The Byzness, 21st August 2023
Oxford University Byzantine Society
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THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY BYZANTINE SOCIETY
The Byzness, 21st August 2023 (Summer Vacation 3rd Edition)
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1. NEWS AND EVENTS
2. CALLS FOR PAPERS
3. JOBS AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Greetings to you all from a sunny Oxford afternoon. Sending this wrap-up edition of the early-mid August Byzness. A high number of Calls for Papers are included, please read carefully and do apply! Best wishes,
N.W.
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1. NEWS AND EVENTS
Hellenic Society- The Hellenic and Roman Societies are holding a joint event with the Classical Collections Network at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, on Friday 29 September.
The event includes a number of talks, a tour of the Classical collections on display at the National Museum of Scotland, and tea.
There is no charge to attend, but please reserve your place here, where you will find further information and the programme:
https://www.romansociety.org/Events/Event-Booking/EventId/11
The deadline for booking is Sunday 3 September.
[Prelim. Program for 49th BSANA Conference]
Please find attached the preliminary program for the 49th Annual Byzantine Studies Conference, 26–29 October 2023 in Vancouver.
Don't forget to register for the conference (https://www.sfu.ca/hellenic-studies/bsc2023.html), and be sure that your BSANA membership is up-to-date (https://bsana.net/members/)!
Call for chairs:
If you are interested in chairing a session (see the openings on the program, highlighted in yellow), please let me (hoste...@kenyon.edu) know your preferred session(s) and I will add you to the official program.
I look forward to seeing you in Vancouver!
Brad Hostetler, 2023 BSC Program Chair
[H-Net Call for Editors] The H-Net platform has numerous networks and is a valuable tool for scholars to connect and in an open and friendly environment. However, as a Roman historian who was looking for ways to become more active on H-Net, I discovered that there are no networks for scholars of the ancient world. Consequently, I aim to establish a new H-Net Network, H-Antiquity, and am seeking review editors, a network co-editor, and advisory board members.
The proposed H-Antiquity network is for the study of all aspects of the global ancient world from the Paleolithic through Late Antiquity. Scholars of both transnational and local studies in a range of fields, including history, art history, archeology, and anthropology, are encouraged to engage in discussion forums, blogs, reviews, archive collections, and other aspects of the network, which we hope to establish within the coming months.
To submit a formal application for H-Antiquity, the network needs to have at least four dedicated members serving either as editors or advisory board members. Once the project is underway, we will ultimately be seeking a total of three review editors, one network co-editor, and three advisory board members.
Review editors commission and edit reviews of recent publications or other material of interest to network subscribers. Reviewers are provided with several in-depth guides and support from H-Net. H-Net handles all book ordering and mailing and provides professional copyediting for every review.
Network editors moderate all posts in the network’s moderation queue (other than book reviews) and develop diverse academic content, such as conference reports, blog series, or podcasts.
Advisory Board Members help set network policies within the bounds of H-Net’s guidelines, and mediate disputes concerning editorial decisions. Common responsibilities for board members include helping with recruitment, serving as discussants on the network’s comment feed, and helping editors design and implement new projects.
Applicants should have strong qualifications (advanced candidacy or Ph.D.) and be willing to commit to a two-year term. Editorial positions can be filled by scholars at any stage in their careers while advisory board members should be well-established scholars. Ideally, applicants will have editorial experience, a wide range of expertise on global antiquity, be engaged in interdisciplinary scholarship, and have a broad interpretation of global antiquity. Candidates with diverse characteristics, including people of color, LGBTQIA+, and first-generation scholars, are encouraged to apply.
If interested, please contact Sheena Finnigan though her H-Net Profile with a brief expression of your interest, qualifications, and a CV. Please specify which position you are applying for.
[Exhibition Announcement] Africa & Byzantium (opening at The Met New York (Metropolitan, November 19) will be a major exhibition of nearly 180 works that explores the tradition of Byzantine art and culture in Africa from the 4th through the 15th century and beyond. It will feature many international loans being exhibited in the United States for the first time, as well as dynamic, contemporary works that bring the complexities of the past into the present.
Art history has long emphasized the glories of the Byzantine Empire (ca. 330–1453), but less known are the profound artistic contributions of North Africa, Egypt, Nubia, Ethiopia, and other powerful African kingdoms whose pivotal interactions with Byzantium had a lasting impact on the Mediterranean world. Bringing together a range of masterworks—from mosaic, sculpture, pottery, and metalwork to luxury objects, paintings, and religious manuscripts—this exhibition recounts Africa’s central role in international networks of trade and cultural exchange.
With artworks rarely or never before seen in public, this long-overdue exhibition sheds new light on the staggering artistic achievements of medieval Africa and offers a more complete history of how the vibrant, multiethnic societies of north and east Africa shaped the artistic, economic, and cultural life of Byzantium and beyond.
This interdisciplinary exhibition will be of particular interest to faculty and students in Byzantine, African, and medieval studies; art and art history; theology and religion; classics; archaeology; and other related fields.
For more details, please see The Met’s exhibition webpage and the exhibition catalogue (now available for pre-order).
To make a reservation for a group visit, please see https://www.metmuseum.org/visit/group-visits.
If you would like images of select works in the exhibition for use in graduate and undergraduate lectures, please "reply all" to this email to get in touch.
Looking forward to seeing you at The Met!
[Seminar Announcement]
International Seminar "Approaching Byzantium Through Seals: A Digital Exhibition" University of Cologne
The Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies of the University of Cologne invites applications for the International Seminar “Approaching Byzantium through seals: a digital exhibition”, organised in the framework of the project “DiBS – Creating a Sustainable Digital Infrastructure for Research-Based Teaching in Byzantine Studies”, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.
Byzantine seals have emerged lately as a valuable resource for the study of Byzantium. This course aims to bring together students from various parts of the world and provide them with the skills to analyse and use seals as a source for understanding Byzantine society and culture, without requiring an extensive background in sigillography. At the same time, the students will contribute to the creation of a digital scholarly exhibition, which will revolve around some themes related to the topic of the Seminar.
Structure: Two introductory sessions (17.11.2023 and 24.11.2023) after the end of which students will be handed out assignments with the aim of analysing seals under the prism of specific questions and topics, such as identity, relation between text and image, expressions of piety, and individual representation. At the end of the semester there will be a week-long workshop (19.02.–23.02.2024) with presentations and discussion of the commentary and the texts prepared by the students.
Aims: The students will have the opportunity to contribute to the creation of an online exhibition that is intended to serve as reference to the wider scholarly community and public, by introducing seals as a crucial source for the society and culture of Byzantium. The exhibition will consist of texts on topics related to the history and culture of Byzantium, focused on a set number of seals selected out for this purpose. These texts will be produced by the students and the instructor during the course.
Application: Please fill in the application form and the motivation statement (no longer than 500 words) describing the academic achievements, the scholarly interests, and the reasons for applying to this course. Please address any queries to: c.mal...@uni-koeln.de
The full call for application is here https://uni.koeln/5RZFF as well as attached to this message.
All the very best from Cologne and looking forward to hearing from many of you,
Martina (Filosa)
[Call for applications]
International Workshop “Digital Approaches to Post-Byzantine Inscriptions”
December 4th - 7th, 2023 | University of Cologne (and online)
The Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies of the University of Cologne invites applications for the International Workshop “Digital Approaches to Post-Byzantine Inscriptions”, organised in the framework of the project “DiBS – Creating a Sustainable Digital Infrastructure for Research-Based Teaching in Byzantine Studies”, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. For more information on this project see https://uni.koeln/NXPQU
Assoc. Prof. Tsvetan Vasilev and Dr. Dimitar Iliev from the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia will introduce the audience to the fascinating world of post-Byzantine church murals and their accompanying texts. Topics like the place of the text in the iconographic programme of an Orthodox religious building, text reuse and intertextuality, church inscriptions as a part of cultural code and group identity on the Balkans during the Ottoman period, language contact and multilingualism, etc., will be discussed. The participants will also be introduced to the digital methods of encoding and visualisation of such inscriptions, including EpiDoc XML, front-end tools, indices and authority files.
Structure: The workshop will be hybrid and will take place from December 4th to 7th at the University of Cologne. Remote participation is not only possible but strongly encouraged. To ensure the workshop runs smoothly, the number of participants is limited to 15.
Eligibility: Postgraduate (Master or PhD) students in the fields of Byzantine Studies, Classics, Medieval History, or Digital Humanities, or early career researchers (less than three years since defense of the thesis) in the same fields. Prior training in epigraphy is not a prerequisite, though desirable.
Application: Please fill in the application form by October 6th. Successful applicants will be informed by mid-October. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Martina Filosa at martina...@uni-koeln.de.
The full call for application can be found here: https://uni.koeln/M6KQG, as well as attached to this message.
2. CALL FOR PAPERS
[CfP] Call for Papers: Epiros: The Other Western Rome [Session #4757] (ICMS Kalamazoo, May 9 - 11, 2024)
This conference session seeks to delve into the historical and cultural importance of Epiros as the "Other West" of the polycentric Byzantine world after the Fourth Crusade of 1204. The fallout following the crusaders’ conquest of Constantinople allowed Epiros to play a pivotal role as both innovator and separatist in the fragmented political and social landscape of the Eastern Mediterranean.
In the post-1204 period, the Despotate of Epiros emerged as a new political experiment that allowed for political and ecclesiastical representation of the long-subjugated peoples of the Western Balkans. The resulting socio-political environment was fluid, multi-ethnic, espoused bilingualism, spatially self-identified, and ruthlessly pursued a three-decade bid for legitimacy. Projecting an ecumenical model of Greek, Bulgarian, Vlach and Albanian autocephalous Orthodoxy and with their own ‘Emperor of the Romans’ – Epiros positioned itself as the antithesis of the Latin colonizers and the Nicaean restoration. Self-identifying as ‘the West’ it created a tradition of autonomy that persevered until today. While this ‘Western Roman Empire’ in micro’s claims to the Constantinopolitan throne ultimately collapsed, the failure of these plans and the reclaiming of the Empire by their rivals in Nicaea created a unique legacy for Epiros as a liminal region of both Eastern and Western traditions in the centuries precededing the Ottoman Conquest.
The conference session aims to shed light on the often-overlooked history and culture of Epiros and its significance in the history of the Byzantine Empire. The papers presented will explore various aspects of Epiros' cultural significance, including its political and social structures as the place in the ‘middle,’ as well as its exceptionally well-preserved epistolary and judicial evidence which attest to a diverse ethnic background. We hope to bring together scholars from diverse fields and backgrounds to foster a deeper understanding of the region's rich history and its enduring cultural legacy.
[CfP] Call for Papers: Belligerent Saints: Violence in Eastern Christian Hagiography [Session #5088] (ICMS Kalamazoo, May 9 - 11, 2024)
As the war in Ukraine has demonstrated, the lives of the saints, especially the Byzantine military saints, continue to be weaponized in favor of wars of conquest. While violence done to saints features prominently in the martyr accounts and is ubiquitous in hagiographic texts, some saints perpetrated acts of violence, whether against themselves, demons, or most-surprisingly, other people. The cults of the so-called military saints in Byzantium and their transmission have been the most thoroughly investigated; however, other saints and their engagement in violent acts remain relatively understudied. Exploring these neglected examples will help us to interrogate Christianity's relationship to violence and to better understand how the cult of the saints contributed to social change in Byzantium.
We invite papers that explore questions about saints as enactors of violence. While we welcome submissions about military saints, we are especially interested in papers that examine lesser-known belligerent saints who have no cultic association with the military. In addition to studies based on individual vitae, we welcome contributions that explore hagiographical dossiers that appear in metaphrastic collections, synaxaria, menologia, as well as stories about saints appearing in historiographical sources and material. Proposals should explore themes of valorization of, witnessing of, and responses to violence as well as the conceptual boundaries between spiritual and physical violence. Proposals might consider against which groups saints commit violence and how these groups change according to time and place; whether individuals are targeted by saints; what kind of institutional or property damage is committed by saints; in what ways are acts of violence held up as exemplary. Outside of these possible topics, proposals on any topic related to violence and sanctity will be considered.
Please submit proposals to https://icms.confex.com/icms/2024/cfp.cgi by September 15, 2023.
In collaboration with our sponsors, we will make every effort to help defray the cost of attendance for presenters. If you have a question about this or anything else, contact Dan Berardino (daniel_b...@berkeley.edu) and Nick Churik (nch...@princeton.edu).
[CfP] The Greek Bible in Middle-Byzantine Hagiography (Leuven, 11-13 Sept 2024)
In the framework of a Köln/Leuven joint research project on The Bible in Middle-Byzantine Hagiography, funded by the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, we are organizing a conference 11–13 September 2024 in the Arenberg Castle on the outskirts of Leuven. Confirmed speakers include Derek Krueger (keynote), Albrecht Berger, Stephanos Efthymiadis, Laurence Mellerin, Óscar Prieto Domínguez.
We invite proposals for 30-minute papers on a topic relevant to the focus of the project (https://www.arts.kuleuven.be/grieks/onderzoek/bible-hagiography).
Please submit your proposal of ca. 500 words to both conveners before 31 October 2023. You can expect to hear from us shortly before 31 December, so you have enough time to make arrangements for travel and accomodation. Please direct any queries to Ms Giulia Gollo (ggo...@uni-koeln.de)
For more information, see the attached poster and the full call here
(https://www.arts.kuleuven.be/grieks/nieuws/biblecongress).
Conveners: Claudia Sode (Köln), Reinhart Ceulemans (Leuven)
[CfP] Getting it Wrong in Late Antiquity: Call for Papers
International Medieval Congress, 1-4 July 2024, University of Leeds, UK
The Postgraduate and Early Career Late Antiquity Network (LAN)
The theme of next year’s IMC is ‘crisis’ - a word that is often recurrent in scholarship about the late antique world. Crisis itself is also usually associated with ideas of mistakes and failure, but how did late antique individuals and societies deal with being or doing wrong? Many late antique communities saw a fundamental wrongness in themselves and their world stemming from the Fall of Man and the coming apocalypse. This strand seeks to investigate how, and how far, ideas of wrongness shaped late antique societies. In a world irretrievably ribboned with error, what types of wrongness did late ancient people seek to correct, and why? How did people go about detecting wrongness in themselves, each other, and their environments? How far did they believe the eradication of wrongness from their world was a possible – or even a desirable – goal?
We invite postgraduate and early career researchers from a variety of backgrounds to discuss wrongness in late antiquity across a series of panels. The Late Antiquity Network was founded in 2012 to provide a platform for junior scholars working on a range of geographical and disciplinary areas within the period. We have held a number of workshops and conferences that aim to provide opportunities for junior researchers to present their research and build connections with others in the field and to discuss their work in a constructive environment. The participants in these panels are strongly encouraged to interpret wrongness in late antiquity within the context of their research interests. Applications from masters students, those in the early stages of their PhD, and those without a current institutional affiliation are particularly encouraged. Papers should be no more than 20 minutes, leaving 10 minutes for discussion and question time.
Suggested areas for discussion include, but are not limited to:
Ideas about progress, apocalypse, and systems collapse
Wrongness and the fall of the Roman empire
Stories of notable mistakes in literature
Taxonomies of wrongdoing and strategies for redress: classification of criminal acts, composition of law codes, trials, acquittal, torture, punishment
Theories of disability and physical difference (especially scholarly approaches informed by Queer Theory and Critical Disability Studies)
Social and sexual deviants
Religious wrongness: heresiology, doubt, conversion, confession; theological ideas of in/fallibility; public displays of wrongness (penance, renunciation of former beliefs and associates, shame culture)
Error in the material record; spoliation, repair, abandonment
Speaking and writing incorrectly in ancient education: literary models, genres, rhetoric
Wrongness in nature: extreme weather events and their interpretation; monsters, omens, marvels and miracles which rely on the transgression of natural laws
Mistakes and blame at government/state level: historical narratives surrounding defeat and failure, elite blame culture, political scapegoats, damnatio memoriae, and the ‘righting’ of wrongs by political successors
Abstracts should be limited to 300 words and accompanied by a short academic bio (c. 100 words). The deadline for submission is 11:59pm (GMT) on Thursday, 31st August 2023. Abstract submissions and/or queries should be sent to lateantiq...@gmail.com.
Ella Kirsh (Brown) and Henry Anderson (Exeter)
[CfP] The Asian Federation of Mediterranean Studies Institutes is seeking papers to be presented at the Asian Federation of Mediterranean Studies Institutes IV Biennial International Conference to be held at Academia Sinica, Taiwan’s national academy of sciences, on 18 & 19 March, 2024 on the theme of “Spaces of Familiarity, Spaces of Difference in the Mediterranean.”
Geographic factors and methods play central roles in the formation of Mediterranean studies. The sea is situated at the intersection of three continents and its waters foster transportation and communication. The basin gathers together different peoples in both cohabitation and conflict. The IV International Conference of the Asian Federation of Mediterranean Studies Institutes (AFOMEDI) will examine the nature of this “space.” The theme encourages scholars to analyze how peoples interacted with the sea basin in their political, social, economic, cultural, and religious activities and exchanges. The theme also invites researchers to explore “familiarity” and “difference” in the study of the Mediterranean from locations, cultural backgrounds, and contexts in East Asia and elsewhere. Through this conference, we hope to advance a stronger understanding of the relationship between geography and human dynamics. We will also inquire about the social constructs and sensory perceptions of geography, landscape, and human relations that created and create “spaces” in the Mediterranean.
Scholars based in East Asia and around the world working in all disciplines, thematic fields, and time periods related to the Mediterranean are welcome to present at this conference. Please submit abstracts (300 words max) and short biographical paragraphs (150 words max) to the email address below. Abstracts should include a title, a description of the content of the paper, and a clear argument. AFOMEDI is unable to support travel and expenses related to attendance at the conference.
For more information about the conference and to submit paper abstracts and bios, please contact:
Dr. Prof. Toby Yuen-Gen Liang, President of AFOMEDI, afome...@gmail.com
[CfP] The Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard University and the Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture at Hellenic College Holy Cross in Brookline, MA, are pleased to invite abstracts for the next Studying East of Byzantium workshop: Studying East of Byzantium IX: Communities.
Studying East of Byzantium IX: Communities is a three-part workshop that intends to bring together doctoral students and very recent PhDs studying the Christian East to reflect on how to reflect on the usefulness of the concept of “Community” in studying the Christian East, to share methodologies, and to discuss their research with workshop respondents, Michael Pifer, University of Michigan, and Salam Rassi, University of Edinburgh. The workshop will meet on November 17, 2023, February 9, 2024, and June 6–7, 2024, on Zoom. The timing of the workshop meetings will be determined when the participant list is finalized.
We invite all graduate students and recent PhDs working in the Christian East whose work considers, or hopes to consider, the theme of communities in their own research to apply.
Participation is limited to 10 students. The full workshop description is available on the East of Byzantium website (https://eastofbyzantium.org/upcoming-events/). Those interested in attending should submit a C.V. and 200-word abstract through the East of Byzantium website no later than September 13, 2023.
For questions, please contact East of Byzantium organizers, Christina Maranci, Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies, Harvard University, and Brandie Ratliff, Director, Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture at con...@eastofbyzantium.org.
EAST OF BYZANTIUM is a partnership between the Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard University and the Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture at Hellenic College Holy Cross in Brookline, MA. It explores the cultures of the eastern frontier of the Byzantine Empire in the late antique and medieval periods.
[CfP] Call for applications: International Seminar “Approaching Byzantium through seals: a digital exhibition”, Winter semester course 2023-2024, University of Cologne
The Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies of the University of Cologne invites applications for the International Seminar “Approaching Byzantium through seals: a digital exhibition”, organised in the framework of the project “DiBS – Creating a Sustainable Digital Infrastructure for Research-Based Teaching in Byzantine Studies”, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. For more information on this project see https://uni.koeln/NXPQU
Byzantine seals have emerged lately as a valuable resource for the study of Byzantium. This course aims to bring together students from various parts of the world and provide them with the skills to analyse and use seals as a source for understanding Byzantine society and culture, without requiring an extensive background in sigillography. At the same time, the students will contribute to the creation of a digital scholarly exhibition, which will revolve around some themes related to the topic of the Seminar.
Structure: Two introductory sessions (17.11.2023 and 24.11.2023) after the end of which students will be handed out assignments with the aim of analysing seals under the prism of specific questions and topics, such as identity, relation between text and image, expressions of piety, and individual representation. At the end of the semester there will be a week-long workshop (19.02.–23.02.2024) with presentations and discussion of the commentary and the texts prepared by the students.
Aims: The students will have the opportunity to contribute to the creation of an online exhibition that is intended to serve as reference to the wider scholarly community and public, by introducing seals as a crucial source for the society and culture of Byzantium. The exhibition will consist of texts on topics related to the history and culture of Byzantium, focused on a set number of seals selected out for this purpose. These texts will be produced by the students and the instructor during the course.
Instructor: Christos Malatras, University of Cologne
Maximum number of external participants: 15
ECTS points: 2
Eligibility: Postgraduate (Master or PhD) students in the fields of Byzantine Studies, Classics, Medieval History, or Digital Humanities, or early career researchers (less than three years since defence of the thesis) in the same fields. Prior training in sigillography is not a prerequisite, though desirable. Adequate knowledge of Byzantine history and culture is essential.
Additional information: The language of instruction will be English. The event will be hybrid, with both online and in-person participants. A limited number of bursaries are available to assist students and other unfunded scholars covering the costs of travel and accommodation in Cologne for the week-long workshop. If you would like to apply for a bursary, please confirm that you have sought funding from your institution to cover the fees and that none was available. Those who opt to participate in person, will have the opportunity to use for their research and study purposes the library of the Department of Byzantine Studies and Modern Greek Philology, particularly well-informed in the discipline of sigillography.
Application: Please fill in the application form and the motivation statement (no longer than 500 words) describing the academic achievements, the scholarly interests, and the reasons for applying to this course. Please address any queries to: c.mal...@uni-koeln.de
Deadlines: The deadline for applications is 1 September 2023. Successful applicants will be informed by late September/early October when they will also receive some learning material to prepare for the course.
For more information on the event and the complete call for applications visit: https://uni.koeln/5RZFF
Please share this announcement with anyone, particularly students, who may be interested in this unique opportunity!
With my best regards,
Christos Malatras
Researcher
Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, University of Cologne
[CfP] Conference “Syriac Studies in the UK: Past, Present, Future”
Call for papers
When: 21-23 March 2024
Where: Durham University
Abstract submission deadline: 31 October 2023
We are delighted to announce that the conference “Syriac Studies in the UK: Past, Present, Future” will take place at Durham University, on 21-23 March 2024. The conference focuses on the history of Syriac Studies in the UK and aims to celebrate and reflect on the work of scholars in this field across the past centuries.
A series of papers will focus on specific aspects of the history of Syriac Studies in the UK, including the biographies and intellectual contributions of scholars in/from the UK, the history and development of the field, the discovery, circulation and study of Syriac manuscripts, and the formation of Syriac library collections in the UK. Confirmed speakers include Siam Bhayro (Exeter), Sebastian Brock (Oxford), Chip Coakley (Cambridge/Jericho Press), Lindsey Davidson (Bristol), Susan Harvey (Brown), Kristian Heal (BYU), John Healey (Manchester), Erica Hunter (Cambridge), Christa Müller-Kessler (Jena), George Kiraz (IAS Princeton/Gorgias Press), Salam Rassi (Edinburgh), Alison Salvesen (Oxford), David Taylor (Oxford), Francis Watson (Durham), and John Watt (Cardiff).
In addition, we invite abstract proposals for 15-minute papers, illustrating the ongoing or future research by contemporary scholars in the field of Syriac Studies. We invite proposals from doctoral students, early and mid career researchers, and established academics for papers on any topic related to Syriac Studies, such as ongoing or future research projects, forthcoming or recent publications, or ideas for public outreach - and we also especially welcome papers on the history of the field.
We aim to create a space to learn about and discuss past, present, and future research directions in our field. There will be abundant opportunities for discussion in a supportive environment, and we hope that this will be a useful venue for dialogue and exchange. We kindly encourage you to circulate this call among students and those who might not be on this mailing list.
Proposals for 15-minute papers (max. 350 words + short bibliography) should be sent to conferences...@gmail.com by October 31st, 2023.
In order to support the participation of doctoral and early-career researchers, a limited number of college rooms in Durham will be available free of charge for doctoral and early-career speakers who may not be eligible for full support from their home institution. If this applies to you, please indicate it when you send your abstract, and add your academic CV in attachment. In addition, meals for all speakers will be covered.
The conference is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Durham Centre for Early Christianity, the Department of Classics and Ancient History at Durham University, and the British Academy.
Please address any query to Andy Hilkens (andy.h...@ames.ox.ac.uk) or Mara Nicosia (mara.n...@durham.ac.uk).
We hope to see you all in Durham!
3. JOBS AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
[Fellowship] The Martin Buber Society of Fellows aims at fostering interdisciplinary academic discourse at the highest level among outstanding young scholars (post-doctoral).
Candidates who have completed their PhD at an Israeli or German university, as well as citizens of Israel or Germany who have received their PhD in any country, are eligible to apply. Applicants must have their PhD degree in hand no earlier than October 1st, 2019, and no later than July 1st, 2024.1 Application is open for those specializing in all fields of the Humanities and the Social Sciences.2 We are looking for creative humanists and social scientists with broad intellectual horizons. No connection of the subject matter to Jewish studies or Israel is required.
This year the Academic Committee of the Martin Buber Society of Fellows will select up to eight exceptionally gifted young scholars (up to four from Israel and four from Germany). Fellows receive a monthly stipend of approximately 9000 NIS. They are expected to be in residence and asked to spend at least 4 days a week at the office. The fellows are also encouraged to move to Jerusalem, and those who do receive an additional housing subsidy that can be used either for apartments in the university’s Student Village (on campus) or to help with rental costs elsewhere in town. Non-Israeli fellows who move to Jerusalem with their family are eligible for additional support.
Fellows have the opportunity to pursue their individual research under optimal conditions for the term of their fellowship and are expected to become part of the vibrant scholarly community in Jerusalem, reflecting the widest possible disciplinary spectrum in the Humanities and the Social Sciences and embodying a spirit of shared intellectual adventure. They are obliged to participate in biweekly colloquia, workshops, lectures, study excursions, and other cultural and academic activities of the MBSF. Discussions in the Martin Buber Society take place in English (not in Hebrew or German).
Scholarships are granted for a maximum of four years, beginning October 1, 2024 (subject to review at the end of each year), on the basis of a detailed proposal of a research project of major scope and innovative character. Indeed, an imaginative proposal (no longer than 5 pages) that proves the applicant’s ability to carry out cutting-edge research in her or his field is the most important part of the application.
The deadline for applications for 2024-2025 is September 18, 2023. The Academic Committee of the Martin Buber Society will meet during January 2024 to choose the new cohort of fellows. Outstanding candidates will be invited for an interview beforehand.
The application process is simple (a CV and a list of publications, a 1-page abstract of the PhD, a research proposal of 5 pages, and two recommendation letters) and begins with registration at http://scholarships.huji.ac.il; the entire process of registration and application is done online through this link.
It is crucial to read the instructions on the website before starting the application process (which is entirely online). The MBSF is committed to diversity and equal opportunity and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and communities to apply.
The Martin Buber Society of Fellows, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Mandel Building, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem.
For further information about the Martin Buber Society of Fellows, for application timeline and frequently asked questions please check our website http://buberfellows.huji.ac.il/.
For further inquiries please contact Ms. Gabi Schneider at buber....@mail.huji.ac.il
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Submissions to the Byzness / Oxford Listings
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Nathan Websdale
DPhil Candidate, Faculty of History
President, Oxford University Byzantine Society
http://oxfordbyzantinesociety.wordpress.com