Postdoc Position in Deep Seabed Mining across Arctic Communities: Investigating knowledge production, regulation, and environmental justice impacts of a new resource frontier (SEABED)

The Department of Culture and Communication at Aalborg University is looking for a postdoctoral researcher in the field of social science on deep seabed mining in the Arctic. The position is for a 2-year postdoc project, starting June 1st, 2026, or when the successful applicant is available. The position will encompass research at the intersection of legal studies and anthropology (or Science and Technology Studies, environmental humanities, and qualitative environmental sciences) to study the emerging resource frontier related to deep seabed minerals in the Arctic (Greenland and Norway). The position will be part of the project “Deep Seabed Mining across Arctic Communities: Investigating knowledge production, regulation, and environmental justice impacts of a new resource frontier (SEABED)”, led by Associate Professor Astrid Oberborbeck Andersen and funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF), and the location of employment is Aalborg, Denmark. More about the project Deep Seabed Mining (DSM) in the Arctic is promoted as a new field of innovation in meeting global sustainable energy demands, fuelling the transition towards electrified technologies and systems. Its environmental impacts and social acceptability among Arctic communities is however unknown. The SEABED project critically approaches mining on deep ocean floors as a resource frontier, investigating knowledge production, regulation, and multispecies justice claims related to DSM. Working across anthropology and legal scholarship the project aims to develop a new interdisciplinary research framework that works around the following question:How are life forms along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge negotiated and mobilized in different notions of resources and sustainability, and how are the geos, the bios, and the anthropos socially reconfigured in establishing new sustainable and precautionary regulation of deep-sea mining?Organized in four work packages, the project aims to (1) examine how the Arctic Deep Seascape is rendered known and resourceful through different scientific practices, commercial and environmental interests, and the different claims of sustainability that arise alongside representations of the Deep Sea; (2) identify what aspects of the Arctic Deep Sea are valued and reified in environmental regulation of DSM; (3) analyse new justice claims that arise from the social negotiations of human-Deep-Sea engagements; and (4) support democratic awareness and debate about DSM in the Nordic Arctic by bringing project findings into conversations with publics. The research is geographically and empirically centred on scientific institutions, mining companies, governmental agencies, NGO’s and publics in Norway, Greenland, and Denmark, where knowledge of the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge and regulation of DSM is produced and negotiated. The project combines methods of multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork, legal analysis, participatory and Indigenous research methods, and quali-quantitative issue mapping. Extensive website and document research is used to identify stakeholders of DSM in Norway, Greenland, and Denmark, and collect, codify and analyse data on stakeholders’ communication and representations of the Arctic Deep Sea. Field visits and interviews will be conducted with key stakeholders from research institutions, industry, government and NGO’s. Legal scholarship will follow and analyse the emerging regulation and legislation – national and international - of DSM in the Arctic. The Postdoc will contribute to this research in close collaboration with the rest of the project team consisting of anthropologist Astrid O. Andersen (PI), scholar of environmental law Sandra Cassotta (Co-PI), and PhD-fellow Freja Klarasdatter Thorsen. More about the position and what we expectThe postdoctoral researcher is expected to develop research mainly within the project’s work-packages 2: Regulation, 3: Multispecies justice, and 4: Engaging publics. The successful applicant is expected to contribute to the SEABED-project by exploring how DSM is experienced and responded to by Kalaallit (Greenlandic) institutions and actors, and how different (and possibly conflicting) notions of resources, sustainability, and life in the Deep Sea can inform the formulation of standards for community involvement and the inclusion of Indigenous People's knowledge and rights to participate for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (PFCI) in the case of DSM.Research can be developed in collaboration with stakeholders in Greenland and the Arctic, and methodologically, this research can combine legal scholarship with ethnographic, STS, Indigenous, or environmental humanities approaches to Inuit and Greenlandic notions of life in the deep sea, sustainability, and resources.A central task of the postdoc is to contribute to the development of an “geo-legal anthropology framework” that integrates legal analysis, anthropological methods, and environmental justice in the context of Deep Seabed Mining (DSM) within the Mid-Arctic Ocean Ridge. While the successful applicant will carry out independent research based on the SEABED project description and the proposal developed independently by the candidate, all project members will collaborate across work-packages and contexts to develop a ‘geo-legal anthropology framework’ and engage publics in discussions on deep seabed mining. Bringing together critical legal theory and the use of non-dogmatic legal methodologies, such as ethnographic methods, critical legal geography, and law-in-context approaches is welcome, with regulatory analysis playing a secondary role in the project.The position also involves contributing to the development of the Arctic research environment at Aalborg university, including the development of research activities across projects and departments, designing events for networking activities, work on funding applications as well as the development and coordination of scientific webinars, seminars and workshops in the research platform Arctic Lab.In the application, candidates are encouraged to state their interests and expertise within the fields of legal scholarship, anthropology, science and technology studies, environmental humanities, and/or Arctic and Indigenous studies in the form of a brief project proposal (see below). The purpose is to demonstrate the candidate’s ability to pose relevant, original, and theoretically engaged questions within a specific focus area.While the applicants present a research proposal as a part of the application, the detailed project plan for the postdoc project will be finalized in collaboration with PI Associate Professor Astrid Oberborbeck Andersen and Co-PI Sandra Cassotta.In the design of a project proposal, applicants can include ideas on these, and other, aspects, but are free to design a project proposal according to own interests and expertise:How to contribute to a new interdisciplinary framework—Geo-legal Anthropology - that analyzes how legal systems and environmental governance are embedded in socio-political, historical, and spatial contexts, and how legal regimes (global, regional, national) and indigenous epistemologies interact in governing and contesting DSM, focusing on multispecies justice, sovereignty, and environmental impacts in Arctic regions.Environmental and multispecies justice theory: Applying concepts such as distributive, procedural, and recognitional justice to understand who benefits and who bears the costs of DSM.Multi-regulatory Legal Analysis: Studying overlaps, tensions, and gaps between UNCLOS, ISA regulations, EU law, Nordic and Arctic national laws, and indigenous customary law and notions of justice.Comparative Arctic Governance and environmental regulation: explore legal pluralism, epistemic clashes and anthropological perspectives in Greenland (Kalaallit/Inuit) and Norway (Sámi) contexts, possibly informed by critical legal studies with regulatory analysis playing a secondary role in the project.Qualification Requirements Applicants should hold a PhD in critical legal research, legal anthropology, or related fields of scholarship (Science and Technology Studies, Environmental Humanities, Indigenous scholarship). Applicants should bring a curious mindset and strong interest or expertise in multispecies relations, environmental regulations, resource frontiers, and the deep sea. Knowledge of the law of the sea, environmental and natural resources law, including human rights aspects related to Indigenous rights is a strength.Applicants must demonstrate experience with ethnographic or related qualitative social science methods, attested by prior publications, or a relevant PhD dissertation. Applicants must demonstrate interest in interdisciplinary research and collaboration across disciplines. Priority will be given to applicants with Knowledge of and expertise in Kalaallit (Greenlandic) culture and language.Good written and spoken English language skills are mandatory.Nordic (Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish) language skills are recommended.The candidate is expected to contribute to educational programs at the Department of Culture and Communication.The position The position guarantees a 24 month full-time (37 hours per week) engagement. The postdoc position is located in Aalborg, integrated in the Techno-anthropology Lab (TANTlab). TANTlab offers a vibrant group of international scholars working with fieldwork methods, design interventions, and digital/computational methods to engage users, publics, and partners in exploring dilemmas, controversies, and paths to sustainable and desirable futures. We strive towards creating best possible conditions for postdoctoral researchers, i.e., flexible work hours and opportunities for personal and professional development. How to apply  Your application must be written in English and include the following: Application, stating reasons for applying, qualifications in relation to the position, and intentions and visions for the position Curriculum Vitae (CV) Diplomas (master's degree diploma and PhD diploma) List of publications, with an indication of the attached publications that you wish to be taken into account in the assessment. You may attach a maximum of five publications. You must submit a co-author statement, see template for co-author statement Documentation of teaching qualifications if relevant.Dissemination qualifications, including participation on committees or boards, participation in organisations etc. Additional qualifications in relation to the position References/recommendations You can read more about the requirements for your application here.    The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.  Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position. Do you have any questions? If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.     Further information Read more about our recruitment process here   The appointment process at Aalborg University involves a shortlisting process. You can read more about the shortlisting and appointment process here.  The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace. Salary and terms of employment  The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (in Danish). Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (only in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (only in Danish). Aalborg University - Knowledge for the worldAalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. 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