PhD student in literary studies with a focus on audiobooks and AI-generated voices

Do you want to attend graduate education with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Are you looking for an employer that invests in sustainable employeeship and offers safe, favorable working conditions? We welcome you to apply for a PhD student position at Uppsala University.

Two main subjects are studied at the department: Literature and Rhetoric. (The former subject comprises both Comparative Literature and Swedish/Scandinavian Literature.) The department also teaches the literary courses within the Teacher's Training Program in Swedish. The department is one of the leading Swedish research settings within its fields. Scholarly interests are wide, as are the theoretical approaches and the methodologies applied. Certain areas of specialization have been formalized, and a dedicated Section for the Sociology of Literature has existed since 1965. Our ambition is to be a leading research environment nationally and internationally in both Swedish and international literature.

For more information, see: https://www.uu.se/en/department/literature-and-rhetoric.

We are now announcing a fully funded PhD position in literary studies with a focus on audiobooks and AI-generated voices. This position is a part of the interdisciplinary research environment “VOICE. AI-Created Voices: Legal and Societal Perspectives” (2025–2030) (SRC 2024-01832), funded by the Swedish Research Council, with Principal Investigator Katja de Vries, Associate Professor of Public Law at the Faculty of Law, Uppsala University.

The VOICE project aims to develop interdisciplinary perspectives on the use of synthetic voices in cultural and creative sectors, thereby supporting legal research relevant to democracy, constitutional rights of citizens, creative innovation, and artistic freedom. Further information about the research environment and project group is available here: https://www.uu.se/en/department/law/news/archive/2024-11-20-research-project-on-ai-created-voices-receives-millions-in-funding.

The announced PhD position falls under Work Package 3 in VOICE: “AI Audiobooks: Investigating the Incentives and Implications of Synthetic Voices in Practice.” The responsible researcher for this part is Karl Berglund, Assistant Professor in Literary Studies at Uppsala University, affiliated with the Section for Sociology of Literature. The project investigates and analyzes the effects of the ongoing introduction of AI-generated/synthetic voices in audiobooks on the contemporary book market, literature, and reading culture. For an application to be considered, the proposed PhD project and its dissertation plan (see below) must clearly align with this research area. It is also advantageous if the project takes an interdisciplinary approach in terms of materials, methods, and theory. For more information, contact Karl Berglund (karl.berglund@littvet.uu.se).

Duties

The PhD-student position is a 4-year full time appointment, and the candidate will primarily devote the time to their own research, the outcome of which is a PhD dissertation. Other departmental work, such as teaching or administration can be part of the position (maximum 20 %), but requires a working knowledge of Swedish. If such duties are assigned, the employment period will be extended accordingly. The candidate will also be integrated into the interdisciplinary research environment of VOICE, participating in planning meetings, workshops, and seminars.

A doctoral (PhD) student is expected to conduct research and to contribute to the development of knowledge within the discipline. The doctoral student will be expected to be physically present at the Department and actively interact in the program environment, which includes active participation in the Department’s third-cycle and research seminars. While the Department's working language is Swedish, the PhD program may be conducted in English. However, non-Swedish PhD students are encouraged to learn basic Swedish during their PhD program.

Requirements

Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Hold a Master’s degree in Literary Studies, or
• Have completed at least 240 ECTS credits, of which at least 60 ECTS are at the advanced level, including an independent research project of at least 15 ECTS in Literary Studies, or
• Have acquired equivalent knowledge in another way.
• Have excellent written and spoken proficiency in English, and be proficient in reading academic literature in at least two additional languages.

Additional qualifications

• Good written and spoken proficiency in Swedish.
• Academic or professional experience related to the contemporary book market, audiobooks, and/or generative AI, particularly synthetic voices.
• Experience with interdisciplinary work.
• Experience with various research methodologies in the humanities and social sciences (text analysis, interviews, surveys, fieldwork, data analysis, etc.).

Application

The application must include:

• Bachelor's, Master’s, and other relevant theses.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Certified copies of diplomas and degree certificates.
• Documentation of language proficiency (high school diploma or an approved language test; if no documentation is available, applicants may request a language test as part of the selection process).
• Contact details for two referees.
• A dissertation plan (maximum 20,000 characters, including spaces, footnotes, and references) in Swedish or English. The plan should clearly outline the dissertation's structure, demonstrate a feasible scope, and highlight its contribution to research. It should include a subject description, delimitation, material, theoretical and methodological framework, and a review of relevant research in the field.
• A personal statement (maximum 2,500 characters, including spaces) explaining the applicant's interest in and motivation for the research area.
• Any relevant publications and additional supporting documents.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

About the employment

The position is a fixed-term appointment in accordance with Chapter 5, Section 7 of the Higher Education Ordinance. The employment is full-time, with a starting date of September 1, 2025, or as agreed. Workplace: Uppsala.

For further information, please contact: Karl Berglund, researcher in VOICE (karl.berglund@littvet.uu.se); Otto Fischer, Director of Doctoral Studies (otto.fischer@littvet.uu.se; +46 18-471 29 41); Stina Lundell, HR Generalist (stina.lundell@littvet.uu.se; +46 72-999 92 25).

Application Deadline: 19 mars 2025, UFV-PA 2025/426.

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