PhD position in the Philosophy of Sport

The position

The Department of Sport and Social Sciences, NIH, is advertising a PhD position in the field of sport philosophy. Preferably the position is for 4 years with 25 % teaching assignments (depending on qualifications), alternatively the position will be for 3 years.

The working place is at NIH. The candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary working environment.

The Department of Sport and Social Sciences consists of a broad, academic environment including perspectives from: 

• sport sociology
• sport psychology and coaching
• sport management
• sport philosophy
• sport history
• applied sport science

Below, three examples of possible PhD project topics are presented. Other sport philosophical topics not found among the examples can also be of relevance.

The Ethics of Sport Fair play and justice in sport: A series of issues of both theoretical and practical interest can be addressed, including the interpretation of the fair play ideal in various sports, the inclusion/exclusion and classification of athletes, explicit and implicit codes of conduct, the use of innovative technologies to enhance fairness such as video-assisted refereeing (VAR), and the (unequal) distribution of resources in the sport system. The ethics of performance-enhancing technologies: Such technologies range from biomedical means (such as drugs (doping) and genetic technologies) to prosthetics and implants in the human body. New possibilities arise with the use of AI. The core question is how to draw ethically sound distinctions between valuable, acceptable, and non-acceptable use of these technologies in sport. 

The Nature and Value of Sport 

Virtual sports: With the help of virtual reality or computer-generated environments, virtual sports are digital recreations (e-sports) or innovations (e-games) that simulate the competitive elements of real-world sports. Virtual sports challenge traditional sport understandings. Key questions concern the nature of e-sports/games as compared to traditional sports, whether e-sports/games are qualitatively different from traditional sports, and the impact of e-sports/games on sporting intrinsic and extrinsic values. 

Sport and ecological values: Organized, competitive sports require standardized facilities and conditions and cultivate the performance of relatively strictly defined athletic skills. Other sport forms, such as surfing, free skiing, or parkour, are less dependent upon specialized facilities and emphasize to a larger extent individual expression and aesthetic qualities, often in deep interaction with nature. Core questions concern how current and potential future sport relate to requirements on sustainable development and ecological values. 

Human Movement Skills: Epistemological Perspectives 

Sporting activities are arenas for the learning and development of human movement skills. Traditionally, exercise and movement science is anchored in the natural sciences, studying human movement in terms of quantitative description and mechanistic explanation. Phenomenologically inspired analyses, on the other hand, aim to understand human movement skills in terms of immediate, experiential qualities and from the perspective of the moving ‘I'. A third perspective examines the impact of social and cultural contexts and the development of movement skills as a sphere of identity construction and meaning. Core questions arise on the nature and kinds of knowledge related to human movement skills, and on the possibility of transcending disciplinary and paradigmatic boundaries in the development of more integrated insights.

Competence requirements and selection criteria

Required competencies 

Applicants must be qualified for a doctoral fellowship at the NIH (a completed master's degree on a relevant topic within the sport sciences, philosophy and or ethics/bioethics, the history of ideas, or other fields of relevance for the Ph.D. project. The minimum grade point average is B/2,5). For further information about NIH's Ph.D.-program, please see here (https://www.nih.no/english/research/phd-program/phd-process/application-and-enrollment.html). 

Selection criteria and preferred candidate profile 

• quality and relevance of educational background and the master's degree 
• quality and relevance of the project description 
• personal suitability will be emphasized, the successful candidate
  • is ambitious and has the ability of independent and creative thinking 
  • can work with philosophical questions in systematic and critical ways 
  • enjoy working in an interdisciplinary environment 
  • has excellent social and written communication skills in English 

Mastery of a Scandinavian language will strengthen the application. Experience with relevant research can be an advantage. Practical experience from sport as an athlete, coach and/or leader can also be an advantage. 

The main tasks for a PhD candidate at NIH are to: 

• complete an independent research project under supervision 
• complete PhD courses or other equivalent educational activities corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points 
• actively participate in research environments, including collaboration with fellow researchers 
• disseminate research results, both at international conferences and in scientific journals 

The candidate may be engaged in teaching and supervision tasks depending on the department's teaching needs and the candidate's competencies.

Working conditions

• The position's starting salary is yearly NOK 536 200 before tax. Position code is SKO 1017 PhD Candidate. For applicants with extensive and relevant competence and experience, a higher salary may be considered. 
• The appointment will be made according to terms applying to civil servants.
• NIH is a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. 
• Attractive welfare benefits.

How to apply

Applications must include:

• a personal application letter
• CV (summarizing education, professional experience and positions, academic work including publications, etc.)
• copies of educational certificates and grades
• description of a PhD project of relevance to the position. The project description includes formulations of objectives and research questions/hypotheses, as well as relevant theoretical approaches and methods. The complete project description should not exceed 10 pages, excluding the bibliography (12-point font, 1.5 line spacing)
• names, e-mail address, and telephone number of 2 to 3 referees (describe relation to applicant)

Short-listed applicants will be contacted for interview. 

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language. International applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their university's grading system. 

International applicants, or applicants who hold an international degree, are advised to apply the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills for recognition of education from abroad (https://hkdir.no/en/foreign-education/education-from-outside-of-norway/recognition-of-foreign-higher-education-bachelor-master-and-phd).

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, (ev. the project description), as well as the applicant's academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project.

Administrative framework

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The working place is the Department of Sport and Social Sciences at NIH. 

The person who is appointed must abide by the applicable laws, agreements, and directives. The responsibilities and duties associated with the position may change with future reorganization at NIH. 

The public sector workforce is expected to reflect the diversity of the population in general. NIH therefore encourages qualified candidates with disabilities, gaps in their CV, immigrant backgrounds or different life experiences to apply for the position. NIH practices moderate allocation according to gender quotas as per the Basic Agreement for State Employees. If applicants indicate that they have disabilities or gaps in their CV, their details may be used anonymously for the purposes of governmental annual review.

Please see the rules and regulations for appointments to Ph.D. Research fellowships at NIH (https://www.nih.no/en/research/phd-program/).

Contact information

Interested applicants are advised to contact the academic community in preparing the application. Further details can be obtained by contacting:

• Professor Sigmund Loland, e-mail: sigmundl@nih.no, phone +47 92030287
• Professor and Head of Department, Lone Friis Thing, email: loneft@nih.no, phone +47 23262401

For questions regarding,

• The application/recruitment system: HR department, Senior Adviser, Bente Johansen-Aarbostad, email: bentejoh@nih.no 
• The PhD Program: Senior Adviser, Mari Corell, email: maric@nih.no