About the position and the project

The Department of Political Sciences seeks to recruit an excellent social scientist to work full time as a Postdoctoral Fellow on the project 'Far Right Politics Online and Societal Resilience' (FREXO). The primary aim of the FREXO project is to assess how online media affect both the mobilising capacity and the broader societal and political impact of far-right politics. FREXO combines two sub-studies that examine how far-right extremist groups (WP1) and hyper-partisan alternative media (WP2) produce and distribute content, with two sub-studies that study the impact of far-right communication on public opinion (WP3) and the specific impact of far-right online hate speech (WP4). The postdoctoral fellow will belong to WP1. FREXO is a collaboration between the Institute of Social Research (ISF), the Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX), and Oslo Metropolitan University. The project is financed by the Research Council of Norway. The appointment is for a fixed, non-tenured term of 3 years. If the successful candidate’s research interests match the Department’s teaching needs, the appointment may be extended to a fixed, non-tenured term of four years with a 25% teaching requirement. Postdoctoral fellows who are appointed for a period of four years are expected to acquire basic pedagogical competency in the course of their fellowship period.

Applicants must formulate a project description that lays out a promising research project that can be fulfilled in the course of three years. This project must address the key question of WP1, that is, how far-right groups in Scandinavia exploit social media in order to disseminate their ideological messages, mobilise activists, and create networks. More specifically, the project should, based on online data from the Scandinavian countries, aim to (1) map the structure of far-right networks, (2) examine how far-right groups construct a particular world-view, and (3) assess key drivers of online mobilisation of the far right.More information is found on our project website: 'Far Right Politics Online and Societal Resilience' (FREXO)

Qualification requirements

A comprehensive assessment of the applicant's scientific qualifications will form the basis of appointment. Successful applicants must have handed in their PhD thesis for evaluation before the application deadline and must have received a relevant PhD degree before taking up the post. In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the quality of the project description. Moreover, the candidate should demonstrate skills in quantitative methods. Emphasis will also be given to the applicants' qualifications, dissemination skills, teamwork skills, and personal suitability for the position. Due to the topic requirements, sufficient language skills for data collection will be assessed as an advantage.

We offer

• Salary according to "SKO 1352 postdoktor", pay grade 59-67, NOK 523 200-605 500 per year 
• Budget for travel and research assistance 
• A pleasant and stimulating working environment 
• A good pension scheme through the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund 
• Excellent welfare schemes, including possibilities for University's kindergarten

How to apply

The application must include

• A cover letter (statement of motivation, summarising scientific work and research interest)
• A CV (summarising education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience, and other qualifying activities)
• A project description (maximum 3000 words)
• A complete list of publications

The application with attachments must be delivered via our electronic recruiting system. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

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 might be asked to give a trial lecture.

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

Formal regulations

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

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

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 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

• Deputy director Anders Ravik Jupskås, phone number: +47 22 84 58 50, e-mail: a.r.jupskas@c-rex.uio.no

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