Vacant job

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is consistently ranked among the world's leading universities. We have approximately 46,000 students and 8,500 employees in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö. We are united in our strive to understand, explain, and improve our world and the conditions of human life.

Workplace Description

The Department of Philosophy is divided into practical philosophy, theoretical philosophy, and cognitive science, and is part of the joint Faculty of Humanities and Theology.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

"Democratization of Refugee Camps" (DEMCAMP) is a project funded by the Swedish Foundations' Starting Grant, via the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond. The project's research leader is Felix Bender.

DEMCAMP asks what applied ethics has to say about the many refugees who do not live in the Global North, but remain in the Global South and, more specifically, in refugee camps. The project investigates how we can understand and adequately respond to the vulnerabilities experienced by refugees in camps. The project develops 1) a theory that better captures the vulnerabilities experienced by refugees in refugee camps and 2) a normative democratic theory that can address these vulnerabilities.

DEMCAMP shows that in refugee camps we can observe the emergence of economic, legal, and political systems, each operating according to its own rules and logics. This leads to refugees experiencing a set of vulnerabilities that remain invisible if refugee vulnerability is defined externally by humanitarian organizations, such as UNHCR, and only subsequently applied to refugee camps. To adequately respond to the vulnerabilities experienced by refugees, refugee camps need to be democratized. For more information about the project, please visit https://startinggrant.se/researcher/felix-bender/ (https://startinggrant.se/researcher/felix-bender/).

Duties and Responsibilities

In this project, you will work on the vulnerability structures of refugees in refugee camps and analyze how the emergence of distinct legal, economic, and political systems gives rise to specific forms of vulnerability.

The researcher will be employed within practical philosophy but is expected to perform interdisciplinary work.

Requirements

Qualifications for the position:

• Ability to read and write academic English
• A doctoral degree and a background in sociology, anthropology, political science, law, or studies of forced migration
• Ability to develop and conduct high-quality research
• Research focusing on refugees and/or vulnerability
• Openness to collaborative work and interdisciplinarity

Meritorious qualifications for the position include:

• Experience working in refugee camps
• Experience working with refugee vulnerability
• Experience working with UNHCR
• Work with economies in refugee camps or legislation in refugee camps
• Knowledge or interest in philosophical explanations of vulnerability

The assessment of applicants will primarily be based on their academic merits and potential as researchers. Special emphasis will be placed on scientific ability within the subject area.

What We Offer

Lund University is a government agency, which entails special benefits, generous holidays, and a good pension plan.

Read more on the university's website about working with us.

About the Position

This is a fixed-term position for 2 years, with 100% employment as a researcher. Start date 2026-09-01 or by agreement. The employment at Lund University is based in Sweden, and the work is expected to be performed on-site in Lund.

Additional Information

For questions, please contact the project leader, Felix Bender. Interviews will be held online.

How to Apply

You must apply for this position via the university's recruitment system. The application should include:

• A cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position and how your profile matches the job description
• A CV
• A concise description of how you would approach this research (what resources would you use, how would you structure the work in this project?)
• Two writing samples (published or unpublished articles)
• Two references (will not be contacted until you are invited to an interview)

About the Faculty of Humanities and Theology

The Faculty of Humanities and Theology has seven departments and conducts extensive and varied activities in research and education. We have approximately 700 employees and about 4,000 full-time equivalent students.

About the Department of Philosophy

The Department of Philosophy has approximately 80 employees. Research and education are conducted in three subjects at the department: cognitive science, practical philosophy, and theoretical philosophy. The subjects are largely independent regarding research and educational directions, but there are also close collaborations between them. See the department's website for information on current activities.

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