Postdoctoral Researcher for DFF Project, “Addressing Climate Anxiety Using Flash Fiction in the Classroom”

The Department of Language, Culture, History and Communication at University of Southern Denmark invites applications for a 2-year postdoctoral position set to begin February 1, 2024. The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to a DFF-funded project that approaches speculation about climate change-related futures (expressed often in the form of ‘climate anxiety’) using the method of fiction-writing modules in classroom settings.

About the project
The recent popularity of speculative ‘climate fiction’ stories, which explore the future consequences of climate change, has opened a larger debate about literature’s influence on the public understanding of the environmental crisis. At the same time, the basis for evaluating the impact of this literature is underdeveloped, since empirical approaches (such as surveys) risk overlooking the spontaneous or unexpected response the encounter between a reader and text might generate. The project therefore aims at refreshing the study of climate fiction literature (drawing from sociology, citizen science, and literature studies) to better understand how texts, authors, and readers together collaborate to draw meaning from climate literature. By stressing the collaborative aspects to climate fiction (between author, text, and reader), this project stresses literature’s role in helping individuals imagine and navigate complex social problems related to the climate crisis.

About the position
The postdoc’s main contributions to the project involve assisting with the implementation of the fiction-writing modules and the analysis of stories generated over the course of the project. Proficiency with digital tools (e.g., text data mining, text visualization, etc.) is essential for the completion of these goals.

The position involves a semester-long research stay in the UK, where the postdoc will train alongside project partners to study sociological approaches to climate futures. Otherwise, the postdoc will be expected to contribute to meetings, seminars, and other activities taking place at the university campus in Odense.

In addition, the position comes with the expectation of contributing to teaching where relevant.

Candidates must have:

• a PhD in literature, cultural studies, pedagogy, sociology, or related field.
• experience in applying digital methods for analyzing texts.
• a high level of proficiency in English, the working language for the project.

Additionally, candidates should have:

• the ability to publish with international journals/presses both individually and collaboratively.
• familiarity with relevant theories and critical texts related to climate literatures.
• a demonstrated interest in working in interdisciplinary contexts and in team-oriented environments with researchers and external partners (e.g., high school teachers and students).

The job description will be mainly research, additionally will be teaching to a certain extent and other tasks to a limited extent.
The university will determine the distribution between the various tasks. The extent of the tasks can vary over time.
Further information is available from the Head of Department Per Krogh Hansen at phone: 65501451, email [email protected] or associate professor Bryan Yazell, email [email protected].

If you are not a Danish speaking applicant, please make sure to enter the electronic application form via the English website in order to receive further information in English.

Application, salary and conditions of employment etc.
Employment as Postdoc is temporary (max. 4 years). Employment stops automatically by the end of the period. An upgrade of pedagogical qualifications is not part of the position. Thus, employment as postdoc cannot stand alone as a qualification for later employment as associate professor/senior researcher.

Confederation of Professional Associations), Cirkulære om overenskomst for Akademikere i staten 2019 (the document only exists in Danish).

To qualify for the position you must have completed a PhD-degree by the time of employment.

An application must include:

• Application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Certificates/Diplomas
• Information on previous teaching experience, please attach as Teaching portfolio
• List of publications indicating the publications attached
• Up to 3 of the most relevant publications. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication. For any publication with a co-author, a co-author statement must be submitted as part of the pdf-file.

Only material in English, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish will be assessed. Please always include a copy of original diploma/certificates.

Please attach one pdf-file for each publication. For any collective publication or publication with a co-author, a co-author statement must be submitted as part of the pdf-file. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments. We only accept files in pdf-format no more than 10 MB per file. In case you have more than one file per field you need to combine the pdf-files into a single file, as each field handles only one file. We do not accept zip-files, jpg or other image files. All pdf-files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected.

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee and the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns him/her. The assessment report will subsequently be forwarded to the Head of Department who will assemble an appointments committee. An interview may form part of the overall assessment of the applicants' qualifications. The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.

If the application does not meet the requirements mentioned above, the Faculty of Humanities may reject your application without further notice. Applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated.

Shortlisting and tests may be used in the assessment process. Please note that only a shortlisted applicant will receive an assessment.

Applications should be sent electronically via the link "apply online" and the Faculty expects applicants to read the information "How to apply" before applying.
We recommend that as an international applicant you take the time to visit Working in Denmark where you will find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark, as well as the International Staff Office at SDU.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.