Postdoctoral position (3–year) for research project: Talking Empire – Prime Ministerial Rhetoric and the Search for a Usable Past in Post-Imperial Britain

Job title: Postdoctoral position (3–year) for research project: Talking Empire – Prime Ministerial Rhetoric and the Search for a Usable Past in Post-Imperial Britain

Company: Syddansk Universitet


Job description: Job Category: VIPJob Description:The Department of Language and Culture at the University of Southern Denmark (Odense, Denmark) invites applications for a fully funded 3-year postdoctoral position as part of the research project “TALKING EMPIRE: Prime Ministerial Rhetoric and the Search for a Usable Past in Post-Imperial Britain (1960-2025)”, funded by the Carlsberg Foundation.The position is expected to begin on 1 February 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. We seek a highly motivated post-doctoral researcher to join a four-year collaborative research project led by Associate Professor Christian Damm Pedersen.About the “TALKING EMPIRE” project:
This project examines the enduring legacies of empire in British politics (1960-2025) through a rhetorical analysis of prime ministers’ uses of the imperial past in public speeches and writings. By shedding new light on how the world’s largest empire has been reimagined, mythologized, and contested after its dissolution, we will provide historical context for contemporary discussions on colonialism’s continuing impact in Britain and beyond. Specifically, this project explains how heads of governments have used and abused the imperial past for political purposes, combining historical research and rhetorical analysis with digital humanities methods.Job description:
The postdoc will contribute original research to the project by identifying patterns in prime ministerial rhetoric and imperial referencs and advancing our understanding the persistence of imperial legacies in UK domestic and international politics as well as the impact of competing memories of the colonial past on debates about Britain’s future. While open to the candidate’s proposal, we welcome projects that conduct quantitative analysis on a comprehensive digital corpus of prime ministerial speeches and/or qualitative studies focusing on key speeches and rhetorical themes.The postdoc will be based at the Department for Culture and Language and will be affiliated as a member of the Empires, States and Imperialism research group as well as the Centre for Cold Studies. These affiliations ensure strong local research support and mentoring.Eligibility and requirements:

• PhD in History, Rhetoric, Digital humanities, Linguistics, English, Memory Studies, Politics, Prime Ministerial Studies, or a related field.

• Demonstrated expertise in modern and contemporary British history, political rhetoric, digital history, or post-imperial/post-colonial studies, or closely related areas.

• Experience with digital history or digital humanities methods is an advantage.

• Given the project’s nature, candidates must be able to work independently and have excellent teamwork skills.

• Excellent written and spoken English.

Key responsibilities:

• Contribute actively to independent and collaborative research activities in line with the aims of project, including co-authoring publications and other scholarly outputs.

• Co-organize seminars, workshops, and conferences related to the project.

• Undertake administrative tasks necessary for the smooth running of the project.

• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration between the core project team and external international partners, especially those based at the University of Exeter (UK) and Utrecht University (Netherlands), as well as other collaborators and advisors.

• Participate actively in project meetings, workshops and writing retreats, as well as the broader activities of the Empires, States and Imperialism research group and the Centre for Cold War Studies.

• Engage in outreach and dissemination activities to share project results with academic and non-academic audiences.

Contact information
Further information is available from Principal Investigator Christian Damm Pedersen ( , phone: +45 65508382) or Vice Head of Department Anne Klara Bom ( ).Questions related to exam documents, CV etc. please contactIf you are not a Danish-speaking applicant, please ensure that you use the English website to access the electronic application form to receive further information in English.About the department
The Department of Culture and Language has approximately 200 employees, covering a wide range of subjects and research interests, including American Studies, Audiologopaedia, Classical Studies, Communication, Comparative Literature, Culture, Danish, English, German, History, Middle East Studies, Organisational Communication and the Study of Religion. Our faculty is committed to interdisciplinary research and teaching, encouraging students to explore the intersections of language, culture, and society. They are actively involved in various research centres, groups, and networks, contributing to cutting-edge projects and publications.The Department of Culture and Language is located on the island of Funen at the university’s campus in Odense – the third-largest city in Denmark with 200.000 inhabitants. provides family-friendly living conditions in a historic city with an urban feel where nature and other recreational areas are never far away. The city has excellent connections with public transportation to Aarhus and Copenhagen.Working at University of Southern Denmark
The International Staff Office (ISO) at SDU provides a variety of services for new employees, guests and people who consider applying for a job at the University of Southern Denmark. International staff in tenured positions will be offered Danish language training in connection with the employment and are expected to achieve Danish language competences at CEFR B2-level within 5 years from being appointed.We recommend that as an international applicant you take the time to visit Working in Denmark where you will find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark, as well asThe University is signatory of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). We wish our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.Conditions of employment
The employment as postdoc is temporary. Employment stops automatically by the end of the period. An upgrade of pedagogical qualifications is not part of the position. Thus, employment as postdoc cannot stand alone as a qualification for later employment as associate professor/senior researcher.The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations), Cirkulære om overenskomst for 2025 (the document only exists in Danish).Application
Applications should be sent electronically via the link “apply online” and the Faculty expects applicants to read the information before applying.The application must include:

• A tentative research proposal (max. 2 pages) briefly describing how your research interests align with the project and propose a method, approach, or case-study you would pursue in line with the above

• A cover letter (max. 1-1.5 pages) outlining your fit for the project, motivation, and relevant experience and qualifications

• CV (max. 5 pages), including personal contact information, contact details for academic referees

• Documentation of qualifications (examination certificates/PhD diplome, etc.)

• Complete list of publications

• Writing samples / publications for assessment (max. 3). Please attach one pdf-file for each publication. For any publication with a co-author, a must be submitted as part of the pdf-file

Application and all appendices must be in Danish, English or one of the Scandinavian languages. Please always include a copy of original diploma/certificates. We only accept files in pdf-format no more than 10 MB per file. In case you have more than one file per field you need to combine the pdf-files into a single file, as each field handles only one file. We do not accept zip-files, jpg or other image files. All pdf-files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected.The assessment process
Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee and the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns him/her. The assessment report will subsequently be forwarded to the Head of Department who will assemble an appointments committee. An interview may form part of the overall assessment of the applicants’ qualifications.The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.If the application does not meet the requirements mentioned above, the Faculty of Humanities may reject your application without further notice. Applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated.Shortlisting and tests may be used in the assessment process. Please note that only a shortlisted applicant will receive an assessment. you can read more about shortlisting at SDU.Application deadline: 4 September 2025, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST)The University of Southern Denmark (SDU) wishes to reflect the surrounding society and therefore encourages all, regardless of personal background, to apply.

Expected salary:

Location: Odense, Syddanmark

Job date: Sat, 28 Jun 2025 23:27:48 GMT

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