PhD Candidate in Modern Economic History

Norwegian University of Science and Technology - Department of Modern History and Society

About the position

The position is for a period of three years and would start on 1 February 2026.

We offer an exciting 3-year PhD position that gives you the opportunity to develop a strong profile as researcher. The 3-year PhD fellowship is associated with a European Research Council/Horizon Europe research project, entitled “BLOCKADE: The Hidden Weapon. Blockade in the Era of the Two Worlds”. The project explores the impact and legacy of the (sea) blockades during and after both world wars and is undertaken by international teams in four locations, including at NTNU, the University of Freiburg, the University of Amsterdam and the University of Hamburg. For a position as a PhD fellow, the goal is a completed doctoral education and the attainment of a doctoral degree.

PhD Candidate will focus on the work package Living Standards. This work package will examine the effect of blockade-induced shortages in order to establish the extent to which these shortages affected the standard of living and post-war consumption habits of households. The project will focus on one major blockaded belligerent (e.g., Germany, or Austria-Hungary) and on one blockaded neutral or occupied country (e.g., Norway, Poland, Belgium) in the First World War or in the Second World War. The PhD will have to develop meaningful indicators as standard concepts on measuring living standards do not work for wartime. They will also have to isolate blockade effects from larger wartime factors. Published and unpublished quantitative data, diaries, newspapers, government files, as well as files from municipal and regional archives will serve as source base.

The PhD candidate is encouraged to develop their own approach to these questions, for example by focusing on specific goods typically consumed by private households. The working package is one of four positions across the four BLOCKADE locations that should speak to the theme of violence/care that determines the impact of blockades on demographic developments and living standards, on their adoption as a seemingly ‘benign’ form of coercion by the League of Nations and on the humanitarian responses they evoked. The theme aims to offer new insights into the connection between blockades and the totalisation and civilianisation of warfare as well as the making of modern humanitarian law and practice. The team members will work together across locations to build a rich source base for BLOCKADE.

The PhD candidate will work with the project leader of the Trondheim team, Jonas Scherner, and their immediate ‘line manager’ will be the Head of Department.

About the project

BLOCKADE (ERC Synergy Grant #101166983) explores the two blockades of the First and Second World Wars, and their aftermaths. In these total wars, the Allies imposed a global blockade on their enemies, and the Central and Axis powers responded with blockades of their own. Over a period of six years, the BLOCKADE team, based in Trondheim, Hamburg, Amsterdam and Freiburg, will analyse the impact of blockades on households, states, corporations and the international order; on the development of political and military strategy; on how the wars were prepared, experienced and remembered; and on how peace was made. BLOCKADE sets out to prove that these blockades are crucial to understanding not only the way the world wars were fought but also their globality and totality, their immediate effects and their long-term global repercussions. More information can also be found on www.blockades.eu.

At NTNU’s Department of Modern History and Society, the project team will be located within a rewarding professional environment with an active community of PhD candidates and postdocs.

Duties of the position

As a PhD fellow, you will be expected to:

• Develop your own approach to the project
• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Identify knowledge gaps in the relevant literature
• Adopt appropriate methodology
• Gather information from a variety of sources
• Work closely with the other members of the project team
• Actively participate in the research and outreach activities of BLOCKADE
• Actively participate in the project’s workshops, seminars and conferences
• Contribute to data collection (qualitative and quantitative primary sources) for the central database located in Amsterdam

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

You must have an academically relevant background within history. You must have a master’s degree in history or equivalent. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education. You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme. Excellent oral and written presentation skills in English (equivalent to level B2). Excellent reading skills in the languages of both of the countries to be examined in the dissertation project (equivalent to level B1).

Preferred selection criteria

Academically relevant background within economic history. Experience working with historical sources.

Personal characteristics

Self-motivated and enthusiastic. Strong attention to detail. Goal-oriented. Team player. Intellectual independence and creativity. Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

Exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment. An open and inclusive working environment with dedicated colleagues. Favourable benefits as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK). Employee benefits.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 536 200,- per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary. The employment period is 3 years. For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Historical and Cultural Studies within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment. The position is conditional on external funding. As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them. For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis. The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control.

About the application

The attachments must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English. The application must include: Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees, CV, Copy of Master's thesis, Project outline, Short letter of motivation, Possibly publications etc. other relevant research work, Possibly certificates, Names and contact information of three relevant referees. If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, you also need to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education.