About the role

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled and motivated researcher to join the team of the ERC-funded BODY-POLITICS project based at the School of Archaeology and Ancient History (SAAH), University of Leicester. Read more here.

You will co-coordinate the work package Body-Language. Drawing on your expertise from Old Norse philology, literature, or cognate disciplines, you will harvest the rich sources of medieval Scandinavian texts, working alongside archaeologists/osteologists to scrutinize personhood and the body from multiple disciplines. You will conduct a review of words, concepts, and literary motifs regarding distinctions of persons across the Old Norse literature and legal texts (e.g. Icelandic, Kings’ and legendary sagas, Snorri-Edda, the poetic Edda, the early medieval laws). Textual sources cannot be taken as direct sources to an Iron or Viking Age reality, but may rather be seen as a medieval echo of and reaction to the proceeding period, containing traces and transformations of a pre-Christian sociality.

You will be responsible for chartering and analysing specific literary concepts and motifs, and for disseminating research findings through publication and at conferences. You will be part of the Body-Politics team consisting of PI Dr Marianne Hem Eriksen, PhD students, a postdoctoral researcher in osteoarchaeology, and an international advisory board.

SAAH has a vibrant and friendly research environment in archaeology and ancient history, and in interdisciplinary medieval studies through The Medieval Research Centre. There will be opportunities to seek experience in organisation of academic conferences, teaching and similar, in alignment with your own aspirations and availability of opportunities.

Please provide a full CV including list of publications, and a three-page personal statement outlining motivation, previous research experience, and demonstrating fit with essential and desired criteria.

About you

You will have a PhD in Old Norse philology, literary studies, or a cognate discipline. You will have an interest the ability to design and deliver a research agenda; ability to publish excellent research, and the ability to collaborate constructively as part of a team. Research interests in gender, personhood and bodies in Norse societies, and some knowledge of the archaeology of Iron and Viking Age Scandinavia, would be advantageous.

Please see Job Summary Form for full list of essential and desired criteria.

Additional information

Informal enquiries are should be made to PI Dr Marianne Hem Eriksen ([email protected])

We anticipate that interviews will take place on 12 or 13 September 2022.

The University of Leicester has been changing the world, and changing people’s lives, for 100 years. When you join us, you’ll become part of a community of Citizens of Change, which includes not only our staff and our current students but also thousands of Leicester graduates around the world.

As a diverse and forward-thinking employer, we embed the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do. That includes not just our core missions of teaching and research, but also our support for staff, students and our local community.

We’re committed to the wellbeing of all our staff and to the sustainability of our environment, on our campus and beyond. We offer a competitive salary package, excellent pension scheme and a generous annual leave allowance, along with opportunities to develop your career in a supportive and collaborative environment.

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Research Associate in Old Norse Language and Literature

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