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Doctoral Research Fellowship in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies

Deadline: 12.01.2020

Job description

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.


The Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages (abbreviated IKOS from its Norwegian name) is one of the seven departments at the Faculty of Humanities. The Department has a broad competency in the study of religion and culture and in language based area studies of South Asia, East Asia and the Middle East and North Africa. The Department has several study programmes at both BA and MA levels. Among the Department's 110 employees about 40 are PhD and Postdoctoral Fellows.

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A Doctoral Research Fellowship in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies is available at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages (Institutt for kulturstudier og orientalske språk / IKOS) at the University of Oslo, Norway.

The applicant is asked to propose a project that enters the discursive field in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), with a particular focus on modern Iran and its transnational encounters. The applicant must be conversant in theories circulating in Middle Eastern studies. The applicant must have proven language competency in either Persian or Arabic, preferably Persian. Knowledge of both is an added advantage. The project may take a specific case study within the region and/or explore circulation of ideas and products across national boundaries. The resulting dissertation is expected to contribute to the field of gender studies as it intersects with capital, race, class, culture, sexuality and/or knowledge via the MENA region and through its geographic and symbolic location. The project will be supervised by Associate Professor Kristin Soraya Batmanghelichi.

The person appointed will be affiliated with the Faculty's organized research training. The academic work is to result in a doctoral thesis that will be defended at the Faculty with a view to obtaining the degree of PhD. The successful candidate is expected to join the existing research milieu or network and contribute to its development. Read more about the doctoral degree.

The appointment is for a duration of 3 years. All PhD Candidates who submit their doctoral dissertation for assessment with a written recommendation from their supervisor within 3 years or 3 ½ years after the start of their PhD position, will be offered, respectively, a 12 or 6 month Completion Grant.Planned starting date is May 1, 2020

Qualification requirements

  • A Master's Degree or equivalent in Iranian studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Women’s Studies, Gender Studies, Anthropology, History, Human Geography, or Sociology, or other relevant fields. The Master's degree must have been obtained and the final evaluation must be available by the application deadline.
  • Personal suitability and motivation for the position.
  • Proven language competency in either Persian or Arabic, preferably Persian. Knowledge of both is an added advantage.
  • Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.

To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Oslo, applicants must, as a minimum, have completed a five-year graduation course (Master’s degree or equivalent), including a Master’s thesis of at least 30 ECTS. In special cases, the Faculty may grant admission on the basis of a one-year Master course following an assessment of the study programme’s scope and quality.

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on:

  • The project's scientific merit, research-related relevance and innovation
  • The applicant's estimated academic and personal ability to complete the project within the time frame
  • The applicant's ability to complete research training
  • Good collaboration skills and an ability to join interdisciplinary academic communities

Applicants who have recently graduated with excellent results may be given preference.

We offer

How to apply

The application must include:

  • Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position
  • Curriculum Vitae (with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities, including a complete list of publications)
  • Transcript of records of your Bachelor’s and Master's degrees. Applicants with education from a foreign university must attach an explanation of their university's grading system
  • Project description, including a detailed progress plan for the project (3 - 5 pages, see Template for project descriptions)

Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

Educational certificates, master theses and the like are not to be submitted with the application, but applicants may be asked to submit such information or works later.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “Apply for this job”.

Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of 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 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.

Contact information

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