[Commlist] Tenure-track position on “Identity Discourse and Diversity in the Public Sphere” at University of Burgundy (Dijon, France)

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Job Advertisement
Junior Professorship (Tenure Track) - DIDEP Chair
Title of Position: Junior Professorship / Junior Chair specialising in 
“Identity Discourse and Diversity in the Public Sphere” / Discours 
identitaires et diversité dans l’espace public (DIDEP)
Host Institution: University of Burgundy Location: Dijon Campus, 
Bourgogne Franche-Comté region, France
Keywords: Cultural identities, diversity, critical approach, migrations, 
digital public sphere
Employment conditions: 6-year fixed term employment contract (tenure 
track), potentially turning into a permanent Full Professorship with 
French Civil Servant status.
Scientific Theme: Communication & Media Studies / Critical Cultural 
Studies / Discourse Analysis
Sections of the French National Universities Council (CNU): 71st Section 
(Information and Communication Sciences) / 11th Section (Language and 
Literature of the English-Speaking World)
Context: Junior professorships are a relatively recent type of position 
in the French Public Higher Education system, offering a fast-track to a 
full professorship, after a period of 3-6 years as chairholder. Thematic 
Focus: The Chair aims to address the pressing social issue of 
identity-based tensions in the public sphere. These result from a 
complex set of inter-related factors characterising the postmodern 
world, including increasing social pressure on individuals to define 
themselves in terms of identities, growing consciousness of social 
inequalities and calls for social justice, post-truth politics and 
“populist” movements, and a fragmented and polarised digital public 
sphere. The ambition of the chair is to bring anti-essentialist 
scientific discourse out of the ivory tower, to challenge and 
deconstruct discourse promoting the idea of unalienable cultural 
differences, for example between gender-based, ethnic, religious or 
racial groups. The educational dimension of the Chair aims thus to 
contribute to individual emancipation from collective hegemonic identity 
discourses. Institutional Positioning: The DIDEP Chair is attached to 
the Faculty of Languages and Communication at the University of Burgundy 
(uB), and to the “Text – Image – Language” (TIL) research group 
(UR4182). It aligns with the "Heritage and Territory," thematic research 
field at uB, advancing the understanding of identity dynamics in public 
spaces. Within the FORTHEM European University Alliance, the Chair will 
benefit from a supportive institutional framework through the "Diversity 
and Migration" FORTHEM lab, with partners in 8 other European countries. 
Within the TIL research group, the chairholder will join the "Individual 
and Nation" team, which focuses on the processes of identity and 
belonging, including their media, discursive, literary, and artistic 
representations, applied to politics and migration. Additionally, the 
"Models and Discourse" team includes colleagues working on discourse 
circulation in the digital public space, while the team working on 
"Intimacy" examines how individuals manage identities in their social 
and personal/private dimensions.
Summary of the Scientific Project: Currently, there is a hardening of 
discourse surrounding "cultural" identities in public spaces, in France 
and in many other countries in Europe and beyond. Xenophobic discourse 
from populist politicians, but also strategic essentialism embodied in 
reductive calls for social justice mean that this phenomenon concerns 
both sides of the political spectrum. Whether "conservative" or 
"progressive”, such identity movements, relayed and amplified by social 
media, exacerbate tensions and threaten social cohesion. The scientific 
project of the Chair will employ critical approaches to expose and 
deconstruct the essentialist foundation of such discourses. An 
international research network managed by the chairholder will address 
these issues around three themes: "hegemonic identities, cultural 
appropriation and cancel culture," "culturalism and migrations," and 
"identity politics in the media sphere."
Summary of Teaching Project: The teaching project aims to strengthen the 
connection to research in several UFR Langues & Communication programs 
at uB, specifically in the English-taught “Intercultural Management” 
(ICM) Master and the “Strategic Intelligence and Research” (REVI) Master 
programmes. The chairholder will have an annual teaching service of 64 
hours, shared notably between these programmes, which will include 
supervision of master's theses in their areas of expertise and 
coordination of student projects related to the Chair's activities.
Open Science / Science and Society: The Chair will adopt an open science 
approach, with all scientific publications (books and articles) 
published in open access and deposited in full text version in the HAL 
Open Archive. The Chair's website will serve as a platform for 
exchanging and debating scientific ideas, with a moderated blog section 
and an "Observatory” for identity-based discourse in the media. The 
Chair aims to stimulate and relay societal debates around identity 
issues in public spaces through various communication channels and will 
produce freely-accessible reports and political orientation documents 
for regional and national policymakers.
Financial Conditions: • A basic gross salary of 41 331€ per annum for 
six years, starting on 1st September 2024.
• In addition, the chair will be supported by a dedicated financial 
package of 200 000€, including funding for a doctoral student, 
research/administrative assistants, travel and operating costs. 
Qualifications: Candidates should have obtained a PhD no more than 5 
years before their application, in Communication Studies, Media Studies, 
Cultural Studies, Language and Literature of the English-Speaking World, 
or another relevant discipline. A qualification from the French National 
Universities Council (CNU), in the 11th and/or 71st sections is 
appreciated but not compulsory.
Skills Profile: • A strong demonstrable interest in identity-based media 
studies or cultural studies research, and the capacity to lead research 
on these questions at the international level.
• A developing portfolio of relevant high-level research outputs in 
scientific journals of reference. • Excellent skills and experience in 
planning and implementing research protocols.
• A strong track record in collaborative research and interdisciplinary 
dialogue.
• The ability to work independently, to plan research projects, to 
attract research funding, to put together and to lead a team.
• Excellent command of French and English; proficiency in other 
languages is also desirable.
• Experience of supervising undergraduate and/or postgraduate student 
theses.
• Experience in teaching and administration in the Higher Education sector.
• Capacity to contribute to research and education management and 
administration tasks within a team. • Enthusiasm for communicating 
academic research to non-academic audience.

Further information and contact details can be found here: 
https://www.u-bourgogne.fr/wp-content/uploads/Avis_recrutement_CPJ_Langues_laboratoire-TIL.pdf.
The deadline for applications is 13th May 2024. Applications should be 
made through the Galaxie web portal: 
https://www.galaxie.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/ensup/cand_CPJ.htm 
The University of Burgundy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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