About this role
Job description A temporary position as Researcher (SKO 1109) at the postdoctoral level is available at the Department of Literature, European Languages and Area Studies (ILOS), University of Oslo. The position is funded by the ERC (European Research Council) Starting Grant “ DESCENSURA: A Comparative Study of Poetry under Censorship in the Iberian Dictatorships (1933-1978) ,” a five-year project (2026-2030) led by Principal Investigator Álvaro Seiça at the University of Oslo. DESCENSURA investigates the legacy of literary censorship under the New State dictatorships of Portugal’s “Estado Novo” and Francoist Spanish “Nuevo Estado.” Addressing the two longest dictatorships in Western Europe’s 20th century, the project compares how these regimes implemented their propaganda and censorship plans, and it contrasts them with how writers resisted and collaborated within their state apparatus. It further investigates how books were censored and marked by censors from a holistic and comparative perspective, by mapping out the relations between authors, books, publishers, translators, censors, and other actors in an open access database. Within this larger mapping, the DESCENSURA team will focus on poetry, an allusive and metaphoric genre that complicated the praxis of the censors. The project combines literary studies and archival research with digital methods to develop novel methodology and knowledge about literary censorship. Its core aim is to address the ongoing legacy of the Iberian dictatorships via the theorization of “decensorship.” More about the position We are seeking a researcher who will be responsible for Work Package 3 (WP3): Book Censorship and Poetry in Francoist Spain. This subproject investigates how Franco’s regime censored Spanish literature and poetry; how it implemented its censorship and propaganda plans; how writers, in particular poets, collaborated and resisted the regime; and what is the legacy of literary censorship today. It is divided into four thematic research streams: 1) Archives, 2) Ideals, 3) Tactics, and 4) Traces. The position is based at ILOS, University of Oslo, with an archival research stay in Spain. Fieldwork is expected to be primarily conducted at the Archivo General de la Administración (AGA), in Alcalá de Henares, close to Madrid, with additional training at the University of Alcalá. The researcher is expected to be responsible for data collection in Spain, to develop the Spanish side of a catalogue of censored words and metaphors, as well as entries for the project’s glossary of terms and handbook on the tactics of repression and resistance. Core outputs include 4 articles that stem from preparing and analyzing data, together with methodologies and literature surveys relevant to the topic. As a team, we will have weekly meetings in Oslo to chart progress, debate ideas, and exchange research plans. While on fieldwork, the researcher will attend them via videocall. We seek candidates that have a strong motivation and interest in the project’s main topics. The successful candidate must be fluent in Spanish and have a track record in 20th-century Spanish-language literature. Applicants that have developed research on literary censorship and poetry, as well as archival studies, with fieldwork experience, are welcome. Furthermore, a background or previous engagement with digital humanities or digital methodologies is appreciated. The position is available for a period of two years with January 1, 2027 as expected start date. The successful candidate is expected to become an active member of the DESCENSURA project, to contribute to its overall development at project meetings, workshops, conferences, and other events, as well as to disseminate project results in academic and generalist venues. DESCENSURA is linked to the interdisciplinary research groups Ibero-American Research Hub (IberoARH ) and Book History . Qualifications You must have: PhD or equivalent academic qualifications with a specialization in literary studies, Spanish studies, Spanish contemporary and 20th-century literature, contemporary history, sociology of culture and literature, digital humanities, or related fields Further requirements are: Excellent research track record; ideally with demonstrated research excellence (commensurate with career stage) in the last five years Experience with working across disciplines Fluent oral and written communication skills in Spanish and English. Knowledge in Portuguese will be appreciated. Personal suitability and motivation for the position In the application, the candidate is expected to submit 2 to 3 recent articles, and to deliver a research project proposal on how the candidate will devise and implement Work Package 3, e.g. how and which methods and theory will be used to investigate the theme of “Book Censorship and Poetry in Francoist Spain.” This project proposal (max. 3 pages) can be based on previous empirical research and be theoretically advanced. It should offer a perspective on how the results of the investigation will contribute to the DESCENSURA project and the study of literary censorship (see the structure of the research streams at the project’s page ). In the evaluations of the applications, emphasis will be placed on: The research project’s scientific merit, research-related relevance and innovation The applicant’s estimated academic and personal ability to carry out the project within the allotted time frame and contribute to DESCENSURA Good co-operative skills, and the ability to successfully join in academic collaboration within and across disciplines Experience with outreach activities We need different perspectives in our work UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no . We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw