Faculty of Social Sciences, Center for Research on Extremism: the Extreme Right, Hate Crime and Political Violence

Job description

Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX) seeks to recruit two excellent candidates in the Social Sciences, Humanities or Law doing high quality research on far right politics and right-wing violence. The successful applicants will work full time as a Postdoctoral Fellow (Assistant Professor). The appointment is for a fixed, non-tenured term of 3 years, with a possibility to extend the position to four years with teaching obligations. The main purpose of the fellowship is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

C-REX studies both ideological and behavioral aspects right-wing extremism. C-REX three main objectives are: (1) developing cutting edge empirical and theoretical knowledge on right-wing extremism, violence and hate crime in Norway, Europe and beyond; (2) serving as an international hub on multi-disciplinary research on right-wing extremism and (3) disseminating research-based knowledge to stakeholders, policy makers, the public, civil society organization, schools, and media

More specifically, the center 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. While the center concentrates on Europe, it also carries out research on right-wing extremism beyond Europe. C-REX has developed a unique database on right-wing violence and terrorism and the center is currently also developing other databases related to protest events, so-called (extremist) ‘formers’ and primary sources.

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 2016 and is a joint collaboration with six of the leading Norwegian institutions and three of the leading international universities on extremism research. It is led by C-REX is led by professor Tore Bjørgo and researcher Anders Ravik Jupskås.

Qualification requirements

A comprehensive assessment of the applicant's scientific qualifications forms the basis of appointment.

Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree (PhD) in Social Sciences, Humanities, Law or related disciplines before taking up the post. For applicants who have yet to receive their PhD degree, the Doctoral dissertation must have been submitted for evaluation before the application deadline (December 1, 2020). Such applicants should note the date of submission of their PhD in the cover letter. Appointment is dependent on the public defense of the doctoral thesis being approved.

Candidates with a record of high-quality publication, especially in leading peer-reviewed international journal and/or leading publisher, will be prioritized. However, the length of the applicant’s research career (discounted for parental leave, etc.) will be taken into account when considering the number of such publications: The intention is to recruit the person that has the best prospects for contributing to the project’s research outputs by publishing research of the highest quality over the coming 3-year period.

The candidate should, in the cover letter (maximum 2 pages), briefly explain how his/her research profile and agenda will contribute to the overall goals of C-REX. Applicants are free to formulate a project within the field of far-right politics and/or right-wing violence, but they must relate their project to one or several of the center’s research profile presented above (see also the center’s website for more information). Applicants must formulate a project description that lays out a promising research project that can be fulfilled in the course of three years.

Candidates with prior research experience on one or more of the topics covered by C-REX will have an advantage.

Other desired qualifications and experiences include experiences with previous systematic data collection efforts, extensive academic and non-academic networks, strong administrative and organizational skills, very good command of English, and dissemination skills. Finally, personal suitability for the position will be taken into consideration.

See also the regulations regarding the terms of employment for Postdoctoral Fellow positions and Guidelines concerning appointment to postdoctoral and research posts at the University of Oslo.

We offer

• Salary according to "SKO 1352 postdoktor", pay grade 59-67, NOK 523 200-605 500 per year (approx. 52 000 – 61 000 Euro)
• budget for travel and research assistance (currently NOK 45 000 per year).
• an academically stimulating and international working environment
• a friendly and inclusive workplace
• a good pension scheme through the Norwegian Public Service Pension 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
• Postdocs with teaching obligations at the Department of Political Science are expected to acquire formal pedagogical competency during the first half of the four years period
• Female postdocs can take part in the UiO Mentorprogram for female postdocs

Applications

Applications should be submitted electronically with the following:

• Letter of application
• CV
• A complete list of publications
• A research proposal. 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 (maximum 3.000 words (!) verything included).

Note! Publications should not be submitted with the application; the most promising candidates will be invited to submit their publications, as well as their educational certificates and diplomas, later in the process.

Short-listed candidates for the job will be invited to an interview and may be asked to do a trial lecture.

(Questions regarding the electronic application form should be sent to personnel officer Sylvi Anita Varsi Øien, saoien@sv.uio.no, telephone +47 22856907)

Please note

Applicants, who at the time of appointment cannot provide documentary evidence of basic formal teaching competence, must acquire such competence within two years by completing a mandatory pedagogical course provided by UiO.

The University of Oslo has an Acquisition of Rights Agreement for all employees for the purpose of securing intellectual property rights to research results, etc.

Pursuant to section 25, of the Freedom of Information Act, information concerning the applicant may be disclosed to the public, even if the applicant has requested not to appear on the list of applicants.

As a state institution, we have a personnel policy goal of a balanced age and gender composition of our staff and to recruit persons with an ethnic minority background.

Contact information

• Director Tore Bjørgo, tore.bjorgo@c-rex.uio.no, telephone: +47 22 84 58 50
• Deputy director Anders Ravik Jupskås, a.r.jupskas@c-rex.uio.no, telephone: +47 22 85 76 42

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