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Gothenburg University meets societal challenges with diverse knowledge. 58,000 students and 6,800 employees make the university a large and inspiring workplace. Strong research and attractive education attract researchers and students from all over the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, Gothenburg University contributes to a better future.

The Department of Sociology and Work Science currently has about 110 employees, including teachers, researchers, PhD students, and administrative staff. The department conducts research, teaching, and collaboration in a range of areas. Research includes labor markets, working life, social deviations, crime, digitalization, emotions, gender, migration, environmental issues, social movements, governance and organization, as well as technology and science.

The research orientations at the department are primarily coordinated around various seminar series, where cross-fertilization occurs as many employees follow more than one seminar series.

The department offers undergraduate and advanced level education in a range of areas such as sociology, work science, human resource management, criminology, and social psychology. The department also has a significant commitment to several of Gothenburg University's educational programs, particularly in teacher education, where the department is responsible for a course on scientific approaches in all teacher education orientations. Collaboration and development projects are conducted both in research and education with partners in the private sector and public sector, for example, the Center for Global Human Resource Management.

Subject

Sociology

Job Responsibilities

The department is now seeking a postdoctoral researcher in sociology to work on a project funded by the Swedish Research Council, which will study how the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian national liberation movement extends beyond physical war to a struggle over representation, rhetoric, and images where international media plays a central role in shaping perceptions of key actors and the historical origins of the conflict. The project will analyze media representations and how these interact with political movement mobilization from a longer historical perspective, from 1917 to 2025. Based on postcolonial theory and social movement theory, the project aims to analyze how the Palestinian movement mobilization is represented in established media in the UK and Sweden, how these representations have changed over time, and how these representations relate to the movement's self-representation in its own texts and media using discourse analysis.

The postdoctoral position aims to provide the employee with an early opportunity to develop their independence as a researcher after completing their doctoral degree and create conditions for further qualifications. The person hired as a postdoctoral researcher will primarily conduct research. Teaching is also included in the job responsibilities, but no more than one-fifth of the working time.

Eligibility

Eligibility for employment as a teacher is regulated by the Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 4 and Gothenburg University's employment regulations.

Eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher is someone who has obtained a doctoral degree, artistic doctoral degree, or has a foreign degree that is assessed to correspond to a doctoral degree. This eligibility requirement must be met no later than at the time the employment decision is made.

In the first instance, preference should be given to those who have obtained their degree no more than three years before the application deadline. Even those who have obtained their degree earlier should be considered in the first instance if there are special reasons. Special reasons refer to leave due to illness, parental leave, union duties, service in the total defense, or other similar circumstances, as well as clinical service or relevant service/assignments in the subject area.

To carry out the planned empirical data collection, the applicant must have a very good ability (equivalent to CEFR B2) to communicate in Swedish and English in both spoken and written form.

Assessment Criteria

In addition to the requirement for a doctoral degree in sociology or equivalent, documented experience of project-relevant qualitative research methods within the social sciences is highly meritorious.

Knowledge of and experience in conducting research on social movements, the global civil society, and Palestinian or pro-Palestinian movement mobilization is highly meritorious. Experience in analyzing movement texts is highly meritorious. Experience in media analysis is meritorious.

To succeed in the position, the candidate must have good organizational and problem-solving skills. Great emphasis is placed on personal suitability, which is expressed in communication and collaboration skills, as well as the ability to work independently.

To assess the candidate's suitability, the applicant must attach a cover letter (max 2 pages) describing how their research agenda can contribute to the research project and how they meet the above criteria, a CV including a complete list of publications, degree certificates, as well as two (2) examples of publications and two references (including contact details).

Employment

The employment is a fixed-term position for 24 months, full-time, with organizational placement at the Department of Sociology and Work Science.

More information about the position and application

You can find more information about the position and application form via Gothenburg University's recruitment portal.

The application must be submitted no later than: 2025-12-10

The university actively works for a work environment with equal conditions and values the qualities that diversity brings to the organization.

The university applies individual salary setting.

According to the National Archives' regulations, the university is obliged to store application documents for two years after the appointment decision. If you, as an applicant for a position, specifically request the return of your documents, they will be returned after the two years have passed; otherwise, they will be disposed of.

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