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Open Postdoc Position in Environmental Humanities – Exploring negative Values of Nature in Wetlands (80%, three years)

We invite applications for an interdisciplinary postdoc position at the intersection of literary and cultural studies, ecocriticism and environmental humanities.
The project investigates societal and cultural narratives surrounding wetlands, with a particular focus on their negative associations—such as mosquitoes, flooding, fog and gloomy and melancholic atmospheres—from both a historical and a contemporary perspective. One component of the research examines narratives about the beaver. The aim is to explore the cultural embeddedness of negative perceptions of wetlands and to analyze the extent to which these perceptions continue to shape contemporary attitudes towards and the management of wetlands. The main focus is on the German-speaking world and Switzerland.

The collection and analysis of negative values associated with wetlands constitutes a subproject of the larger research project “Promoting Biodiversity by Addressing Environmental Disvalue Narratives”, which is funded as part of the National Research Programme on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (NRP 82). The overall project team consists of the environmental ethicist Dr. Anna Deplazes Zemp and Sven Gindorf (PhD candidate) at the University of Zurich; Prof. Dr. Joëlle Salomon Cavin, a human geographer at the University of Lausanne; and partners from WWF Switzerland. The overarching transdisciplinary aim of the project is to develop narrative tools that foster constructive, non-polarised discussions about the negative aspects of nature.

The literary and cultural subproject is based at the Environmental Sciences and Humanities Institute at the University of Fribourg (UniFR_ESH) and is supervised by Prof. Dr. Claudia Keller, a scholar of literature and cultural studies. This highly interdisciplinary institute coordinates and promotes research and teaching in environmental and sustainability studies, providing a unique space for reflection and dialogue on environmental issues in Switzerland. 

 

Objectives and tasks:

The postdoc project will include the following tasks:

  • Cultural and literary analysis of narratives about wetlands and the beaver in science, society, and culture
  • Theoretical and methodological development of approaches to analysing environmental disvalues in narratives from a literary and cultural studies perspective
  • Collaboration with other project members at the Universities of Zurich and Lausanne to integrate findings into the broader academic discussion on environmental disvalues and environmental narratives
  • Working with project members at the WWF Switzerland to incorporate interview insights into the development of ‘narrative tools’ (e.g. a story collection) designed to foster constructive, non-polarised dialogue around negative aspects of nature
  • Collaboration with other members of Claudia Keller’s group, the UniFR_ESH Institute and the Department of Geosciences
  • Organization of workshops and conferences, as well as editorial work within the project framework

 

Candidate Profile:

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with the following qualifications:

  • A completed PhD, preferably inGerman Studies, Comparative Literature, Cultural Analysis, and/or Ecocriticism
  • A research focus in ecocriticism, literature and ethics as well as narrative analysis is considered an advantage
  • Willingness and enthusiasm to engage with a clearly defined inter- and transdisciplinary project across three universities and the WWF Switzerland
  • Interest in and/or experience with topics such asbiodiversity, biodiversity conservation, ecology, and environmental communication
  • Excellent command ofGerman and English (spoken and written); knowledge of French is an asset

 

We offer / further Requirements:

  • A fully funded, three-year postdoc position (80%)
  • The opportunity to contribute to a theoretically grounded project with direct practical relevance for biodiversity communication and conservation
  • Close collaboration within the research group, a research stay at the University of Zurich (1-2 months) is planned
  • A vibrant interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research network in the environmental humanities and environmental sciences (within the department, the research group/project and the national research program (NRP 82))
  • Access to excellent research infrastructure and academic support at the University of Fribourg
  • Attendance in the office on a minimum of two days, preferably three, is required (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday)

 

Application documents:

Please submit your application as a single PDF file containing:

  • Curriculum vitae (including names and contact details of two referees)
  • Diploma (MA and Phd with grades)
  • Motivation letter explaining your interest in working in the project
  • A one-page narrative analysis of the negative values associated with wetlands
  • Optional: A sample of research work

 

Deadline, procedure and start:

  • Please submit your application to environment@unifr.ch by September 1
  • The first round of interviews will take place online on September 8 and 9
  • On-site interviews will be held on September 15
  • The position is scheduled to start on January 1 2027
  • For questions contact Claudia Keller

Allgemeine Informationen

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Mehr Informationen zum Doktorat in Environmental Humanities finden Sie hier.