Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for the position of assistant professor of comparative literature, based at the Department of Comparative Literature and Rhetoric.

The assistant professorship is a full-time, three-year appointment. Subject to the availability of funding, there may be an opportunity to apply for a subsequent associate professorship. The position will begin on 1 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their personal background.

The position

We are seeking an innovative and dedicated applicant who will be expected to strengthen the international profile of comparative literature at Aarhus University and contribute to the university’s core activities: research, teaching and supervision, talent development and knowledge exchange. The degree programme in comparative literature emphasises the comparative and historical dimensions of literary studies. The successful applicant must have a significant research profile that a) engages with the connections between literature in different languages and/or cultural areas and b) reflects on the construction of literary history, including literature’s relationship to cultural contexts and/or societal challenges. Moreover, we particularly welcome applicants with a strong interest in and/or experience of outreach and knowledge exchange, commensurate with the position.

Research

The successful applicant will be expected to publish original peer-reviewed research internationally on the analytical, comparative and historical dimensions of literary studies. The successful applicant will also be expected to contribute to research initiatives within both the field of comparative literature and the department’s research community through new collaborative research projects with internal and external partners and applications for external research funding.

Teaching and supervision

We are looking for an applicant with teaching and supervision experience in comparative literature at university level and with a vision for how to develop the programme’s curriculum and teaching strategies. In this connection, experience developing degree programmes and curricula at universities or similar institutions will be an advantage.

The successful applicant must be prepared to teach a broad range of analytical, historical and theoretical courses on the comparative literature BA and MA programmes and to contribute to the integration of research and teaching as well as to the development and application of innovative teaching methods. Applicants are asked to refer to the programme descriptions and indicate in their application which courses they would be able to teach. Moreover, the successful applicant will be expected to take part in supervision activities at the BA and MA levels. The successful applicant can expect to teach courses in both English and Danish (see below for the Faculty of Arts’ language policy).

Persons appointed to the position of assistant professor must complete Aarhus University’s University Pedagogical Programme for assistant professors.

Knowledge exchange

The successful applicant is expected to engage in knowledge exchange, for instance through research collaboration with NGOs, libraries or private companies (such as publishers), government consultancy, teaching at Danish folk high schools or upper-secondary schools, and the public dissemination of knowledge at, for instance, literary festivals. Original ideas and prior experience within this area will be considered an advantage.

The successful applicant will have excellent opportunities to engage in relevant collaborative initiatives with partners inside and outside Aarhus University.

Qualifications

Applicants for the position of assistant professor must hold a PhD degree or document equivalent qualifications in a relevant field related to comparative literature as well as teaching and research experience equivalent to that attained through a PhD degree. Applicants for the position of assistant professor must be able to document the following, as relevant to the position:

• an internationally oriented research profile, as documented by a PhD dissertation and/or peer-reviewed research publications addressing the comparative, analytical and historical dimensions of literary studies as well as the relationship between literature and broader cultural contexts and/or societal challenges
• teaching experience at university level in areas relevant to comparative literature, including the use of innovative teaching methods, as documented in a teaching portfolio.

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document:

• research on literature and literary history from at least two language areas, possibly including areas outside the European/North American context
• experience of participation in national and international research networks
• time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognised research institutions
• experience of knowledge exchange and public dissemination of knowledge.

Applicants must submit a three-year research plan within these areas and reflect on how the proposed research can contribute to integrating the analytical, historical, cultural and social dimensions into literary courses at both the BA and MA levels.

Please note that although the application process can be completed in the Aarhus University system without uploading publications or a teaching portfolio, applications that do not include publications (maximum two) as well as a teaching portfolio (or equivalent documentation of teaching experience and qualifications) will not be considered.

Although the Aarhus University application system includes an option to upload letters of recommendation, applicants are asked not to include letters of recommendation or references with the application. Applicants who are invited to an interview may be asked to provide references.

Work environment

Active participation in the daily life of the department is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students. To maintain and further develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to be present at the department on a daily basis.

We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment in which that balance can be maintained. You can read more about family and work-life balance in Denmark.

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to read about the attractive working conditions and other benefits of working at Aarhus University and in Denmark, including healthcare, paid holidays, and, if relevant, maternity/paternity leave, childcare and schooling. Aarhus University offers a wide variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and an AU Expat Partner Programme. You can also find information about taxation when working or conducting research at Aarhus University.

An appointee who does not speak Danish will be required to acquire sufficient proficiency in Danish to handle tasks, including administrative and managerial responsibilities, and to participate fully in the activities of the School of Communication and Culture within approximately three years of commencing the appointment. These include, but are not limited to, reading work-related texts and participating in meetings and collegial gatherings in Danish.

Department of Comparative Literature and Rhetoric

The place of employment is the Department of Comparative Literature and Rhetoric, Langelandsgade 139, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

The comparative literature programme works with literature from all over the world and from all historical periods. Research topics span a broad spectrum, and the programme currently hosts research projects on literature and new media, literary representations of slavery, environmental humanities, medievalism, digital humanities and the global circulation of literature. In addition to the programme’s core research interests in literary analysis, literary history and theory, world literature, creative writing and literary culture, several of the programme’s scholars are involved in a variety of interdisciplinary projects on topics such as digital media, the history of technology and film, and human rights and memory, in relation to both literature and culture. The programme’s academic staff are widely engaged in interdisciplinary teaching and collaboration with colleagues from other fields, especially within the aesthetic disciplines. In both teaching and research, the programme’s academic staff draw on a range of approaches to literary history, including genre theory, media theory, poetics, narratology and several new digital methods. Academic staff at the department are highly engaged in communicating their work to broader audiences outside the university through continuing education courses for upper-secondary school teachers and the general public, activities at Danish folk high schools and upper-secondary schools, and literary criticism in newspapers and journals.

Prospective applicants are invited to visit the department’s website.

School of Communication and Culture

The school is part of the Faculty of Arts. You will find information about the school and its research programmes, departments and diverse activities on its website.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Karen-Margrethe Simonsen, Head of the Department of Comparative Literature and Rhetoric, by email: [email protected].

If you need help uploading your application or have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Arts HR support by email: [email protected].

Formalities

• Faculty of Arts refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities (the Appointment Order).
• Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.
• Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.
• Further information on the application and supplementary materials may be found in Application Guidelines.
• The application must outline the applicant's motivation for applying for the position, attaching a curriculum vitae, a teaching portfolio, a complete list of published works, a research plan, copies of degree certificates and examples of academic production (mandatory, but no more than two examples). Please upload this material electronically along with your application.

If nothing else is noted, applications must be submitted in English. Application deadline is at 11.59 pm Danish time (same as Central European Time) on the deadline day.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Shortlists may be prepared with the candidates that have been selected for a detailed academic assessment. A committee set up by the head of school is responsible for selecting the most qualified candidates. See this link for further information about shortlisting at the Faculty of Arts: shortlisting

About Arts

The Faculty of Arts is one of Northern Europe’s most significant faculties for research and higher education in the humanities, theology and education. Within this broad academic scope, the faculty comprises approximately 700 researchers, 200 PhD students, 9,000 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students, and 1,500 further and continuing education students. We believe that the best ideas arise when different perspectives meet – and that research, teaching and innovation are best developed in dialogue with the surrounding society.

You can find more information here: Faculty of Arts | Aarhus University
 

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.