The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 53 500 students and 6 500 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract scientists and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and Religion is one of the six departments at the Faculty of Humanities. The department has approximately 100 employees, 20 PhD students and 1,000 students. For more information about the department see: https://www.gu.se/en/literature-history-of-ideas-religion.

Research in Literary studies covers a wide range topics, from literary history to the contemporary period. The department has developed strong research areas including gender and literature, popular fiction, children's and youth literature, literary didactics, life writing, eco-criticism, and transmedial studies. Researchers explore Nordic and international literatures, including transcultural perspectives. The researchers participate actively in interdisciplinary areas such as digital humanities, medical humanities and environmental humanities.

In addition to PhD students in literary studies, the department host affiliated PhD students from the Center for Educational Science and Teacher Research. The department arranges a number of specialized seminars such as a “Literature and Didactic Research Seminar” and an interdisciplinary seminar on “Learning, Text, Language” (LTS).

Information about the research school CuEED-LL

The national research school “Culturally Empowering Education through Language and Literature” (CuEEd-LL) is funded by The Swedish Research Council during 2021–2026 and accepts nine PhD positions during the autumn 2021. CUEEd-LL is led by Jönköping University in collaboration with the University of Gothenburg, Malmö University and Stockholm University.

CuEEd-LL Research Themes

The overarching purpose of the CuEEd-LL research school is to strengthen teacher education by studying and developing culturally empowering education through language and literature. Regardless of their school placements, disciplines and teaching levels, all teachers must be competent in using language and literature to develop communicative practices and create inclusive environments in heterogenous educational contexts. CuEEd-LL’s research themes are informed by the fields of Southern Multilingualism and Diversities, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, and Decoloniality. These fields view language and literature as critical for shaping and articulating cultures and (inter)cultural understanding. With these fields as a point of departure, CuEEd-LL research aims at illuminating how language- and literature-based pedagogical interventions can culturally empower pupils and help them understand and confidently participate in complex and diverse cultural contexts.

Communication is a meaning-making enterprise that builds on the entanglement of resources from singular/multiple language modalities and embodiments: reading, writing, signing, seeing, listening, speaking, etc. Literature is also understood as communicative and an aesthetic and multilingual expression in different genres and media, that gives voice to human experiences and emotions. According to the current steering documents (in Sweden), practising language teachers shall adopt a holistic view of language and literature. The CuEEd-LL research school explores how language and literature can support cultural understanding, literacy, and core values in today’s digitised (Swedish) school. Focussing on the different school levels and subjects, the PhD candidates will investigate how language and literature are used in meaning-making, communication, and identity work. CuEEd-LL aims to support equitable, high-quality education and participation in a globalised and digitised world. We welcome applicants from various disciplinary backgrounds of relevance to teacher education who are interested in combining language and literature perspectives in their research. 

CuEEd-LL is interdisciplinary and involves several disciplines of relevance to language and literature studies. The candidates will be admitted into one of the following third-cycle subjects:

-        Pedagogy with the specialisation in language and literature (JU)
-        Swedish as a Second Language (GU)
-        Literary Studies (GU)
-        Language and Literature Didactics (MAU)
-        English (SU)
-        Bilingualism (SU)

The following lists possible examples of research themes that can be explored within CuEEd-LL:

  • Language and literature in school and other educational contexts, and in teacher education;
  • Culture through language and literature in different teacher education programmes;
  • Opportunities and challenges of using language and literature in school and other educational contexts, and in teacher education;
  • Historical and contemporary perspectives on multilingualism, literacy and literature;
  • Reading and writing processes in children and adults;
  • The impact of digital processes on communication, culture, and diversity in different fields of education.

CuEEd-LL constitutes a dynamic, multilingual and international research environment formed by senior researchers from five continents. CuEEd-LL plans to organise several retreats and a study trip to South Africa. Moreover, CuEEd-LL offers the following, collaboratively developed compulsory courses:

  1. Culturally Empowering Education for a Global 21st Century: Research and Practice (5 credits)
  2. Decolonizing and Southern Theories: Implications for Swedish Education (7.5 credits)
  3. Rethinking Methodology in Language and Literature Educational Research (7.5 credits)
  4. Ethical Research Design for a Post-digital and Globalized Era (7.5 credits)
  5. Guiding and Mentoring Practitioner Research (2.5 credits)

Job assignments

A doctoral (PhD) student is expected to conduct research and to contribute to the development of knowledge within the discipline. Expectations of a doctoral student include the capacity to develop independent ideas and communicate research results in oral and written form. The aim of the doctoral position is for the doctoral student to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to conduct research autonomously within Literature and Didactics, and to contribute to the development of knowledge within the discipline through the production of a scholarly thesis. Another aim is for the doctoral student to develop an ability to apply the acquired knowledge and skills within post-degree research or other qualified professional work.

Doctoral student will be expected to be physically present at the Department and actively interact in the programme environment, which includes active participation in the Department’s third-cycle and research seminars and the activities within the research school CuEEd-LL. While the Department's working language is Swedish, the PhD programme may be conducted partly in English. However, in order to be admitted to the doctoral program the applicant requires sufficient knowledge in Swedish and English to complete compulsory course elements and actively participate in seminars. Non-Swedish PhD students are expected to learn Swedish during their PhD programme. Doctoral theses may be written in Swedish or English. The University offers introductory courses in Swedish on an as-needed basis.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the position, the applicant must meet both general and specific entry requirements. An applicant meets the general entry requirements for third-cycle (PhD) studies if he/she has obtained (Higher Education Ordinance Ch.7, Sec.39):

  1. a degree at the second-cycle level (MA level, or equivalent),
    2. at least 240 higher education (university) credits, of which at least 60 must be at the second-cycle level, or
    3. equivalent knowledge acquired in other ways in Sweden or abroad.

The specific qualifications for postgraduate education in Literature requires at least 30 higher education credits in Literature at advanced level, of which at least 15 higher education credits consist of independent work (e.g., MA thesis) or equivalent knowledge. The applicant should, where relevant, motivate how the qualifications are equivalent to the general and specific credit requirements.

Assessment

Selection among applicants who meet the requirements for basic and special eligibility is based on the ability to successfully complete the education at the doctoral level.

Employment

Regulations for employment of doctoral students are given in SFS 1998:80. Only those who are admitted to third-cycle studies may be appointed to doctoral positions. Those appointed to doctoral positions will primarily devote themselves to their studies. The initial appointment may apply for no longer than one year. An appointment may be renewed for no more than two years at a time. The total employment period may not exceed the time corresponding to full-time studies for four years. The position includes teaching at the teacher training program  20% of a full-time post over the course of study. The appointment will be extended accordingly.

Type of employment: 4 years
Extent: 100 %
Location: The Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and Religion, University of Gothenburg
First day of employment: 2022-02-01

Salaries for doctoral students are regulated by a local agreement at the University.

Appointment procedure

The appointment procedure involves two stages:

1) A shortlist is made based on material included in the application. 
2) The shortlisted candidates will be called to an interview.

For further information regarding the position

Questions regarding the PhD position.

Anna Nordenstam, Professor in Comparative Literature, anna.nordenstam@lir.gu.se
Jong Ho, HR administrator, jong.ho@gu.se

Unions

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg:
https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/work-at-the-university-of-gothenburg/how-to-apply

Information for International Applicants

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit:

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services

https://www.movetogothenburg.com/

How to apply

In order to apply for a position at the University of Gothenburg, you have to register an account in our online recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline. The selection of candidates is made on the basis of the qualifications registered in the application.

Please enclose the following documents with the application:

  1. A personal letter in which you explain why you are applying to the position and reflect on the progress which you consider can be traced in your degree projects. Here you should also, if relevant, motivate how your qualifications are equivalent to the general and specific credit requirements. If it is evident from the certificates that it took you a very long time to complete the degree projects, you may wish to comment on this fact. This text may not exceed 500 words and may be written in Swedish or English.

  2. Curriculum vitae / CV containing contact information, education, work experience and other relevant qualifications.

  3. Degree projects (from second cycle and first cycle, if any) and any publications you find relevant. You may submit up to five texts excluding the degree projects (which should also be attached as a pdf); any additional texts can be listed in a separate document. Submitted texts will be assessed primarily based on the following criteria: originality, difficulty of the topic addressed, and precision in the use of methods and the overall presentation of the work.

  4. Degree certificates and/or a certificate of enrolment from Ladok, or equivalent system, specifying your completed coursework. The certificates must demonstrate that you meet the general entry requirements for third-cycle studies as well as the specific entry requirements specified in the respective programme syllabus https://medarbetarportalen.gu.se/digitalAssets/1576/1576434_asp-fd-litteraturvetenskap-2015-eng.pdf

  5. A description of your intended thesis project. This description should identify the purpose and aim of the project, the problem(s) addressed, material that will be used, and how the project relates to previous research. The project draft should also include a discussion on which theories and methods you may utilise. The project must be in connection to the area of CuEED-LL research themes. The draft will be assessed based on the following criteria: originality, scholarly relevance and rigor, and feasibility. The draft can include a preliminary outline or list of different phases and components of the thesis project, as well as a general timetable for the project. The draft may not exceed 2500 words (including notes and references).

  6. References

Closing date: 2021-10-15

 

The University of Gothenburg promotes equal opportunities, equality and diversity.

Applications will be destroyed or returned (upon request) two years after the decision of employment has become final. Applications from the employed and from those who appeal the decision will not be returned.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.