/1734.

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Submit your application through Uppsala University's recruitment system.

Placement: Department of Economic History

Type of employment: Full time , Temporary position

Pay: Fixed salary

Number of positions: 3

Working hours: 100 %

Town: Uppsala

County: Uppsala län

Country: Sweden

Union representative: ST/TCO [email protected]
Seko Universitetsklubben [email protected]
Saco-rådet [email protected]

Number of reference: UFV-PA 2023/1734

Last application date: 2023-06-02

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