2 PhD POSITIONS WITHIN EUROPEAN CULTURAL STUDIES / CONTEMPORARY HISTORY AT THE NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The Department of Foreign Languages at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim has available 2 PhD positions connected to the research project Exhibiting Europe. The Construction of European Integration and Identity in the Musée de l’Europe funded by the Norwegian Research Council (NFR). This project seeks to understand how “Europe” and the European Union are represented and constructed in European-level exhibitions, the planned Musée de L’Europe and in selected national (cultural and history) museums throughout Europe. The positions are for 3 years. The starting date is 1 October 2008.

One of the two PhD positions will contribute to the first part-project directed by Dr Stefan Krankenhagen. This will focus on the museums as aesthetic spaces between different cultural fields: Firstly, between its claim of presenting history and its cultural politics of constructing memories and identities. Secondly, between ‘encoding’ and ‘decoding’ constructions of Europeaness. And thirdly, between its history as a space of education and its present status as a place of popular ‘edutainment’ and consumption as its most striking exhibition design. Applicants for this PhD position should ideally have a background in museum studies and/or cultural studies.

The second PhD position will contribute to the part-project directed by Professor Wolfram Kaiser. It seeks to identify whether and how European exhibitions and the Musée de l’Europe represent a cohesive master narrative of EU history, and how national (history) museums have developed and revised their representation of a common European and the EU’s history. Applicants for this PhD position should ideally have a background in contemporary history and/or cultural studies.

Both PhD students will spend their first year at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology where they will have access to research training and, if necessary, relevant language courses in Norwegian. The PhD student working with Dr Krankenhagen will spend the second year at Humboldt University Berlin, Germany. The PhD student working with Professor Kaiser will spend the second year at the University of Portsmouth, England. For further information on the research project see http://www.ntnu.no/hf/english/research/projects

Applicants must have obtained a Master’s degree with excellent results or to complete a Master’s course before starting at NTNU. They should have very good written and oral English and passive knowledge of relevant other major European languages such as German and French. Applicants must submit three copies of the following:
- Application letter;
- Concise statement of not more than 5 pages specifying their interest in one of the two part-projects and outlining how their qualifications and academic interests qualify them for conducting research in the field;
- CV with list of publications, if any, and information on non-published work;
- Official transcripts or certified copies of University certificates. These will not be returned.
- The names and email addresses of two referees who could comment on their academic performance and abilities.

The successful applicants must participate in and complete the PhD programme in Humanities and the Arts or in Historical and Cultural Studies within the period of the appointment. The disciplines that are included in this programme can be found under the respective programmes: http://www.ntnu.no/hf/english/studies/postgraduate.

The positions are remunerated according to salary level 43 in the national salary scheme, gross NOK 325.600 (circa € 40.000) annually, of which 2 per cent is deducted for the State Pension scheme. The PhD students will also receive an additional stipend for the year abroad and funding for travel and accommodation for the necessary research in museums and archives.

The appointment will be made in accordance with the current regulations for fellowship appointments at universities in Norway. A contract will be drawn up detailing the period of appointment and required duties.

The appointment will be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants.

It is a political objective to achieve a balance of age and gender in the national labour force and to recruit persons with an immigrant background. Immigrants and women are therefore especially encouraged to apply for the position.

Applications should be sent by post to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Faculty of the Arts, NTNU, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway, by 25 JULY 2008. The file number for the position (HF-331) must be clearly stated on the application. It is imperative that applicants wishing to be considered for these positions also send their application with all annexes BY EMAIL by 25 JULY 2008, midday, to the following two email addresses: Stefan.krankenhagen@hf.ntnu.no, Wolfram.Kaiser@online.de.

Short-listed applicants will be notified shortly afterwards and invited for an interview in Trondheim in late August, early September. The final decision will be taken swiftly after the interview and applicants notified accordingly.

For further information potential applicants are encouraged to contact their prospective part-project leader and main supervisor Dr Krankenhagen and Professor Kaiser informally, by email in the first instance.