Postdoc position: Negotiations of Qur'anic Nature in Islam

The Department of Culture and Language is offering one fully funded 24 months postdoc position starting on March 1, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter. The postdoc will be based at SDU, Odense. We are seeking a highly motivated candidate to undertake postdoctoral research as part of a three-year research project (Quranatura) led by Associate Professor Johanne Louise Christiansen (University of Southern Denmark) funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark's Sapere Aude Research Leader/Starting Grant Programme. Overall Research Project Quranatura explores how the Qur'an and other authoritative sources within Islam are used to explain imminent climate change and justify sustainable solutions. Applying a theoretical frame from History of Religion and Anthropology, the research project investigates nature in the Qur'an and how that same Qur'anic nature is negotiated throughout Islamic history up until contemporary efforts of Islamic environmentalism. The project hypothesizes that fundamental ontological differences exist between views of nature in pre-modern, religious and philosophical texts and those found in modern reactualizations of such texts. The main aim of the project is to identify and map such potential differences, discussing their implications for the essential questions of nature/human coexistence and how religion may contribute to environmental engagement. The project consists of four subprojects that, in different ways, attempt to understand modern "green reinterpretations" of historical religious texts, the Qur'an in particular. Description of Subproject The postdoc will be in charge of Subproject 4, entitled Islamic Environmentalism and Qur'anic Nature in Botanic Gardens. The overall frame of the subproject is already formulated but needs further elaboration in regard to theoretical and methodological considerations, project design and execution, and outputs. The current subproject description is as follows: "According to its founders, the Qur'anic botanic garden in Qatar (QBG) has several aims. On the one hand, its plants are mentioned in the Qur'an, being theological evidence for the existence of God, and in the garden, visitors are urged to 'contemplate and think deeply about the creation of God' (qbg.org.qa). On the other, the QBG's goal is to enhance 'responsibility towards the environment, and achieve integration between efforts to preserve plants and modern scientific achievements' (ElGharib & al-Khulaifi 2020). Through a series of 10+ interviews and ethnographic observations at the QBG in Qatar, Subproject 4 will study the conciliation of the garden's religious and environmentalist ideals, particularly focusing on which Qur'anic, prophetic, philosophical, and pseudo-scientific views are put into practice and why. SP4's outcome is two articles, one also published in Arabic". Requirements: All candidates must have a PhD in Study of Religion, Islamic Studies, Anthropology, Ethnography, or a related subject. The PhD must have been obtained within the last 4 years by the time of commencement (March 2025). The requirement is that a maximum of 4 years has elapsed from the date of acquiring the PhD degree to the application deadline. The 4 years can be extended by the duration of any parental, sick leave, or caregiving leave, military service, humanitarian aid work, etc. undertaken during this period. In connection with parental leave, the PhD age can be extended by the number of months of leave actually taken multiplied by 2. The candidate must have some skills in Modern Standard Arabic (and/or a dialect) and a high level of proficiency in English. The candidate must also have some experience in collecting qualitative data and conducting interviews, preferably in the Middle East. The candidate must have some existing knowledge of the Qur'an as a historical and literary text. The candidate must be willing to spend max 6 months of field work in Qatar. Once appointed, the postdoc is expected to contribute to collaborative work in the overall project, which may include participating in and co-authoring/organizing conferences or seminars. For further information, please contact the Vice Head of Department Anne Klara Bom at , or about the project and ideas for projects, Johanne Louise Christiansen at . If 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. Application, salary and 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 Akademikere i staten 2021 (the document only exists in Danish). The application must include: A research proposal outlining your approach to the subproject in question (max 1500 words). Description of the overall project can be forwarded by contacting Johanne Louise Christiansen at A letter stating your specific interest, motivation, and qualifications for the project (400 words). Curriculum Vitae with applicant's e-mail and phone number Documentation of qualifications (examination certificates/PhD diploma, etc.) Complete list of publications indicating the publications attached Applicants may choose a maximum of three publications for assessment. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication. For any publication with a co-author, a co-author statement must be submitted as part of the pdf-file Application and all appendices must be in English. 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. Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee and the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns him/her/them. 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. Here you can read more about shortlisting at SDU. Applications should be sent electronically via the link "apply online" and the Faculty expects applicants to read the information " How to apply" before applying. 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 as the International Staff Office at SDU. The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background. Application deadline 12.11.2024 at 23.59 Apply