Postdoctoral position in Comparative Literature at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen Full-time

Postdoctoral Positions In Danish Literary History

The Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), invites applications for two postdoctoral positions from September 2026 or after agreement.

The positions are fixed term positions for two years. The two postdoctoral positions are affiliated with the collective research project Nature at Work: Agricultural Practices and Metabolic Imaginaries in Danish Literary History which is based at the Section for Literary Studies, Department of Arts and Cultural Studies. Nature at Work examines rural literature from Jeppe Aakjær to Mathilde Walter Clark, drawing on eco-Marxist theory and ecological thought more broadly, with particular emphasis on two historical transformations of agricultural production: (1) the shift toward animal production and the expansive cultivation, drainage, and regulation of the landscape between 1870 and 1930; and (2) industrialization from 1945 onwards and its biotechnological intensification in the present. Rural literature is studied as a mode of imagination and narration (“metabolic imagination”) that is linked to humans' active regulation of their metabolism with nature through labour.

The project raises, among other questions, the following: How do different genres, styles, and tropes relate to different forms of human and non-human labour? How is the farm represented as a practice and as an agent of eco-social transformations? How is the relationship between economic necessity and human as well as more-than-human life processes portrayed? Which literary tonalities and affective registers are produced by historically distinct metabolic imaginations? How do these tonalities shift from a focus on the farmer's lifeworld to questions of ecological sustainability and animal welfare in the twenty-first century? How does literature seek to make sense of the unintended consequences of agricultural production?

Normally, the post will be heavily weighted in favor of research. In addition, a certain amount of teaching may also be required. Other duties may be performed to a limited extent. The university determines the exact ratio between the various responsibilities. The ratio may vary over time.

The two postdoctoral researchers will engage in close research collaboration with the project's PI and Co-PI at the department's home address, Karen Blixensvej 21, 2300 Copenhagen S. The collaboration includes participation in the preparation of a collective monograph written in Danish (working title: Nature at Work: Literature and Agriculture from the Popular Breakthrough to the Present), which constitutes the project's primary output. In addition, each postdoctoral researcher is expected to produce one peer-reviewed research article in English within the framework of the project and to participate in joint workshops, network meetings, seminars, and writing retreats.

Employment as a postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level. For this specific position, applicants must hold a relevant PhD in Literary Studies/Comparative Literature, Nordic Literature, or Scandinavian Studies from a Danish or international university. Given the project's focus on Danish literature, applicants must possess reading and writing proficiency in Danish at the time of appointment.

The application must include a description (maximum 1.5 pages) of how the applicant would contribute to the collective project.

Applicants will primarily be assessed in relation to their research qualifications, including their publications, ability to conduct independent research and participate in research collaborations, and their experience of research management. In addition, the applicant's research plan and research potential will be assessed in relation to the overall project described above. Teaching qualifications are not a requirement, but if the postdoc is expected to teach, then documented teaching experience can be included in the overall assessment.

Applications must be submitted online in PDF or Word format. Applications must include the following attachments: Letter of motivation, CV, Documentation of qualifications (exam certificates and PhD diploma), Complete publication list (attached publications must be marked with an asterisk). The list must be structured systematically and divided into the following categories: Peer-reviewed publications: Monographs and anthologies, Articles in journals, Book chapters/anthology contributions, etc. Non-peer-reviewed publications: Publications disseminating research findings, etc. Applicants can attach a maximum of three publications. The publication dates must be clearly marked on the list. The selected publications must be uploaded as attachments and numbered 1-3. Research plan. Documentation of teaching competencies/teaching portfolio (see the UCPH guidelines for teaching portfolios here) and other work on the dissemination of research.

Only documentation in Danish, German, French, and English will be assessed.

Terms of appointment and salary will be in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The salary range starts at DKK 39,000 (EUR 5,200) + a 18,07 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The recruitment process Once the deadline for applications has expired, the Head of Department will consider advice from the appointment committee and select applicants for assessment. All applicants will be notified whether they have been shortlisted. The Head of Department will then set up an expert assessment committee to consider the applications. The selected applicants will be informed who is serving on the committee. They will be offered the opportunity to comment on the committee's assessment of their application before the appointment is announced.

The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc.

Contact information Information about the recruitment process is available from HR Søndre City, hr-soendre@adm.ku.dk, please refer to ID number: 211-2506/26-2I. Additional information about the position can be obtained from head of department Helle Munkholm Davidsen, hmd@hum.ku.dk, or Anne Fastrup (PI): fastrup@hum.ku.dk. The deadline for applications is 19 April 2026, 23:59 CEST. Any applications or additional material submitted after the deadline will not be considered.