PhD position: Discursive constructions of credibility in the context of Danish rape trials

The Department of Communication and Arts (DCA), Roskilde University, invites applications for a salaried PhD position studying linguistic discourses of credibility in the context of Danish rape trials. The position as PhD Fellow, starting February 1, 2025, is limited to 3 years of full-time employment with DCA as the daily workplace.

Department of Communication and Arts
Your daily workplace will be Department of Communication and Arts at Roskilde University. DCA covers RUC’s Communication programs (Communication, Journalism, and Performance Design) and Art programs (Danish, Philosophy, History, and Cultural Encounters).

We conduct excellent, interdisciplinary research in the intersection between Communication, Cultural Studies, Social Science, and Humanities, and offer an innovative and interdisciplinary university environment, characterized by diversity with respect to theory, method, and area of study in research and education. Our research is characterized by double impact, i.e., by the highest academic quality, and by direct interaction with public, private, and civil actors in society. We have strong research networks and partnerships with local, regional, national, and international partners with the goal of ensuring the highest quality in all our research-based activities.

Description of the PhD project
The PhD position is part of the research project Linguistic Constructions of Sexual Abuse and Consent in Danish Rape Trials (LingCoRT) funded by the Danish Research Foundation. The PhD position is located at Roskilde University, and the successful applicant will be associated with the research group Language, Culture and Transformative Practices. The successful applicant will work closely with the project leader, Associate Professor of Danish language and linguistics Sune Sønderberg Mortensen, and other members of the research group and associated research clusters at DCA. The purpose of the research project is to investigate notions of credibility as discursively constructed and enforced in Danish rape trial processes, based on linguistic analysis of authentic data from criminal cases. The project includes possibilities for international research exchange and the PhD Fellow is expected to complete a stay as visiting scholar at a relevant international university.

The Doctoral School
You will be enrolled as a PhD student at The Doctoral School of Communication and Arts, Roskilde University. The Doctoral School for Communication and Arts (ARTS-PHD) offers a doctoral program in Communication and Arts in an active, dynamic, and cross-disciplinary research environment.

The PhD program in Communication and Arts offers a number of activities from international PhD courses and master classes with researchers from around the world to writing retreats, frequent work-in-progress seminars as well as informal activities. We expect you to be actively involved in all PhD activities and that you will contribute to a dynamic and inspiring PhD environment.

Read more here https://ruc.dk/en/phd-roskilde-university.

Responsibilities and tasks
The PhD position is an educational position and the main tasks are in accordance with chapter 3, Ministerial Order on the PhD Program at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions (https://ufm.dk/en/legislation/prevailing-laws-and-regulations/education/files/engelsk-ph-d-bekendtgorelse.pdf).

Qualifications
Applicants are expected to have a strong educational background and have a completed master’s degree (or equivalent) in Danish with a language focus. If an applicant has handed in a Master’s thesis, but the thesis has not yet been assessed, it is required that the applicant attaches a statement from the supervisor confirming that the thesis is likely to pass.

The candidate must be skilled in studying oral and written Danish data using forensic linguistic and discourse analytical methodology, and have experience examining the language of rape adjudication in the Danish legal system. Moreover, theoretical and analytical knowledge in legal discursive constructions of credibility is a prerequisite. Ideally, the candidate has experience interacting and networking with Danish legal and law enforcement institutions, and with written and oral public scholarly dissemination on rape trial discourse in Danish and English.

Applicants are asked to submit a PhD project description (max. 5 pages of 12,000 characters, incl. spaces). The project description, to be written in Danish, should outline the project proposed by the applicant and specify how the project relates to the research objectives of the overall project. Moreover, applicants are asked to submit their Master’s thesis.

The PhD candidate is expected to:

• Complete a PhD dissertation within the three-year project period.
• Participate actively in the seminars, outreach activities and other work within the LingCoRT project as well as in Language, Culture and Transformative Practices research group.
• Participate actively in PhD activities at the doctoral school.

In addition, the PhD candidate is expected to demonstrate:

• Good command of English (oral and written), and experience with writing academically in English.
• Excellent academic record (as shown by a list of master level grades, potentially, academic work experience or academic publications).
• Ability to work independently and in collaboration with other members of the project team.
• Interest in being part of an international research community.

The successful candidate should possess good communication skills and be a visible, involved participant in the department’s daily activities, in addition to being willing to engage in disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Assessment
In the assessment of the candidates, consideration will be given to:

• Relevant Master’s degree or equivalent (according to Danish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/transparency-tools/qualifications-frameworks/other-qualifications-frameworks/danish-qf-for-higher-education?set_language=en&cl=en)
• Any additional academic requirements stated in the job advertisement.
• Educational skills and any further professional qualifications.
• Grade of Master’s thesis or equivalent (assessment by the supervisor in case the thesis has not yet been assessed).
• Quality and relevance of the original PhD project proposal, including the quality and relevance to the research project.

Find guidelines for PhD applications here: https://ruc.dk/en/doctoral-school-communication-and-arts#accordion-Application-and-admission 

Questions
For further information about the PhD and the overall project, please contact project leader  Associate Professor Sune Sønderberg Mortensen on mobile: +4550809740 or e-mail: [email protected].

Terms of employment
The employment is on full time, 37 hours per week and you will refer to Dean Ida Willig, [email protected]

The position will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.  

Application procedure
After the deadline for applications the Dean will shortlist applicants for assessment with assistance from the recruitment committee including the chairperson of the assessment committee.

Shortly after the application deadline all applicants will be notified whether or not their application has been selected for assessment.

The shortlisted applicants will be informed about the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant will be given the opportunity to comment on the composition of the committee and - later on - their assessment.

Once the recruitment process is completed, all applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.

Application
To apply for the position go to www.ruc.dk/en/job/ 

Only applications in Danish are accepted. 

Applications must include: 

1. Cover letter 

2. CV 

3. Documentation of education including grades from Master’s programme or equivalent 

4. Your description of the PhD project should be 5 pages (each of 2400 signs, incl. spaces), incl. everything (title, study plan, figures, tables, references, etc.) but excl. bibliography. 

5. The Master’s thesis (if this is written in English or Scandinavian languages).

Please submit your application no later than December 9, 2024.

Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration. 

Roskilde University wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.