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Stillingstittel: Researcher/Post-doctoral Research Fellowship

Stillingsbeskrivelse:
Jobbnorge ID: 161481

Job abstractJV_description

A Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (SKO 1352) or position as Researcher (SKO 1109) in Asian studies is available at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, University of Oslo.

The researcher will take part in the ERC-funded project Whales of Power: Aquatic Mammals, Devotional Practices, and Environmental Change in Maritime East Asia, led by Aike P. Rots. Whales of Power is concerned with the comparative study of human-cetacean relations in maritime East Asia, as expressed in popular worship practices and beliefs. We will examine several of these traditions in different parts of the region, through a combination of historical and ethnographic research. Marine mammals and associated worship practices will serve as a prism, through which we approach human responses to socio-economic and environmental change in Asian coastal communities. The project has three important theoretical objectives: 1) apply recent theoretical developments associated with "environmental humanities" to the comparative study of popular religion; 2) reconsider the role of local worship traditions in the Asian Secular Age, examining the new meanings attributed to ritual practices; and 3) establish a new comparative paradigm in Asian studies.

The research fellow will be responsible for the following work package:

The Death of a Goddess: Sacred Dolphins and Nature Conservation in the Yangtze and Mekong Rivers

The research fellow will compare two cases of Asian river dolphins, both of which are, or have been, perceived as sacred creatures, and both of which are critically endangered (or even extinct) as a result of human activities (pollution, habitat loss, and dam construction). These two species are the baiji or Yangtze River dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) - which, as the name suggests, lives/d in the Yangtze River in China - and the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), which lives in different parts of Southeast Asia, including the Mekong River. This work package has a historical and an ethnographic component. The postdoc will collect historical sources on the baiji and Irrawaddy dolphin to see how they have been perceived and worshipped in China and Southeast Asia (Cambodia, possibly Vietnam), and how the meanings attributed to them have changed over time. In addition, s/he will travel to these areas to interview conservationists, local residents, and environmental activists (including Buddhist monks), who are involved with protecting the animals and/or venerate them as sacred creatures.

The research should result in a monograph and one (or more) journal article(s). In addition, the research fellow will co-edit a special issue of an international peer-reviewed journal, together with the project leader.

The position is available for a period of 3 years.

Applicants should frame their project proposals within the overall framework of the Whales of Power project, and be familiar with the project's contents and objectives. For more information about Whales of Power, and the different work packages, see the project website [add link]. If you have any questions, please contact the project leader, Aike Rots: a.p.rots (at) ikos.uio.no.

The successful candidate is expected to join the existing research milieu or network and contribute to its development. In addition to their respective work packages, s/he will take part in group activities such as the weekly "WhoP Lab" seminars, workshops, and excursions. The main purpose of postdoctoral research fellowships is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

Qualification requirements

• PhD or equivalent academic qualifications with a specialization in Asian area studies, religious studies, social anthropology, environmental humanities, or a related discipline.
• The candidate's research project must be closely connected to the main project.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Excellent command of Chinese. Knowledge of relevant Southeast Asian languages (e.g. Khmer) is an added advantage.
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position.

The doctoral dissertation must have been submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Appointment is dependent on the public defence of the doctoral thesis being approved.

Applicants who are or have previously been employed as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (SKO 1352) at the University of Oslo do not qualify for another Post-Doctoral fellowship. Such candidates are eligible for a position as Researcher (SKO 1109).

In the evaluation of the applications, emphasis will be placed on:

• The project's scientific merit, research-related relevance and innovation.
• The applicant's estimated academic and personal ability to carry out the project within the allotted time frame and contribute to Whales of Power as a whole.
• Previous field research experience.
• Good co-operative skills, and the ability to successfully join in academic collaboration within and across disciplines.

We offer

• Salary NOK 515 200 - 597 400 per annum depending on
• A professionally stimulating working environment
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Attractive welfare benefits

How to apply

The application must include

• Application letter describing the applicant's qualifications and motivation for the position
• Curriculum Vitae with grades listed (with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities)
• List of publications
• Project abstractJV_description (3 - 5 pages). The project abstractJV_description must present a feasible progress plan. It is expected that the applicant will be able to complete the project during the period of appointment
• Up to three previous academic works (e.g. published journal articles) that the applicant wishes to be considered.
• Copies of educational certificates (PhD and MA).

Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language, except for academic works submitted for consideration, which may also be in German or French.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link "apply for this job". Applicants with education from a foreign university must attach an explanation of their university's grading system.

The short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed as Postdoctoral Fellow for more than one specified period at the same institution.

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

Project leader Aike P. Rots

HR-Officer Steffen Remvik

Se annonsen og søk på stillingen www.jobbnorge.no

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jobCategoriesCodes_0: http://data.europa.eu/esco/isco/C2632

abstractJV_contact_0: See jobabstractJV_description

Arbeidsgiver Navn: Universitetet i Oslo

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