The University of Iceland (UI) welcomes applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in an interdisciplinary and transnational research project called Towards Decolonisation of Nordic Higher Education (Decolon-Ice). The fellowship is funded by a research grant from the Icelandic Research Fund.

Decolonization within academia is the process of interrogating curricula and pedagogy for underlying influences and ideologies arising from a global history of colonization and imperialism. These foundational assumptions impact who and what we teach as well as how and to whom curricula are taught. Often this impact takes the form of silences and/or misrepresentations within curricula and pedagogy, perpetuating unequal social structures and influencing democracy and equality within the university. DeColonIce aims to engage with faculty and students at the University of Iceland to survey the state of decoloniality of curricula at several departments and understand how far we have reached in this important area. Taking a participatory action research (PAR) approach, we will work closely with faculty to understand and analyse their curricula, and with students to understand their reception of this curricula. This will be the first study of its kind in a Nordic Higher Education institution and as such it will constitute an important contribution to the international research field on decolonial practices in higher education. We hope to be able to place the University of Iceland at the pioneering forefront with regard to Nordic countries, in terms of this critical, global, engagement.

In February 2023 the project will be onto its second year and the project team will map the state of decolonisation of syllabi and curricula in several departments from the School of Humanities at UI. The research is based on PAR approach where faculty and students will come together in focus groups through semi-structured interviews. Among the research questions are how and on what bases are syllabi constructed, what is the pedagogy that goes with them, and how are they perceived by students and faculty.

The postdoctoral researcher will mostly conduct research in Iceland, but with reference to other Nordic countries, and in collaboration with other project participants. The research will be led by the principal investigator of the project, Dr. Giti Chandra, with input from local colleagues and international experts. The project is managed by RIKK – Institute for Gender, Equality and Difference at the School of Humanities, UI.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

• Participation in research work, mainly at UI.
• Qualitative data collection and analysis, primarily through fieldwork in Iceland.
• Dissemination of research results, mainly in the form of articles in recognized scientific journals.
• Organize workshops in collaboration with local and international experts.

REQUIREMENTS
Education and qualifications:

• PhD in a related subject, particularly in the fields of the humanities, educational and social sciences.
• Knowledge and interest in the social impact of race and colonial histories.
• Experience in the implementation and analysis of qualitative research data.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English.
• Command of spoken and written Icelandic is an asset.
• Initiative and independence in working methods, good organization skills and goal orientation.
• Experience in working well individually and in a team environment. Experience in interdisciplinary and transnational collaboration is an advantage.

SELECTION PROCESS

The application should include:

• A CV and bibliography.
• A written application (ca. 1,500 words) in English describing the applicant’s interest in the subject matter and how they envision their approach to the research.
• A record of previous education and certificates (MA and PhD).
• Two references, including their contact information.

All applicants will receive a reply and be notified once the position has been filled. Applications are valid for up to three months from the deadline for the application. The prospective researcher is expected to start work 1 February 2022 (or by agreement).

The hiring process at the University of Iceland follows the University’s Equal Rights Plan: https://english.hi.is/university/equal_rights_policy. Applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the University of Iceland Language Policy: https://english.hi.is/university/university_of_iceland_language_policy.

This a full-time position for 21 months.
The position is open for applications until the end of day 9 January 2023.

For further information please contact
Giti Chandra – gc@hi.is or Elín Björk Jóhannsdóttir – elinbjork@hi.is

Click here to apply for the position.