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Researcher in the field of Radicalisation, Extremism and Political Violence

Deadline: 15.03.2021

Universitetet i Oslo

The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.


Our institute The Department of Political Science is a part of the Faculty of Social Sciences and conducts research, teaching, and dissemination. Political science at UiO was ranked among the top 50 worldwide by the 2019 Shanghai ranking. The Department currently has 33 permanent academic staff members, 13 PhD candidates, 6 postdoctoral fellows, and 10 administrative employees. About 1100 students are currently enrolled in Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD study programmes in political science, as well as the interdisciplinary Bachelor’s degree programmes in International Studies and Public Administration and Leadership and the Master’s degree programme in Peace and Conflict Studies. The department is the host of the C-REX Center for Research on Extremism.


The Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX) is a cross-disciplinary center for the study of the extreme right, hate crime and political violence. The center was established in early 2016 and is a joint collaboration with five of the leading Norwegian institutions and three of the leading international universities on extremism research. The research focuses on both ideological and behavioral aspects right-wing extremism. In particular, C-REX concentrates on the following areas of research: (1) ideology and identity, (2) violence and hate crimes, (3) gender in extremism, (4) parties and movements, and (5) analyses of prevention and intervention. Geographically, the center concentrates on Europe.

Job description

Center for Research on Extremism hereby announces a vacant position for as Researcher for a period of 30 months (2,5 years). This position is made possible by a H2020 grant from the European Commission, for the project ‘Determining multi-level led causes and testing intervention designs to reduce radicalisation, extremism, and political violence in North-Western Europe through social inclusion’ (DRIVE). The UiO part of the project is led by Dr. Cathrine Thorleifsson. The project seeks to understand the nature and outcome of Islamist and far right reciprocal radicalisation in the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and the UK, with a focus on the role of social exclusion. Using insights from sociology, political science, critical terrorism studies, criminology, and other related fields, the project seeks to better understand, and then design and introduce interventions to help work with violent and non-violent extremists. The project is coordinated by University of Leiden and the partners include Aarhus University, University of Liverpool, University of Oslo, Umeå University, and the University of Cambridge.

Key responsibilities

  • Conduct independent and collaborative research on the role of social exclusion in radicalisation processes amongst people with Islamist and far right convictions
  • Independently carry out fieldwork in Norway and to support the research across the other countries in the project
  • Disseminate the project’s findings and co-author in high-ranking international peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, policy reports and other relevant formats
  • Represent the project to key stakeholders such as the European Commission, academics, and policymakers/practitioners working on the prevention of extremism, radicalization, and terrorism.

The position is available for a period of 30 months and does not involve teaching. The successful candidate will work with Dr. Cathrine Thorleifsson at the Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX).

Formal qualification requirements

  • Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree (Ph.D) in related social science discipline (political science, sociology, social anthropology, criminology, psychology or any other relevant discipline).
  • For applicants who have yet to receive their PhD degree, the Doctoral dissertation must have been submitted for evaluation before the application deadline (15.03.2021). Such applicants should note the date of submission of their PhD in the cover letter.
  • Appointment is dependent on successful completion of the public defense of the doctoral thesis.
  • A track-record of publications on political violence or radicalization in international peer-reviewed academic journals, or the potential to do so
  • Excellent command of English and a Scandinavian language.

Other qualifications criteria’s

  • Proven ability to communicate research findings to non-academic audiences, e.g. through professional learning courses, publications aimed at a broader audience, and media work et cetera
  • The entrepreneurial, social skills and linguistic skills necessary to engage in fieldwork in Norway to find access to respondents and utilize personal information collected through fieldwork observations, focus groups interviews, and surveys
  • Methodological experience with dataset creation (Excel), working with descriptive and analytical statistics (SPSS or R), or carrying out qualitative data analysis (Nvivo or Atlas Ti) or qualitative fieldwork)
  • Demonstrate ability to work in a highly independent manner
  • A team player spirit

We offer

  • Salary according to “SKO 1109 Researcher”, NOK 555 200 –670 100 per year
  • Budget for travel and research assistance. Staff can apply for additional research support from the department and faculty
  • An academically stimulating and international working environment
  • A friendly and inclusive workplace
  • A good pension scheme through the Norwegian Public Service Fund
  • A good work-life balance and access to Norway’s excellent public services and welfare schemes, including generous parental leave provisions and affordable and accessible childcare

How to apply

The online application must include the following items:

  • A cover letter (max 2 pages, including statement of motivation, summarizing research interests, and how the applicant will contribute to the department/project)
  • A research proposal (maximum 3000 words including references). The proposal should clarify the research theme, main research questions, how the research contributes to the existing literature, theoretical approach, methodology, and a publication plan
  • A CV summarizing education, positions, research and pedagogical experience, administrative experience, and other qualifying activities
  • A complete list of publications (if not included in the CV)
  • Upload a copy of (what you consider to be) your best publication to date (one publication only!), preferably a single-authored article published in an international political science journal. If a co-authored work is uploaded instead, the applicant's individual contribution must be clarified and confirmed by co-authors
  • Names and contact details for 2-3 reference persons (name, relation to candidate, e-mail, and phone number). Reference letter not needed.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system; please follow the link “Apply for this job”. Please note that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language. The application deadline is 15.03.2021. The screening and evaluation of the candidates will begin immediately. We expect the whole evaluation process, from the application date to an offer is made, to take 6-8 weeks, depending on the number of applications. Expected starting month is June-August 2021 (or mutually-agreed upon date).

Formal regulations

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova), information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, even in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. The appointment may be shortened/given a more limited scope within the framework of the applicable guidelines on account of any previous employment in academic positions.

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

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. We also want to have employees with diverse expertise, combinations of subjects, life experience and perspectives. We will make adjustments for employees who require this.

If there are qualified applicants with special needs, gaps in their CVs or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant in each of these groups to an interview.

Contact information

  • Principal Investigator, researcher Dr. Cathrine Thorleifsson: c.m.thorleifsson@c-rex.uio.no
  • Head of Administration Dagfinn Hagen: dagfinn.hagen@stv.uio.no

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