Postdoc in Fashion Sciences - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

About the subject

The Division of Fashion Studies at Lund University encompasses the study of fashion as a cultural, social and economic phenomenon from historical and cultural theory perspectives. As a field of research, fashion studies embraces a number of different areas of enquiry such as the production and consumption of fashion, clothing culture, working conditions in the fashion industry and issues of sustainability. The research has a multidisciplinary foundation, but is rooted in a humanities knowledge tradition and covers both past and present from cultural theory and ethnographic perspectives based on concepts such as gender, class, ethnicity and material culture.

The fashion studies research area Clothing production as knowledge, communication and practice (Klädproduktion som kunskap, kommunikation och praktik) was initiated in cooperation with the Division of Book History in 2019 and is linked to the book history project "Reading patterns: Women, clothes and print culture in Sweden 1881–1981", funded by the Swedish Research Council 2019–2022.

The research area Clothing production as knowledge, communication and practice concerns fashion and clothes manufacturing in relation to the tension between elite culture and democratisation from a historical perspective. The aim is to increase knowledge about the manufacturing of clothes since the advent of industrialisation. How were clothes produced by those working in the ready-made clothing industry, by professional dressmakers and by amateur seamstresses working at home? How were textile skills passed on and spread in society? This primarily female-coded knowledge, which has previously been taken for granted, has gradually disappeared from society and has also been marginalised in research. Also, reuse, which was previously an important part of home clothing consumption and clothing production, has been highlighted as a necessary practice in future sustainable fashion. We welcome applications with links to one or more of these areas. In such a case, it is to be clearly stated how the application fits in with the research area.

Work duties

The successful candidate is expected to work independently, but also to cooperate with other researchers within the subject. The postdoc should take part in, and contribute to, the research environment by, among other things, actively participating in the relevant research seminars and other research-related activities, and thereby stimulate theoretical discussion, present their own studies in the area, and contribute to the common work of initiating new research ideas. The postdoc is expected to conduct their research mainly at Helsingborg campus. Teaching, supervision and other teaching-related tasks may occur within the scope of the position; however, this will account for a maximum of 20% of working hours.

Qualifications

A person qualified to be a postdoc has been awarded a PhD or an international qualification deemed equivalent to a doctorate and has completed the degree no more than three years prior to the last date for applications. If the degree was awarded earlier, certification relating to parental leave, illness or similar circumstances should be submitted with the application.

The position requires very good skills in written and spoken English. As the public authority language of Lund University is Swedish, the ability to speak Swedish or another Scandinavian language is desirable, but not required.

Assessment criteria

Applicants should have a good ability to develop and carry out high-quality research, and teaching skills. For a postdoc position, the principal consideration shall be research expertise.

As a basis for the assessment of their credentials, applicants should enclose a research plan for the research they intend to carry out during the period of employment. Only applicants whose research plan and previous work can strengthen the research environment will be considered for the postdoc position.

Special additional qualifications:

• a PhD in a humanities or social sciences subject relevant to research in fashion studies, preferably from a historical perspective,
• documented experience of research and teaching in fashion studies or closely related areas.

The application must include:
• a signed complete curriculum vitae (CV) and attested copy of the PhD degree
• list of publications (including DOI, ISBN or ISSN numbers)
• a signed plan, maximum 1 500 words (excluding literature lists), of the research project the applicant intends to conduct during the period of employment.

The research plan is to contain a description of:
• aim and research question
• theory and method
• relation to the international research front including the most important international work in the field of research
• schedule and expected results
• the applicant’s capacity and expertise to conduct the project.

Note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring the application is complete in accordance with the instructions above, that everything has been scanned (as a single PDF file) and that the University receives the application by the application deadline via the recruitment portal.

Conditions
The appointment is a fixed-term position for a maximum of two years and is full time in accordance with “Agreement on fixed-term employment as a postdoc” between labour market parties dated 4 September 2008 (Swedish Agency for Government Employers, OFRs, SACO-S and SEKO).