Postdoctoral Scholarship (2 years) in Political Science with a Focus on Bioenergy

Postdoctoral Scholarship (2 years) in Political Science with a Focus on Bioenergy

The Department of Political Science invites applications for a postdoctoral scholarship in environmental and natural resource policy. The scholarship is full-time for two years, starting on 1 September 2026 or as agreed.

The scholarship is funded by the Kempe Foundations. The tax-free stipend amounts to a total of SEK 720,000 (approx. SEK 30,000 per month) and is normally paid in four separate disbursements during the scholarship period. The application deadline is 31 March.

The Department of Political Science

The Department of Political Science at Umeå University has around 70 employees. The department conducts undergraduate education and research in political science and peace and conflict studies. It is also home to the Centre for Principal Development, one of Sweden’s leading centres in educational leadership.

For more information, see https://www.umu.se/statsvetenskapliga-institutionen/

Project Description  

The interplay between fossil and bio‑based energy sources has long shaped energy systems and preparedness in northern Sweden. Historically, forests have played a central role during crises—such as the world wars and the oil crises—when bio‑based resources replaced fossil fuels. Nevertheless, forest‑based bioenergy returned to a complementary role after each crisis, and it still remains insufficiently integrated into Sweden’s preparedness strategies. Today, the importance of forests is again highlighted in light of geopolitical uncertainties and the ongoing energy transition.

This project examines how the forest sector—including forestry and the forest industry—has developed in interaction with changes in the energy system from the 1970s to the late 20th century. The starting point is the energy‑political turning point of the 1970s, when the oil crises and shifting geopolitical conditions exposed Sweden’s vulnerability as an oil‑dependent nation. At the same time, criticism of large‑scale natural resource exploitation increased, not least through the environmental movement and emerging ecological knowledge, which influenced views on forest‑based energy.

The project investigates how ideas, policy, and practices concerning forests and energy changed during the following decades, with particular attention to transformations in forest policy, such as the 1993 Forestry Act. These changes can be related to shifting public opinion, the establishment of climate issues on the political agenda, changing markets, and the geopolitical landscape that emerged after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The historical analysis also relates to later energy crises, such as the 2022 European energy crisis, which highlights energy as a geopolitical instrument of power. This perspective offers insights into how the role of forest‑based bioenergy has shifted in relation to oil and other energy sources, and which ideas, institutions, and actors have driven this development.

The project focuses on northern Sweden and illuminates how crises and long‑term transitions have shaped development trajectories relevant to today’s energy systems and questions of societal preparedness.

More information:
 https://www.umu.se/en/research/projects/the-power-of-the-forest-energy-dependency-and-preparedness-in-northern-swedens-forests-from-the-1970s-to-today/

The postdoctoral scholarship is linked to the Kempe‑funded project “The Power of the Forest – Energy, dependency, and preparedness in Northern Sweden's Forests, from the 1970s until today”, a collaboration between the subject History of Ideas at the Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies and the Department of Political Sciences at Umeå University. The scholarship recipient will thus be part of an environment characterized by broad humanities and social science perspectives on environmental and natural resource issues, and will conduct research in an interdisciplinary setting connected to contemporary societal challenges. Furthermore, the project is an initiative within the research program Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research (WIFORCE). You can read more here: https://www.slu.se/om-slu/organisation/fakulteter/fakulteten-for-skogsvetenskap/wallenberg-initiatives-in-forest-research/om-wiforce/det-har-ar-wiforce/

Funding for conference travel is available in addition to the scholarship.

Qualifications  

To be eligible for this postdoctoral scholarship, you must hold a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctorate. To be considered for the Scholarship, priority will be given to applicants who obtained their doctoral degree no more than three years before the application deadline. If there are special reasons, applicants with an earlier doctoral degree may also be considered. Special reasons include leave due to illness, parental leave, clinical service, assignments within trade unions, or other similar circumstances, as well as relevant professional experience related to the subject area.

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in political science or possess equivalent scientific competence assessed as relevant to the research to be conducted. This may include doctoral degrees in geography, sociology, or environmental science. Applicants with a foreign degree equivalent to these subject areas may also be considered eligible. This requirement must be met by the time the scholarship decision is made.

Good command of English, both spoken and written, is required. The applicant is also expected to have good collaboration skills and the ability to work independently as well as in a group.

Assessment criteria

• The relevance of the applicant’s research profile to the project
• Ability to conduct and publish research of high international quality
• Interdisciplinary research interests
• Ability and interest in collaborating with others in a joint project
• Ability to plan and conduct research within given time frames 

Merits

It is considered a merit to be able to conduct interviews and workshops and analyse empirical material (text and audio) in Swedish.

Application  

The application must be written in English or Swedish, and attached documents must be in Word or PDF format. Applications must be submitted via Umeå University’s e-recruitment system Varbi and received no later than 31 March 2026.

A complete application must include:

• A cover letter describing your background, qualifications, motivation for applying, and potential contributions to the project (3–4 pages)
• CV
• Doctoral dissertation and up to four other publications or writings (indicate which you consider most important)
• Copy of your degree certificate from doctoral studies and other relevant diplomas, or documentation that clarifies when the doctoral degree is expected to be obtained
• Any additional merits you wish to invoke
• Contact information for two references from whom recommendation letters may be requested

Further information is available from the project leader at the department, Camilla Sandström (camilla.sandstrom@umu.se), the research director Johan Hellström (johan.hellstrom@umu.se), or Head of Department Malin Eklund Wimelius (malin.wimelius@umu.se).

We look forward to receiving your application!