Researcher in History in project on families and inheritance (GLOW) (PA2026/2226)

About the Research Project

The GeneaLogies of Old Wealth (GLOW) research project is a multi-year project funded by the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet). It examines wealthy families and analyses the significance of inherited wealth across multiple generations. Using Sweden's wealthiest families at the beginning of the twentieth century as its point of departure, the project has reconstructed their economic trajectories by combining four-generation family trees with financial information derived from probate inventories. The main phase of data collection has now been completed, and the project is entering a stage of data processing, analysis, and writing. The project offers new perspectives on historical economic inequality, a major field of research both in Sweden and internationally. GLOW forms part of the research node HEIRS at the Department of History, which specialises in research on household economies, wealth, and inheritance.

Description of the Workplace

The position is based at the Department of History, Lund University, and forms part of a larger research project involving two principal investigators and a student research assistant. Most of the work will be carried out at the department, although occasional work may also take place at archival institutions elsewhere in Sweden. One of the project members is based abroad, which means that project meetings will be held both in person in Lund and online.

Work Duties and Areas of Responsibility

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Process and analyse the collected source material.
• Author two scholarly articles within the framework of the project, one co-authored and one single-authored.
• Present the project and its research findings at academic conferences.
• Develop ways of disseminating the project's results to wider audiences, for example through blog posts, newspaper articles, or other forms of public engagement.
• Contribute actively to the development of the HEIRS research node and its activities.
• Contribute to the development of new research grant applications associated with HEIRS.

As a researcher in the project, you are expected to work independently while maintaining close and continuous collaboration with the other members of the research team. Although your work will be carried out within the overall framework of the project, you will have considerable scope to shape the direction of your analyses, particularly in relation to the single-authored article. This article should be based on the project's data, but its thematic focus may be developed in line with your own expertise and research interests.

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• Hold a PhD in History or Economic History.
• Have experience of working with both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Have published research relevant to the GLOW research project.
• Demonstrate an excellent command of written and spoken English.
• Be able to work independently and in a structured manner.
• Have strong interpersonal and collaborative skills.

Desired qualifications:

• Experience in reading and interpreting handwritten historical sources in Swedish or another Scandinavian language.
• A record of publishing historical research in English.
• Demonstrated ability to formulate historical research questions and develop research designs appropriate for addressing them.
• Clear ideas about how to develop an independent research profile within the thematic framework of the HEIRS research node.

Pay, Schedule and Benefits

• Employment is for an indefinite term with a scope of 80 per cent of full time starting 1 November 2026 or by agreement.
• Monthly salary.
• Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme.

About the Department of History

The Department of History is one of the seven departments within the Joint Faculties of the Humanities and Theology. It is a large department consisting of three divisions: the Division of history, the Division of human rights and the Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies. Around 70 teachers and researchers work at the department. They undertake teaching within the BA programmes in history and human rights, the masters programme in history and the international masters programmes in human rights and Asian studies. The department also has a large post-graduate programme with Ph.D. students in history and human rights, as well as a research school in history.