Postdoctoral position in social philosophy at the Department of Philosophy and History of Ideas, Aarhus University

The Department of Philosophy and History of Ideas, School of Culture and Society, Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University invites applications for a 2,5 years fixed-term postdoctoral position in social philosophy. The appointment begins on September 1 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The university is keen for its staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified applicants regardless of their personal background.

Research context

The successful applicant will join the ERC-funded project The Glue of Society: A Social Ontology of Social Cohesion [GLUE], led by PI Associate Professor Nicolai Krejberg Knudsen. The GLUE project aims to provide a philosophical clarification of the concept of social cohesion and to accounts for its role in constituting and maintaining the social world. For more information, please refer to GLUE.

We are looking for an innovative scholar with a background in social philosophy, preferably with a specialization in social ontology. Research interests in phenomenology and/or political philosophy is an advantage but not a requirement.

The position

The successful applicant is expected to

• develop their research within the framework of the GLUE project, particularly focusing on Phase 2: An Explanatory Social Ontology of Social Cohesion, in close collaboration with the PI,
• present their research at national and international events and publish results in peer-reviewed international scientific journals in a timely fashion,
• actively participate in the daily on-site working environment at Aarhus University,
• collaborate with team members, for instance, by co-authoring articles and reviewing relevant literature,
• initiate and help to organize research workshops, conferences, seminars, and other activities.

Applicants for this position must hold a PhD degree in philosophy or be at PhD level, and must be able to document:

expertise in social philosophy,

• an interest in collective intentionality, shared emotions, group agency, social normativity, institutional reality, and/or team reasoning,
• a research profile of high international quality,
• the ability and willingness to engage in close collaboration with the team and the local research environment, and fluency in written and spoken English.

Ideally, applicants should also be able to document:

• experience of conference organization, and
• experience of editorial work.

Application material and procedure

The applicants are asked to submit:

• a project description (maximum three pages) in which they indicate how they will contribute to the overall project. The project description should ideally demonstrate excellent knowledge of the relevant philosophical literature,
• a concise statement of motivation for applying for the position (maximum one page), and 
• a maximum of two publications or submitted papers (please note that a list of publications is not enough; the papers must be uploaded with the application)

Professional references or recommendations should not be included. Applicants who are selected for an interview may be asked to provide professional references.

The application must be submitted in English.

Only submitted publications will be assessed; a list of publications is not sufficient. As a result, applications without submitted publications will not be assessed.

The research activities will be evaluated in relation to the actual research time. We therefore encourage applicants to specify any periods of leave they may have had without research activities (e.g. maternity/paternity leave), so we can subtract these periods from the span of their academic career when evaluating their productivity.

For further information about the position or the overarching project, please contact Associate Professor Nicolai Krejberg Knudsen ([email protected])

For further information about the application procedure, please contact HR supporter Gerd Bech Thomsen ([email protected])

The work environment

The Department of Philosophy and History of Ideas at Aarhus University is the largest of its type in Denmark, and – owing in particular to the productive tension between the systematic and historical perspectives – the research conducted is characterized by methodological pluralism. The researchers are involved in a variety of interdisciplinary projects both within and outside the Faculty of Arts.

Read more here: Philosophy and History of Ideas

The School of Culture and Society

At the School of Culture and Society, the object of research and teaching is the interplay between culture and society in time and space:
- From the traditional disciplines of the humanities and theology to applied social research
- From Antiquity to the issues facing contemporary societies
- From local questions to global challenges

The school’s ambition is to produce compelling research with an international resonance and to offer teaching and talent development of the highest quality. The school has a broad cooperative interface with society as a whole, both in Denmark and abroad, and contributes to social innovation, research communication and further and continuing education.

For further information about the school, please see School of Culture and Society - Aarhus Universitysool of Culture and Society - Aarhus University (au.dk)

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to check Family and work-life balance in Denmark and Attractive working conditions for further information about the benefits of working at Aarhus University and in Denmark, including healthcare, paid holidays and, if relevant, maternity/paternity leave, childcare and schooling. Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a Relocation and onboarding services for international AU staff and career counselling for expat partners. For information about taxation, see Taxation aspects of international researchers' employment by AU

Qualification requirements Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent academic qualifications. Formalities The Faculty of Arts refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities (the Appointment Order).

• Appointments shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.
• Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.
• Further information on the application and supplementary materials may be found in Application Guidelines.
• The application must outline the applicant's motivation for applying for the position, attaching a curriculum vitae, a teaching portfolio, a complete list of published works, copies of degree certificates and examples of academic production (mandatory, but no more than five examples). Please upload this material electronically along with your application.

Aarhus University also offers a junior researcher development programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here: https://talent.au.dk/junior-researcher-development-programme/

If nothing else is noted, applications must be submitted in English. The application deadline is at 11.59 pm Danish time (same as Central European Time) on the deadline day.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Shortlists may be prepared with the candidates that have been selected for a detailed academic assessment. A committee set up by the head of school is responsible for selecting the most qualified candidates. See this link for further information about shortlisting at the Faculty of Arts:shortlisting Faculty of Arts The Faculty of Arts is one of five main academic areas at Aarhus University.

The faculty contributes to Aarhus University's research, talent development, knowledge exchange and degree programmes.
With its 700 academic staff members, 200 PhD students, 9,000 BA and MA students, and 1,500 students following continuing/further education programmes, the faculty constitutes a strong and diverse research and teaching environment.

The Faculty of Arts consists of the School of Communication and Culture, the School of Culture and Society and the Danish School of Education. Each of these units has strong academic environments and forms the basis for interdisciplinary research and education.

The faculty's academic environments and degree programs engage in international collaboration and share the common goal of contributing to the development of knowledge, welfare and culture in interaction withsociety.

Read more at arts.au.dk/en

Deadline
31 January 2025

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/