Sunday 24 May 2015

OPEN LETTER TO THE FRENCH EDUCATION SECRETARY

At the end of March we informed you of the French government´s plan to significantly lower the status of the ancient languages within the French educational system. This modification would undoubtedly lead to a substantial decline in the number of students studying either Ancient Greek or Latin. Follow the link in order to see the relevant entry (http://fiecnet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/petition-to-maintain-status-of-latin.html).

Seeing that the French Ministry of Education does not show any intention to reconsider their plan, FIEC has decided to address an open letter concerning the issue to the Education Secretary, Mme N. Vallaud-Belkacem. Please read the full letter below:


FIEC,
Le Président :                                                                                                        
Prof. Franco Montanari
Via San Luca 8
I – 56011 Calci (PI)

tél. (prof.) + 39 010 209 9724
tél. (privé) + 39 050 93 93 19
franco.montanari@unige.it

Lettre ouverte
à Madame la Ministre
de l’Éducation nationale,
de l’Enseignement supérieur
et de la Recherche,
Mme N. Vallaud-Belkacem


                                                      Università di Genova, le 19 mai 2015

Madame la Ministre,

La réforme annoncée du collège et ses conséquences pour l’enseignement du latin et du grec suscitent depuis plusieurs semaines une émotion qui dépasse désormais les frontières de la France et justifie que la Fédération Internationale des Associations d’Études Classiques (FIEC), que nous représentons, se permette d’intervenir dans le débat en vous adressant ce courrier.
La FIEC, créée en 1947, est une organisation faîtière qui regroupe la plupart des associations d’études classiques dans le monde. Elle a pour but de favoriser la collaboration entre les savants mais aussi de soutenir et d’encourager les classical studies à tous les niveaux et sur tous les continents, et notamment l’apprentissage des langues anciennes.
Sans un tel apprentissage, les sciences de l’Antiquité (philosophie, philologie, archéologie, histoire, littérature…) et leurs nombreuses sous-disciplines (épigraphie, numismatique, paléographie, papyrologie…) n’existeraient tout simplement pas. En effet, les textes documentaires ou littéraires écrits en grec ou en latin qui sont parvenus jusqu’à nous constituent le socle commun sur lequel se fondent ces sciences et, partant, notre connaissance de la civilisation gréco-romaine. Or si ces sciences, développées par les humanistes de la Renaissance, sont encore vivantes et productives au XXIe siècle, c’est parce que ce patrimoine textuel, loin d’être une sorte de mémoire morte, s’enrichit chaque jour. Non seulement les savants découvrent de nouveaux témoins (papyri, ostraka, inscriptions, manuscrits), mais surtout ces découvertes suscitent en permanence de nouvelles interprétations qui intéressent tous les champs des sciences humaines. Leur écho se fait entendre bien au delà de la seule communauté savante.
Autrement dit, la disparition ou l’affaiblissement significatif des langues anciennes dans l’enseignement secondaire aura des effets – aujourd’hui ignorés ou sous-évalués – catastrophiques pour la recherche française de haut niveau : ce sont des domaines entiers des sciences humaines dont la vitalité, sinon l’existence, seront, par ricochet, menacés, en particulier en archéologie et en histoire. En sapant les fondations des études classiques, on affaiblira et condamnera à court terme un secteur de la science française qui, malgré un contexte international de plus en plus concurrentiel, reste dynamique et conserve une place éminente, comme l’a encore montré le dernier Congrès mondial de la FIEC, qui s’est tenu à Bordeaux en août 2014.
Puisque les sciences humaines ne peuvent se passer d’hellénistes et de latinistes sérieusement formés, leur vocation doit pouvoir être éveillée dès le collège. C’est un moment essentiel, où se sont dessinées dans de petits collèges de province, et pas seulement dans des établissements de grandes villes, les carrières de certains de ceux qui aujourd’hui illustrent l’image de la recherche française en grec ou en latin à l’étranger. Pour cela, des enseignements de civilisation ne suffisent pas : il faut donner aux élèves un accès direct aux langues anciennes, offert à tous ceux qui en expriment le désir. Le but n’est évidemment pas de former des spécialistes dès le collège, mais de maintenir ouverte, pour tous ceux que l’Antiquité passionne, la possibilité de se construire un parcours où le grec et le latin aient leur place. Cette liberté est l’une des spécificités de l’enseignement secondaire français : l’apprentissage des langues anciennes n’y a jamais été, comme ailleurs, cantonné à certains établissement privés et réservé à des publics privilégiés, mais ouvert à tous ; et il a largement contribué, pendant des décennies, à la réputation de rigueur et d’excellence du modèle éducatif français.
À ces enjeux stratégiques s’ajoute la nécessité, qui revient principalement à l’école, de transmettre aux jeunes générations une histoire et une culture communes. Or c’est autour de la Méditerranée que se sont formées les grandes civilisations qui ont permis de construire l’Europe : Grecs, Romains, Arabes, Carthaginois, Hébreux, et bien d’autres peuples encore ont communiqué dans une interaction féconde dont nous devons préserver et faire connaître les précieux témoignages. Construire la France de demain ne passera que par une compréhension du passé ; et cette constatation vaut pour tous les autres pays affiliés à la FIEC par l’entremise de leurs associations d’études classiques.
Dans l’espoir que cette lettre saura trouver votre intérêt et votre compréhension, nous vous prions de recevoir, Madame la Ministre, l’assurance de nos sentiments respectueux.


Franco Montanari, Président de la FIEC


EGYPTOLOGY JOB OPENING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD


Apart from the open letter, we would like to make you aware of a job opening at the Oriental Institute of the University of Oxford. The opening is for a Departmental Lectureship in Egyptology (including Demotic and Coptic). Please follow the link to see all relevant information: https://www.recruit.ox.ac.uk/pls/hrisliverecruit/erq_jobspec_version_4.display_form

Friday 15 May 2015

COMPETITION HELD BY THE ACCADEMIA VIVARIUM NOVUM

This week´s news consists of two pieces of information.
Firstly, we would like to let you know about the competition titled “Latin, Greek and Humanities” which has been announced by the Academy Vivarium Novum in Rome, Italy. See below to read the full announcement referring to the academic year 2015/16:

“The Academy Vivarium Novum is offering ten full tuition scholarships for high school students (16-18 years old) and twenty-eight full tuition scholarships for University students (18-24 years old) of any part of the world. The scholarships will cover all of the costs of room, board, teaching and didactic materials for courses to be held from October 5, 2015 until June 18, 2016 on the grounds of the Academy’s campus at Rome.

Application letters must be sent to candidati@vivariumnovum.net by July 10. For early consideration, applications sent by May 31 will receive an answer at the beginning of July. Otherwise, candidates will receive a response before the end of August.


The courses will be as follows:
- Latin language (fundamental and advanced)
- Greek language (fundamental and advanced)
- Latin composition
- Roman History
- Ancient Latin literature
- History of ancient Philosophy
- Renaissance and Neo-Latin literature
- Latin and Greek music and poetry
- Classics reading seminars

The goal is to achieve a perfect command of both Latin and Greek through a total immersion in the two languages in order to master without any hindrances the texts and concepts which have been handed down from the ancient times, middle ages, the Renaissance period and modern era, and to cultivate the humanities in a manner similar to the Renaissance humanists.

All the classes will be conducted in Latin, except for Greek classes which will be conducted in ancient Greek.

In the letter the prospective student should indicate the following:

1. Full name;
2. Date and location of birth;
3. What school you currently attend;
4. How long you have studied Latin and/or Greek;
5. Which authors and works you have read;
6. Other studies and primary interests outside of school.

In addition, please attach a recent photograph and a copy of your passport or your ID card.


(For more information about the Academy, you may visit the website www.vivariumnovum.net or read the presentation: www.vivariumnovum.net/presentation)”

THREE POST-DOC POSITIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NAPLES

Secondly, we would like to make you aware of three post-doc positions of two years (renewable up to a maximum of four years) which are offered by the Dipartimento Studi Umanistici of the University of Naples, Italy. The positions have been designed in order to contribute to the project called PLATINUM (Papyri and LAtin Texts: INsights and Updated Methodologies). Please follow the links to get all the relevant information concerning each position:





If you have any further questions, please contact Dott. Maria Chiara Scappaticcio
Principal Investigator ERC-Starting Grant 2014 PLATINUM - Papyri and LAtin Texts: INsights and Updated Methodologies (mariachiara.scappaticcio@unina.it)


Monday 11 May 2015

TWO POSITIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG, SWITZERLAND AND THREE VISITING PROFESSORSHIPS IN CHINA

TWO POSITIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG, SWITZERLAND

In this week´s entry we would like to announce to you a number of job openings at two different Universities.
Firstly, we would like to make you aware of two positions offered by the Arts Faculty of the University of Freiburg, Switzerland:
On the one hand the Faculty advertises a position of a lecturer and researcher (50%) in the field of Neo-Latin language and Literature (Latin Studies of the Renaissance). Applicants should be experienced lecturers as well as scholars who have specialized in the area of Neo-Latin.
On the other hand there is the position of an Associate Professor in the field of Latin Language and Literature (100%). Applicants should be versed in all genres of classical Latin.
Both jobs will commence on the 1st of September 2016. The deadline for applications is the 31st of August 2015.
The languages of instruction for both jobs are French and German. This is the reason why the advertisements for the positions were published in these languages. Read the full offers below:

First offer in French:

 La Faculté des lettres de l’Université de Fribourg (Suisse) met au concours un poste de
Maître d’enseignement et de recherche (50%)
en Études latines de la Renaissance (langue et littérature néo-latines)
Le ou la candidat-e est titulaire d’un doctorat ou de qualifications jugées équivalentes. Il ou elle possède les compétences scientifiques requises pour enseigner, au niveau universitaire (programmes d’études Bachelor et Master), la langue et la littérature latines de la Renaissance. Il ou elle possède une expérience adéquate dans l’enseignement, dans la conception et la gestion de projets de recherche, ainsi qu’un solide dossier de publications pertinentes et un réseau d’échanges académiques et scientifiques.
Le ou la candidat-e sera un-e chercheur-euse latiniste spécialisé-e dans la littérature latine de la Renaissance, mais disposant d’une formation en latin classique et d’une solide expérience dans l’enseignement de la langue et de la littérature latine de la Renaissance, et capable d’établir des liens à la fois avec la littérature antique et ses prolongements dans les littératures modernes.
Les enseignements liés à ce poste seront intégrés dans les programmes de Philologie classique en collaboration avec les programmes de littérature du Département des langues et littératures ainsi que d’autres domaines de la Faculté des lettres.
Langues d’enseignement : français et allemand.
Entrée en fonction : 1er septembre 2016.
L'Université de Fribourg promeut la relève féminine dans la carrière scientifique et encourage les femmes à faire acte de candidature.
Les dossiers de candidature, munis des documents usuels (lettre de motivation, curriculum vitae, liste des publications et des enseignements, liste des projets de recherches terminés ou en cours) ainsi que trois publications majeures sont à adresser avant le 31 août 2015, sous forme électronique uniquement, à jobs-lettres@unifr.ch.

Renseignements supplémentaires :
Prof. Thomas Schmidt, Département des langues et littératures, Domaine « Philologie classique », Université de Fribourg, Institut du monde antique et byzantin, Rue Pierre-Aeby 16, 1700 Fribourg (Suisse) – Email: thomas.schmidt@unifr.ch#

First offer in German:


 Die Philosophische Fakultät der Universität Freiburg (Schweiz) schreibt folgende Stelle aus:
Lehr- und Forschungsrätin bzw. Lehr- und Forschungsrat (50%)
für neulateinische Sprache und Literatur (lateinische Renaissancestudien)
Die Bewerberin oder der Bewerber verfügt über ein Doktorat oder äquivalente Leistungen. Sie bzw. er bringt die notwendigen wissenschaftlichen Kompetenzen mit, die es ihr bzw. ihm erlauben, die neulateinische Sprache und Literatur auf dem Niveau Bachelor und Master zu unterrichten. Sie oder er hat Erfahrung in der Lehre, in der Konzeption und Leitung von Forschungsprojekten und verfügt über ein umfassendes Publikationsdossier sowie über ein wissenschaftliches Netzwerk.
Die Bewerberin oder der Bewerber ist eine ausgewiesene Latinistin bzw. ein ausgewiesener Latinist mit Spezialisierung im Bereich Neulatein, verfügt aber über eine Ausbildung in klassischem Latein sowie über eine solide Lehrerfahrung im Bereich Neulatein. Sie bzw. er ist in der Lage, sowohl Verbindungen mit der Literatur der Antike als auch zu den Literaturen der Neuzeit herzustellen.
Die von der Inhaberin oder dem Inhaber der Stelle zu leistende Lehre ist integriert in die Lehrprogramme der klassischen Philologie in Zusammenarbeit mit den Literatur-Lehrprogrammen des Departements für Sprachen und Literaturen sowie anderer Studienbereiche der Philosophischen Fakultät.
Unterrichtssprachen: Deutsch und Französisch
Stellenantritt: 1. September 2016
Die Universität strebt die Erhöhung des Frauenanteils an; somit sind Bewerbungen von Frauen besonders willkommen.
Bewerbungen sind mit den üblichen Unterlagen (Motivationsschreiben, Lebenslauf, Schriftenverzeichnis, Verzeichnis der Lehrveranstaltungen, Verzeichnis der abgeschlossenen oder laufenden Forschungsprojekte) unter Hinzufügung von drei aussagekräftigen Schriften ausschliesslich auf elektronischem Weg bis zum 31. August 2015 an folgende Adresse zu richten: jobs-lettres@unifr.ch

Weitere Auskünfte:
Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmidt, Departement für Sprachen und Literaturen, Studienbereich „Klassische Philologie“, Universität Freiburg, Institut für Antike und Byzanz, Rue Pierre-Aeby 16, 1700 Fribourg (Suisse) – Email: thomas.schmidt@unifr.ch.


Second offer in French:


 La Faculté des lettres de l’Université de Fribourg (Suisse) met au concours un poste de
Professeur-e associé-e en langue et littérature latines (100%)
Le ou la candidat-e est titulaire d’un doctorat et d'une habilitation ou de qualifications jugées équivalentes. Il ou elle possède les compétences scientifiques requises pour enseigner, au niveau universitaire (programmes d’études Bachelor et Master), la langue et la littérature latines des origines à la fin de l’Antiquité tardive. Il ou elle possède une expérience adéquate dans l’enseignement, dans la conception et la gestion de projets de recherche, ainsi qu’un solide dossier de publications pertinentes et un réseau d’échanges académiques et scientifiques.
Le ou la candidat-e sera un-e chercheur-euse latiniste de haut niveau, dont le profil scientifique de spécialisation est ouvert en termes de genres littéraires, mais se situe dans le champ du latin classique. Des compétences dans le domaine de l’édition critique et de la théorie littéraire seront considérées comme des atouts. Le ou la titulaire du poste sera amené-e à collaborer activement avec l’Institut du monde antique et byzantin de l’Université de Fribourg ainsi qu’avec le Département des langues et littératures et d’autres domaines de la Faculté des lettres. Il ou elle participera également au programme doctoral de la CUSO pour les sciences de l’Antiquité.
Le ou la candidat-e devra contribuer à des formations post-grade et encadrer des travaux de recherche à tous les niveaux (travaux de Bachelor, mémoires de Master, thèses de Doctorat). Il ou elle devra également participer à la gestion et à l’administration, à différents niveaux, au sein de la Faculté des lettres.
Langues d’enseignement : français et allemand.
Entrée en fonction : 1er septembre 2016.
L'Université de Fribourg promeut la relève féminine dans la carrière scientifique et encourage les femmes à faire acte de candidature.
Les dossiers de candidature, munis des documents usuels (lettre de motivation, curriculum vitae, liste des publications et des enseignements, liste des projets de recherches terminés ou en cours) ainsi que de cinq publications majeures sont à adresser avant le 31 août 2015, sous forme électronique uniquement, à jobs-lettres@unifr.ch.

Renseignements supplémentaires :
Prof. Thomas Schmidt, Département des langues et littératures, Domaine « Philologie classique », Université de Fribourg, Institut du monde antique et byzantin, Rue Pierre-Aeby 16, 1700 Fribourg (Suisse) – Email: thomas.schmidt@unifr.ch


Second offer in German:


 Die Philosophische Fakultät der Universität Freiburg (Schweiz) schreibt folgende Stelle aus:
Assoziierte Professur in Lateinischer Sprache und Literatur (100%)
Die Bewerberin oder der Bewerber verfügt über ein Doktorat und eine Habilitation oder äquivalente Leistungen. Sie bzw. er bringt die notwendigen wissenschaftlichen Kompetenzen mit, die es ihr oder ihm erlauben, die lateinische Sprache von den Anfängen bis zum Ende der Spätantike auf dem Niveau Bachelor und Master zu unterrichten. Sie bzw. er hat Erfahrung in der Lehre, in der Konzeption und Leitung von Forschungsprojekten und verfügt über ein solides Publikationsdossier sowie über ein wissenschaftliches Netzwerk.
Die Bewerberin oder der Bewerber ist eine ausgewiesene Latinistin bzw. ein ausgewiesener Latinist, deren/dessen wissenschaftliches Profil nicht auf eine bestimmte literarische Gattung festgelegt ist, sich aber im Feld des klassischen Lateins bewegt. Kompetenzen im Bereich der kritischen Editionswissenschaft und der Literaturtheorie sind von Vorteil. Die künftige Stelleninhaberin oder der künftige Stelleninhaber ist eingeladen, aktiv mit dem Institut für Antike und Byzanz der Universität Freiburg sowie mit dem Departement für Sprachen und Literaturen und anderen Bereichen der Philosophischen Fakultät zusammenzuarbeiten. Sie bzw. er wird sich auch am Doktoratsprogramm der CUSO für Altertumswissenschaften beteiligen.
Die künftige Stelleninhaberin bzw. der künftige Stelleninhaber trägt zur Postgraduiertenausbildung bei und betreut Forschungsarbeiten auf allen Stufen (Bachelor-, Master- und Doktorarbeiten). Sie bzw. er übernimmt ebenfalls Verwaltungsaufgaben auf verschiedenen Ebenen innerhalb der Philosophischen Fakultät.
Unterrichtssprachen: Deutsch und Französisch
Stellenantritt: 1. September 2016
Die Universität strebt die Erhöhung des Frauenanteils an; somit sind Bewerbungen von Frauen besonders willkommen.
Bewerbungen sind mit den üblichen Unterlagen (Motivationsschreiben, Lebenslauf, Schriftenverzeichnis, Verzeichnis der Lehrveranstaltungen, Verzeichnis der abgeschlossenen oder laufenden Forschungsprojekte) unter Hinzufügung von fünf aussagekräftigen Schriften ausschliesslich auf elektronischem Weg bis zum 31. August 2015 an folgende Adresse zu richten: jobs-lettres@unifr.ch

Weitere Auskünfte:
Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmidt, Departement für Sprachen und Literaturen, Studienbereich „Klassische Philologie“, Universität Freiburg, Institut für Antike und Byzanz, Rue Pierre-Aeby 16, 1700 Fribourg (Suisse) – Email: thomas.schmidt@unifr.ch



THREE VISITING PROFESSORSHIPS AT NORTHEAST NORMAL UNIVERSITY IN CHANGCHUN, CHINA

Secondly, we would like to inform you of three job openings at the Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China. This is how Dr. Sven Günther, the current visiting professor, gives an overview on the University and about the available jobs in general:

“The Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations (IHAC) at Northeast Normal University (NENU) in Changchun, Jilin Province, P. R. China, invites applications for a full-time Visiting Professorship in Classics. The appointment will be fixed term from 1st September 2015 through 15th July 2015, with the possibility of an extension for the following year.

Every year IHAC employs three visiting professors in the fields of Egyptology, Assyriology, and Classics. The Institute has been established for the past 30 years and is the largest in China for the study of the ancient Near East and Western Classics. IHAC has its own journal, The Journal of Ancient Civilizations (http://www.hsozkult.de/journals/id/zeitschriften-684) as well as an up-to-date library.
The visiting professor will be expected to teach between 8 and 12 hours per week, all in English, and contribute to the research output of the department. Term dates are roughly 1st September to 10th January and then 1st March to 10th July, but these are subject to change depending on the lunar calendar; the Chinese holidays as well as the major national holidays of the appointee’s country will be observed. Salary will be around 5,000 RMB to 6,500 RMB per month, depending on experience, but the university will also pay and provide accommodation for the appointee and to a certain extent cover municipal expenses, such as electricity. Funding is also available for travel around China, and the university will pay for one round-trip flight from home country to Changchun. Health care will be provided by the university, but this does not cover the cost of prescriptions.

Northeast Normal University (http://en.nenu.edu.cn/) is located in the city of Changchun in Jilin Province. The city consists of about 4 million people and is home to a large number of universities. A ‘normal’ university in China refers to a university for future teachers, and there are over one hundred normal universities in China, of which NENU is ranked no. 4. Living expenses are very low in Changchun, and a single person will generally not spend more than 1,000 RMB per month on food. The climate is normally dry, but has very extreme winters (-20° C) and summers (+20° C).”

The following paragraph lists further information concerning each of the three available positions:

1.       Position: Visiting Professorship in Classics

Duties and responsibilities:
The appointee will be responsible for designing and teaching courses to MA- and PhD-level students on the following subjects: Ancient Greek, Latin, and Greek and Roman History. There is also the possibility for designing other courses upon agreement from IHAC. It is also possible that the appointee may be asked to supervise students if so required. All teaching is done in English. The appointee will also be co-editor of the IHAC-journal, The Journal of Civilizations, which is accredited by the Chinese Social Science Citation Index and Thomson Reuters-web of science.

Requirements:
- A PhD in Classics.
- Research experience and a publication record that is reflective of the career stage.
- Demonstrable commitment to high-quality teaching practice, and wide teaching scope in terms of content and didactics.
- Excellent command of the English language.
- Editing experience desirable.
Chinese scholars are not permitted to apply for this post.

Application:
Deadline for applications: June 15th, 2015.
All applications have to be sent to Dr. Huipeng Ge (huipengge@163.com)
Applications should be in English and contain the following: cover letter, CV, details of 3 referees with email addresses, and a publication sample (a chapter from a PhD thesis is also acceptable).

Informal inquires can also be made to Dr. Huipeng Ge, or to the current post holder: Dr. Sven Günther, M.A. (sveneca@aol.com)



2.       Position: Visiting Professorship in Egyptology

Duties and responsibilities:
The appointee will be responsible for designing and teaching courses to MA and PhD level students on the following subjects: Middle Egyptian, Late Egyptian, Hieratic, and Egyptian Civilization. There is also the possibility for designing other courses upon agreement from IHAC. It is also possible that the appointee maybe asked to supervise students if so required. All teaching is done in English. The appointee will also be co editor of the department journal, The Journal of Ancient Civilizations, which is accredited by the Chinese Social Science Citation Index and Thomson Reuters-web of science.

Requirements:
- A PhD in Egyptology.
- Research experience and a publication record that are reflective of career stage.
- Demonstrable commitment to high-quality teaching practice, and wide teaching scope in terms of content and didactics.
- Excellent command of the English language.
- Editing experience desirable.
Chinese scholars are not permitted to apply for this post and a preference will be given to experienced candidates.

Application:
Deadline for applications: June 15th, 2015.
All applications have to be sent to Dr. Huipeng Ge (huipengge@163.com)
Applications should be in English and contain the following: cover letter, CV, details of 3 referees with email addresses, and a publication sample (a chapter from a PhD thesis is also acceptable).

Informal inquires can also be made to Dr. Huipeng Ge, or to the current visiting professor: Dr. Sven Günther, M.A. (sveneca@aol.com


3.       Position: Visiting Professorship in Assyriology

Duties and responsibilities:
The appointee will be responsible for designing and teaching courses to MA and PhD level students on the following subjects: Akkadian, Sumerian, Near Eastern History and Culture. There is also the possibility for designing other courses upon agreement from IHAC. It is also possible that the appointee may be asked to supervise students if so required. All teaching is done in English. The appointee will also be co-editor of the department journal, The Journal of Ancient Civilizations, which is accredited by the Chinese Social Science Citation Index and Thomson Reuters-web of science.

Requirements:
- A PhD in Assyriology or related field.
- Research experience and a publication record that are reflective of career stage.
- Demonstrable commitment to high-quality teaching practice, and wide teaching scope in terms of content and didactics.
- Excellent command of the English language.
- Proficiency in Akkadian and Sumerian (it is currently not possible to teach other Near Eastern languages).
- Editing experience desirable.
Chinese scholars are not permitted to apply for this post and a preference will be given to experienced candidates.

Application:
Deadline for applications: June 15th, 2015.
All applications have to be sent to Dr. Huipeng Ge (huipengge@163.com)
Applications should be in English and contain the following: cover letter, CV, details of 3 referees with email addresses, and a publication sample (a chapter from a PhD thesis is also acceptable).


Informal inquires can also be made to Dr. Huipeng Ge, or to the current visiting professor: Dr. Sven Günther, M.A. (sveneca@aol.com)  

Wednesday 6 May 2015

TWO EARLY-STAGE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA

This week´s entry contains two announcements. Firstly, we would like to make you aware of an offer to young foreign researchers by the University of Bologna: The Institute for Advanced Studies has initiated the selection procedure for the assignment of two annual scholarships (EARLY STAGE Research Fellowships) for the year 2016.
Please note that the deadline for submissions is the 30th of May 2015 (11.55pm). Read all the relevant information below:


Selection procedure
for the assignment of two annual scholarships for young foreign researchers (EARLY-STAGE Research Fellowships) for the year 2016
Submission of application: From April 15 to May 30, 2015 (Deadline 11.55 pm May 30, 2015)
Decree April 13, 2015, n.14

Art.1 - In accordance with its institutional aims, the ISA - Istituto di Studi Avanzati - intends to allocate two annual scholarships for young foreign researchers (Early-Stage Research Fellowships) for the year 2016.

Art.2 - Each Fellowship will be awarded to an early-career researcher in order to support the research activities of the University of Bologna and promote their international value.

Art.3 - The conditions of the Early-Stage Research Fellowship (ESRF) are as follows:
1. The candidate must receive an invitation from a Professor or Researcher at the University of Bologna, who will act as supervisor and will provide access to research facilities.
2. Each Fellow will receive an annual grant and will carry out his/her activity from January to December 2016.
3. The annual scholarship granted to a Fellow will amount to € 15,600 gross, i.e. before tax and social security contributions, which are to be paid by the recipient and the institution. The grant will be paid in installments every two months. The ESR Fellowship grant is exclusive and cannot be utilised in conjunction with or running parallel to other grants or contracts provided by the Italian government or other public bodies in Italy.

4. ISA offers to Fellows:
• a studio-apartment in the Residence Terzo Millennio (http://bologna.rtmliving.com), via Miliani 7/2, Bologna. The residence is in the Borgo Panigale district, well-connected by public transport to the city center and to the University area (NOTE - the residence does not host minors);
• a common room equipped for study and reading located at Palazzo Paleotti, via Zamboni 25, which is in the heart of the University area.

5. Candidates:
• can be citizens of any nation except Italy and must not be resident in Italy;
• must be 36 years of age or younger at the expiration date of this announcement;
• must be in possession of a PhD degree or equivalent qualification certified by a university and achieved before the present deadline of the 30th May 2015.

6. The selection procedure will be based on publications, educational and professional qualifications and certificates of merit as well as the scientific project that the candidate proposes to carry out at the University of Bologna. Applications will be assessed by the Council of Resident Fellows of the Istituto di Studi Avanzati - external references may be requested.

7. Applications must be uploaded no later than May 30, 2015 at the following link: (https://personale.unibo.it), clicking the “Register” tab and following the instructions. The link can be also accessed from the ISA website www.isa.unibo.it  
The application must be accompanied by the following documents, which shall be uploaded:
I. curriculum vitae
II. list of publications
III. at least one letter of reference up to a maximum of three from a senior academic with knowledge of the candidate and his/her curriculum vitae
IV. a letter of invitation and written reference from the supervisor of the research project proposed by the candidate at the University of Bologna.

8. The ISA Council of Resident Fellows will prepare a merit list of candidates to be published on the Institute website within two months of the call deadline. The selection results will also be communicated to the winners.

9. The successful candidates must officially accept the Fellowship within 15 days of the date of communication of the assignment; at the time of acceptance, all official certification of academic qualifications declared in the application must also be submitted. In the event of a successful candidate who is due to receive his or her Ph.D. title after the call deadline, the related certification must be sent as soon as it is available and in any case before the start of the Fellowship.

10. Fellows will be required to: a. carry out research activities according to the plan submitted in their application and approved by the Professor or Researcher at the University of Bologna who is acting as supervisor/tutor
b. give a lesson/lecture related to their research
c. deliver a progress report (by July 15) and a final report (by December 31) on their research activities; reports are to be signed by the supervisor
d. accredit the Istituto di Studi Avanzati in any publications produced during their research activities at the University of Bologna.

11. Entry and residence in Italy of the Fellows will be regulated in accordance with Italian law and the ordinances of the local authorities. The Institute will confer injury and third-party liability coverage (RCT). ISA will provide the necessary documents to the Fellow and his/her Unibo proposer, who will then complete the procedure required to obtain a Visa.

12. The tax regime of the fellowship is calculated as income from employment; subject to the tax legislation in force, pursuant to art. 47 letter c) of Presidential Decree 917/86.

13. The ESR Fellowship does not confer the right to social security or national health service coverage. ESR Fellows are required to take out appropriate medical, accident and civic liability insurance, as established by University regulations. The Fellowship is not an employment contract; its sole purpose is to promote the cultural development and scientific progress of the Fellow.

Art. 4 - This notice of selection will be available at (www.isa.unibo.it) until the closing date of application.

Bologna, April 13, 2015


Director of the Istituto di Studi Avanzati Prof. Patrizia Brigidi

“AUTHORITY REVISITED” – CALL FOR PAPERS

Secondly, we would like to announce to you that the University of Leuven, Belgium, is going to hold a conference with the title “Authority Revisited – Towards Thomas More and Erasmus in 1516”. The meeting will take place from the 30th of November to the 3rd of December 2016. Papers are invited on a number of relevant topics (listed below). Abstracts of approximately 300 words are to be submitted until the 15th of January 2016. Read the full description of the Lectio International Conference and the full Call for Papers:

In the year 1516, two crucial texts for the cultural history of the West saw the light:
Thomas More’s Utopia and Desiderius Erasmus’s Novum Instrumentum. Both of these works
dealt freely with authoritative sources of western civilization and opened new pathways of
thought on the eve of invasive religious and political changes.

Lectio and the University of Leuven, in collaboration with its RefoRC-partners the
Johannes a Lasco Library Emden and the Europäische Melanchthon Akademie Bretten as well as
other partners, will mark the 500th birthday of both foundational texts by organizing a
conference, from November 30 through December 2, 2016. The university city of Leuven is a
most appropriate place to have this conference organized, since it was intimately involved in the
genesis and the history of both works.

The conference will be devoted to studying not only the reception and influence of Utopia and
the Novum Instrumentum in (early) modern times, but also their precursors in classical
antiquity, the patristic period, and the middle ages. The conference will thus lead to a better
understanding of how More and Erasmus used their sources, and it will address the more
encompassing question of how these two authors, through their own ideas and their use of
authoritative texts, have contributed to the rise of modern western thought.

The conference also explicitly aims at enhancing our understanding of iconographic, book-, and
art-historical aspects of the transmission of the texts under consideration, both before and after
the publication of the two works.

This multidisciplinary Lectio conference wants to bring together international scholars working
in the field of theology, art history, philosophy, history of science and historical linguistics.

THOMAS MORE: UTOPIA REVISITED

More’s colorful description of the allegedly recently discovered island of
Utopia was so influential as to lend its name to a literary genre. At the same
time, although the name Utopia is a neologism invented in More's circle ,
the utopian tradition reaches back to antiquity.

Papers are invited on the following topics:

The best known examples from classical antiquity are Plato’s descriptions of the ideal state.
Yet there are other instances, such as the myth of the golden age, elaborated in many different
ways by numerous ancient writers. In addition, More had a thorough knowledge of the works by
Greek and Roman thinkers such as Plutarch, Lucian, Cicero, and Seneca. The conference aims to
map these ancient representations of the ideal state and to study the way in which More was
influenced by them.
Equally influential is the Christian tradition, most prominently laid down in Augustine’s
City of God, a text of central importance that marks the transition from antiquity to the middle
ages. Augustine’s eschatological view of the perfect City may, for example, be the subject of
contributions to the conference. By extension, the various forms of the mythical account of
Cockaigne enter the picture as possible topics.
Also of direct impact on Utopia were reports about the New World (for example in the
letters of Amerigo Vespucci, Christopher Columbus, or Peter Martyr of Anghiera) and the images
of the New World in Europe. It would be an interesting contribution to the conference to study
in which ways the discovery and description of an “unspoiled” world and its inhabitants inspired
More’s views.
Renaissance humanists also influenced More’s Utopia. The most renowned example is, of
course, Erasmus. But the views of other humanists, like Pico della Mirandola, also shaped More’s
thought. Similarly, the scholastic tradition deserves to be studied in at this juncture.
Renaissance humanism and scholasticism were difficult to reconcile, according to More, and on
more than one occasion he sets one over against the other.
The conference shall also pay due attention to the reception of Utopia in early modern
times, both in the vernacular and in Latin. Authors such as Tommaso Campanella, Vasco de
Quiroga, Francis Bacon, Johann Eberlin, Kaspar Stiblin, and Johann Valentin Andreae may be
investigated in this regard, as well as the genre of the picaresque novel.
Of particular interest are iconographic, book-, and art-historical aspects of the
transmission of Utopia as well as the works of More’s predecessors.

ERASMUS: THE NEW TESTAMENT REVISITED
Erasmus’s revision of the New Testament text was groundbreaking. Obviously,
however, Erasmus’s foundational work cannot be properly understood apart
from his predecessors’ endeavors to translate the Bible and to comment on it,
or to deal with the Bible from a text-critical perspective.

Papers are invited on the following topics:

Papers studying biblical exegesis in Christian antiquity and its reception in the works by
Erasmus. More in particular, paper topics may include Jerome’s Vulgata, Origen’s Hexapla, and
relevant commentaries on Scripture, such as those of Chrysostom and others. Erasmus’s
recourse to classical language and culture in the Annotationes to his New Testament may also
be the subject of paper proposals.
Medieval biblical exegesis: Even though self-declared pioneers like Erasmus and the
Renaissance humanists were not keen to be associated with medieval biblical exegesis, this
aspect of possible influences and sources cannot be neglected. The conference invites
contributions on the biblical Renaissance of the twelfth century and later (among others, the
Glossa ordinaria, Hugh of St. Victor and the Parisian Victorines, Peter Comestor, Peter Cantor and
Stephen Langton, Hugh of St. Cher and Nicholas of Lyra). In sum, the conference aims to explore
the extent to which Erasmus and his fellow humanists integrated the progress made by medieval
biblical exegesis.
The link between Erasmus and Renaissance humanism, both in northern Europe (Agricola,
Cornelius Gerardi Aurelius) and in Italy (Lorenzo Valla, Gianozzo Manetti). The main question is
here how Erasmus’s Christian humanism did relate to the broader cultural historical current of
renewed textual criticism.
The reception of Erasmus’s text-critical and exegetical work in the early modern era will be
explored through the establishment of (new) authoritative version(s) of the New Testament and
the debates that accompanied the process (Novum Instrumentum, Vulgata, Textus Receptus) as
well as the elaboration of humanist, Protestant, and Catholic exegesis, from Luther and
Melanchthon through Beza, from Dorpius, Franciscus Lucas Brugensis and Jansenius
Gandavensis, via Estienne, Arias Montanus, through Maldonatus, etc. We further look forward to
receiving papers on how Erasmus’ New Testament was used in the development of early
modern vernacular versions, on all sides of the confessional spectrum.
Of particular interest are iconographic, book-, and art-historical aspects of the
transmission of the texts, both of Erasmus’s predecessors and of Erasmus’s Novum
Instrumentum.

Papers may be given in English or French and the presentation should take 20 minutes.
To submit a proposal, please send an abstract of approximately 300 words (along with your
name, academic affiliation and contact information) to lectio@kuleuven.be by January 15, 2016.
Notification of acceptance will be given by the end of March 2016.

The publication of selected papers is planned in a volume to be included in the peer-reviewed
LECTIO Series (Brepols Publishers).

Invited speakers
Gillian Clark (University of Bristol), Henk Jan De Jonge (Leiden University), Günter Frank
(Europäische Melanchthon Akademie), Brad Gregory (University of Notre Dame), Quentin
Skinner (Queen Mary University of London)

Venue of the Conference
The Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe, Janseniusstraat 1, 3000 Leuven

Organizing committee
Erik De Bom, Anthony Dupont, Wim François, Jan Papy, Marleen Reynders, Andrea Robiglio,
Violet Soen, Gerd Van Riel

Scientific committee
Rita Beyers (U Antwerpen), Erik De Bom (KU Leuven), Wim François (KU Leuven), Günter Frank
(Europäische Melanchthon Akademie, Bretten), Jill Kraye (The Warburg Institute), Oswyn
Murray (Oxford), Jan Papy (KU Leuven), Andrea Robiglio (KU Leuven), Herman Selderhuis
(Johannes a Lasco Bibliothek, Emden), Violet Soen (KU Leuven), Gerd Van Riel (KU Leuven), Wim Verbaal (U Gent)

CONTACT

LECTIO KU Leuven
Faculties of Arts, Law, Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies
Blijde Inkomststraat 5
3000 Leuven
BELGIUM
+32 16 328778