项目介绍

2025年4月11日

The Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion invites applications for a PhD position in the modern history of the Middle East commencing in January 2026, or as agreed upon. The position is for a fixed-term period of four years.

We invite candidates working on the history of the modern Middle East with a temporal focus on the late nineteenth century onwards. We are particularly interested in projects that deal with topics such as cultural production and exchange, new technologies and the circulation of cultural and material objects, popular culture, leisure and entertainment, and the formation of gender and sexuality. 

Projects that explore these topics in a transregional and transnational perspective and which focus on areas, connections, and actors that have traditionally been marginal to the study of the modern Middle East and its place within global and regional processes of modernity are encouraged.

About the Research Group:

The position is associated with the Department’s interdisciplinary research group, Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. The research group has as its overall objective to create a collaborative platform for research and teaching on the Middle East, neighboring regions and Islam, and to unite researchers from different departments and institutions of higher education in Bergen. Current members of the research group have a particular interest in global interconnections and local conditions in areas such as North and East Africa, Sudan, Iraq, the Gulf, Iran, and the Indian Ocean. The research group organizes regular seminars, reading groups, guest lectures and international workshops. The research group will provide an excellent, diverse, welcoming and stimulating research environment for the successful applicant.

About the PhD Position and the Research Training:   

The main purpose of the PhD position is to complete a doctoral degree, which qualifies for independent research and other forms of employment that demand specific competency. 

The duration of the PhD position is four years. The time allocated to the research project itself is 2.5 years, whilst a total of one year will be devoted to other career-promoting work such as teaching, dissemination of results and university administration. A plan for this part of the position will be established in collaboration with the Department. 

PhD candidates are required to participate in the Faculty of Humanities’ PhD program. The PhD program comprises a training component corresponding to 30 ECTS. Six months of the employment period is allocated to this training component.

Qualifications and Personal Qualities:

• The applicant must hold a Norwegian master’s degree or the equivalent foreign degree in history or a related discipline with a strong historical focus. It is a condition of employment that the master’s degree has been awarded by the application deadline. Foreign degrees will be evaluated according to the regulations of the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills and The Faculty of Humanities’ PhD Program.
• The applicant must be able to work independently in a well-structured manner and have strong cooperation skills. 
• The applicant must be proficient in both written and oral English. 
• Knowledge of Arabic is considered an advantage.

Applicants will be evaluated according to admission requirements in The Faculty of Humanities’ PhD Program pt. 2.1.

Applicants must submit a proposal for a research project that will result in a doctoral dissertation, as well as a progression plan for the project. 

In assessing the applications, the academic quality and feasibility of the proposed PhD project and the academic qualifications of the candidate will be considered. Further emphasis is placed on strategic considerations, motivation, and the applicant’s personal eligibility.

We Can Offer:

• A stimulating and professionally challenging work environment. 
• Gross annual salary of NOK 560 000 for a full-time position (code 1017). Further salary increases will be based on seniority in the position.
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. 
• Good welfare benefits. 

How to Apply for the Job:

Apply electronically via the link “APPLY FOR THIS JOB”. Applicants are required to use the electronic CV form. The application must include:

• A project proposal of up to five pages/12.000 characters, when bibliography is not included. The project proposal should have a strong historical focus and describe the research project, including research background, main research questions, theory andmethodology. It should also outline the empirical material to be used in the project.
• Bibliography for the proposed project. 
• A progression plan for the project that also takes into account the career-promoting work and the PhD program’s training component. 
• A brief account of the applicant’s research interests and motivation for applying for the position. 
• A CV. 
• Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor’s and master’s degrees. This must contain information about the number of ECTS of the master’s degree or be followed by an official and personalized confirmation with this information issued by the awarding institution.  
• A short summary of the master’s thesis or equivalent thesis (up to three pages). 
• A list of any works of a scientific nature (publication list). 
• Publications in your name (up to three works). 
• Relevant certificates/references. 
• The names and contact information for two referees. One of these must be the main supervisor for the master’s thesis or equivalent thesis. 

The application and attachments must be in Norwegian, another Scandinavian language or English. Documents in other languages must be accompanied by certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language. Please ensure that all attachments are in either Word or PDF format and are uploaded to Jobbnorge within the application deadline.

The Evaluation Committee may occasionally request additional documentation.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview.

For further inforation about the appointment process, click here.

Formal Regulations:

Applicants who have already held a PhD position at the University of Bergen are not eligible to apply for this position.

The employment period may be reduced for candidates who have previously been employed in a recruitment position at other institutions.

The PhD position demands that the applicant has their regular workplace at the University of Bergen and comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times. 

General Information:

Detailed information about the position can be obtained by contacting the Head of Department, Professor Teemu Sakari Ryymin at teemu.ryymin@uib.no, phone: +47 55 58 38 79, or Associate Professor Pelle Valentin Olsen at pelle.olsen@uib.no, phone: +47 55 58 22 34.

Questions or inquiries about the electronic application process can be directed to the Faculty of Humanities at fakadm@hf.uib.no. 

The International Center at UiB has information about relocating to Norway for international applicants.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions. Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of applicants. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

We encourage men to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply.

Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.

We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.