Professor of Ethnology

Södertörns högskola (Södertörn University) in south Stockholm is a dynamic institute of higher education with a unique profile and high academic standard. A large proportion of the university staff holds doctorates and there is a strong link between undergraduate education and research. Södertörn University has around 13 000 students and 840 employees. Undergraduate and postgraduate education and research are conducted in the Humanities, Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Technology and Education. Our site is in Flemingsberg. Södertörn University is an equal opportunities employer.

The subject of Ethnology is part of the School of Historical and Contemporary Studies. This is a multidisciplinary school that focuses on the humanities and, in addition to Ethnology, offers Archaeology, Archive Studies, History, History of Ideas, and the Study of Religions, as well as hosting the Institute of Contemporary History, the Maritime Archaeological Research Institute at Södertörn University (MARIS) and the Institute for the Study of Multireligiosity and Secularity (IMS). Around 100 people are currently employed at the school, which also has a research area for doctoral studies, Historical Studies, which includes Ethnology.

At Södertörn University, Ethnology covers a wide range of historical and contemporary perspectives on issues such as sustainability, democracy, schools and education, medical ethnology, transnational relations and migration, rural issues, gender, social and political movements. One important research theme is societal change in the Baltic Sea region and transnational processes. Ethnology is taught from Bachelor’s to doctoral level and offers a Bachelor’s programme, Cultural Analysis, specialising in Sustainable Development (180 credits), but is also involved in several of the university’s multidisciplinary degree programmes.

Job description
The Foundation for Baltic and East European Studies Professor of Ethnology is expected to lead and, along with their colleagues, take responsibility for research, education in the subject at all levels (Bachelor’s to doctoral), and to collaborate with other interdisciplinary programmes. The successful candidate must conduct their own research in relation to the Baltic Sea region and Eastern Europe, as well as initiate and lead research projects and actively apply for research funding. They will also be expected to initiate and lead collaborations and participate actively in the scholarly community, as well as to participate in collegial bodies and management work at Södertörn University as well as in collaborative projects with partners inside and outside academia. Administrative duties may occur.

The position includes 60% research and 40% other duties such as teaching and/or other tasks. Employment as a professor of Ethnology includes cooperation with the Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES), where the successful candidate is expected to spend some of their working hours. The position requires a high degree of presence and participation in collegial work. The subject’s working languages are primarily Swedish and English. The successful applicant is expected to be able to teach in Swedish within the first two years of employment.

Qualifications
You are qualified for employment as a professor of Ethnology if you have demonstrated research expertise and teaching expertise. Research expertise must have been demonstrated in Ethnology or related disciplines and through research that focuses on the Baltic Sea region and Eastern Europe. You must have completed a course in higher education pedagogy worth at least 7.5 credits or have the equivalent competence. For this position, you must be able to teach in Swedish and/or English. You must otherwise have the personal skills necessary to do their job well and to represent the university in a way that benefits its activities.

Research expertise is demonstrated through high quality scholarly publications of significant scope in the relevant subject area, research funding obtained in competition, the initiation and leadership of research projects, research collaboration, third stream activities, contributions to the development of the subject, and through assignments as an external reviewer, external expert, editor or similar.

Teaching expertise is demonstrated through high quality teaching of considerable scope at first, second and third cycle levels, leading and participating in educational development work, published texts on teaching and learning, a self-reflective approach to students’ learning and experience and their own role as a teacher. It is also demonstrated through establishing links between research and higher education, appointment as a recognised or distinguished university teacher or the equivalent, building up and developing degree programmes, initiatives in educational cooperation, initiatives in third stream activities and the supervision of doctoral students.

Grounds for assessment
The assessment criteria for appointment as a professor are the level of expertise required as qualification for employment. For this position, research expertise is of more importance than teaching expertise. The following grounds for assessment have been established for this position (in order of importance): The below items must be documented. 

• Expertise in building up and leading research environments
• Expertise in ethnological research or the equivalent in the area of Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea region
• Expertise in research that relates to issues of transnational processes, cultural heritage and identity
• Expertise in conducting third-cycle education
• Extensive national or international networks from research in or about Eastern and Central Europe or the Baltic Sea region
• Expertise in multidisciplinary collaboration, inside and outside academia
• Expertise in one or more languages relevant to the Baltic Sea region and Eastern Europe
• Educational expertise
• Good cooperation skills

For complete information about qualifications and the criteria for assessing them, please read Södertörn University’s Appointments Procedure.

Employment
The position is full-time and until further notice, start date to be agreed.

Application
The application deadline is 31 August 2023.
Your application must be written in English, as it may be assessed by international experts.

Additional information
Linda Vikdahl, Head of School, tel: +46 (0)8 608 4416, linda.vikdahl[ at ]sh.se
Daniel Bodén, Subject Coordinator, tel: +46 (0)8 608 4304, daniel.boden[ at ]sh.se
Viktor Hasselgren, HR Specialist, tel: +46 (0)73 714 1296, rekrytering[ at ]sh.se

Welcome with your application!

On our website, sh.se/vacantpositions, there is an application template that the applicant needs to follow. Publications referred to must be attached to the application.

An application that is not complete or arrives at Södertörn University after the closing date may be rejected.

The current employment is valid on condition that the employment decision becomes valid.

Union representatives:
SACO: info.saco[ at ]sh.se
ST: st.s[ at ]she
SEKO: Henry Wölling tel: +46 8 524 840 80, henry.wolling[ at ]ki.se

Full job advertisement here