Senior lecturer in human rights (PA2022/2151)

The subject Human Rights Studies is multidisciplinary and adopts historical, philosophical, ethical, legal and political perspectives on human rights. There is an undergraduate degree programme in the subject taught in Swedish and a new two-year Master’s programme taught in English. There are a large number of applications for these programmes. Sweden’s only multidisciplinary PhD programme in human rights is also offered here. The research focuses on human rights as a complex social phenomenon. Among other things, there is a focus on children and youth, cultural memory, conflict, violence and accountability, legal actors, political philosophy and history of philosophy as well as the history of human rights in the modern era.

Subject

The subject of human rights studies is multidisciplinary and applies historical, philosophical, ethical, legal and political perspectives to human rights. We offer a Bachelor’s programme taught in Swedish and a two-year Master’s programme taught in English. The number of applicants for both programmes is very high. We also offer Sweden’s only multidisciplinary third-cycle education in human rights studies.

Our research treats human rights as a complex social phenomenon. Focus is on children and youth, cultures of memory, conflict, violence and accountability, human rights actors, political philosophy and the history of philosophy, and the historiography of human rights in the modern era.

“Human Rights in a Polarized World” is one of Lund University’s five profile areas. This means a focus by Lund University on research, education and external engagement in the interdisciplinary field of human rights.

Work duties

Duties include teaching and supervising at all levels of the Bachelor’s programme in Human Rights Studies, the Master’s programme in Human Rights Studies and freestanding courses at the Division of Human Rights Studies. Teaching and supervision at third-cycle level may also be included. The Division of Human Rights Studies applies collective working methods. The person appointed is expected to actively participate in the development of the discipline in terms of courses, study programmes, research and external engagement.

The position includes time for research and the person appointed is expected to use it for their own research and publication activities. All colleagues are expected to contribute to the subject’s research environment, for example by participating in seminars, developing research networks and applying for research funding.

Duties include maintaining and further developing a stimulating research and educational environment through teaching, supervision and collaboration with teaching staff, researchers, doctoral students and the surrounding community, as well as contributing to the department’s other activities, such as taking on positions of trust and leadership. In particular, these tasks include actively conducting research and contributing to the development of the research environment in human rights studies. The person appointed is expected primarily to work onsite at the department.

Specific entry requirements

• Awarded a PhD or has the corresponding research competence or some other professional expertise that is of value in view of the subject matter and the duties it will involve
• demonstrated teaching expertise
• completed training in teaching and learning in higher education of at least five weeks or equivalent competence that has been acquired in another way. If there are valid reasons, for example that the applicant has lacked opportunities to acquire the requisite knowledge in his or her former positions, an appointment can still be made. In such cases, the appointee is to complete the required training in teaching and learning in higher education within the first two years of employment
• documented experience of teaching human rights studies at university level
• the ability to teach in Swedish (alternatively Danish or Norwegian) or English.

 Assessment criteria

• the degree of research, teaching, administrative and other expertise that is of value in view of the work duties and subject matter of the post as well as other personal skills of relevance to perform the duties well.
• a good national and international standing as a researcher. The requirement for international experience shall be assessed with consideration to the character and traditions of the subject.
• good teaching ability, including a good ability to conduct, develop and lead educational activities on different levels and using a variety of teaching methods.
• ability to supervise doctoral students to achieve a PhD.
• an ability to cooperate with wider society and communicate his or her activities.
• a good general ability to lead and develop activities.

Specific qualifications of additional merit:

• previous experience and proven skills in teaching and research in human rights studies, in particular in issues around discrimination, minorities, children’s and women’s rights, socio-economic rights, civil society actors, and research methods relevant to the subject.
• proven experience of, and good skills as, course coordinator
• demonstrated ability to obtain external research funding
• proven ability to act as a research team leader
• proven ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams
• proven ability to cooperate with other categories of staff in the workplace
• the ability to teach in Swedish (alternatively Danish or Norwegian) and English.

In the assessment of qualifications, teaching and research expertise receive equal consideration.

Instructions for the application

The application must conform to the instructions that can be downloaded at
www.ht.lu.se/en/the-faculties/academic-vacancies/instructions-for-applicants . The applicant is responsible for making sure that the application is complete, in accordance with the vacancy announcement and instructions, and for submitting it to the University by the application deadline through the recruitment portal.

The Academic Appointments Board normally selects a shortlist of applicants. This selection can be done in one or several steps and if needed with the help of external experts. The applicants who are selected for external assessment may be invited to submit physical copies of the papers that they wish to submit for expert assessment within 14 days.

Conditions

The University applies individual salary-setting.