Assistant Researcher in projects on local foreign policy

University of Gothenburg meets the challenges of society with diverse knowledge. 58,000 students and 6,800 employees make the university a large and inspiring workplace. Strong research and attractive education programs attract researchers and students from all over the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, University of Gothenburg contributes to a better future.

At the Department of Global Studies, we conduct research and teaching that provides the ability to understand and analyze societal phenomena in a global world. Our programs are characterized by topicality and societal relevance, and our research strives to make the world more understandable with the help of our unique interdisciplinary research environment. Our research areas are social science environmental studies, peace and development research, human rights, and social anthropology. We offer education at undergraduate, advanced, and doctoral levels, as well as standalone courses. For more information, see https://www.gu.se/globalastudier.

We are seeking an assistant researcher for the research project *Local foreign policy? Municipalities, regions and civil society mobilization around mass violence* led by professor Camilla Orjuela and funded by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond. The employment is fixed-term and part-time.

About the project

The research project examines municipalities and regions as arenas for foreign policy issues. Normally, foreign policy is regarded as a matter for actors at the national level. But in today's globalized world and multicultural societies, such issues also appear on the agendas of municipalities and regions. The project takes a global perspective and focuses on foreign policy issues concerning cities' and regions' stances against nuclear weapons, as well as the recognition of genocide and the construction of genocide monuments on municipal land. What conflicts arise when citizens and local politicians engage in issues that affect them but are simultaneously classified as foreign policy? And how can municipalities, states, and civil society actors manage the increasingly blurred boundaries between local, domestic, and foreign policy?

Tasks

As an assistant researcher, you will primarily work with research on the recognition of genocide at the regional and local level. Tasks include contributing to a quantitative study by searching, verifying, and analyzing information, as well as presenting results. Qualitative research will also be included, for example, in-depth studies of specific processes for genocide recognition. Other tasks related to research and administration may also occur. The work will be performed independently, but in close collaboration with the research lead Camilla Orjuela.

Qualifications

We require that you have a relevant master's degree, for example in global studies, peace and development studies, human rights, international relations, or political science. The work requires that you have documented experience of qualitative social science research methods. You need to be able to speak and write well in English. Good knowledge of additional languages relevant to the project is meritorious, as is experience in searching for information in different languages. We are specifically looking for you who have in-depth knowledge of and interest in genocide recognition, civil society mobilization, foreign policy, as well as issues regarding the demarcation of responsibilities between municipalities, regions, and states in Sweden as well as internationally. It is important that you can work independently, have good organizational skills, and can take responsibility and own initiatives. You need to be a thorough, structured, and creative person with social competence and flexibility in the execution of the work. The work is performed on-site at the Department of Global Studies.

Employment

The employment is a special fixed-term employment for 10 months with a scope of service of 50%. Placement at the Department of Global Studies. Commencement January 7 or by agreement.

Contact information for the employment

If you have questions about the project, you are welcome to contact Camilla Orjuela, project leader, mailto:camilla.orjuela@gu.se, 0768-242626.

If you have questions about the recruitment process, you are welcome to contact Elvedina Sikiric Lidström, HR officer, mailto:elvedina.sikiric.lidstrom@gu.se, 031-786 40 53.

Trade union organizations

Trade union representatives at University of Gothenburg can be found here: https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande

Application

To apply for employment at University of Gothenburg, you must register an account in our recruitment system. You apply for the position via University of Gothenburg's recruitment portal by clicking the "Apply" button.

As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that the application is complete in accordance with the advertisement and that it is provided to the university no later than the last application date.

The application can be written in Swedish or English and shall contain:

• Your contact details and personal information
• A motivation letter of max 2 A4 pages describing your interest and suitability for the position
• A CV/resume covering education, relevant professional experience, language skills, degrees, and relevant scientific works
• A copy of your master's degree
• Names of two references and their contact details

The last application date is 2026-10-05

The university actively works for a work environment with equal conditions and values the qualities that diversity brings to the organization. The university applies individual salary setting. According to the regulations of Riksarkivet, the university is obliged to store application documents for two years after the appointment decision. If you, as an applicant for a position, specifically request your documents back, they will be returned after the two years have passed; otherwise, they will be purged. To staffing and recruitment companies and to you who are a salesperson: University of Gothenburg employs a contracted advertising agency in connection with the recruitment of personnel. We politely but firmly decline direct contact with staffing and recruitment companies as well as sellers of job advertisements.