The Byzness, 2nd February 2025
Oxford University Byzantine Society
THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY BYZANTINE SOCIETY
The Byzness, 2nd February 2025
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1.
NEWS AND EVENTS
2. CALLS FOR PAPERS
3. JOBS AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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For those who may have missed it last week, OUBs would like to share with you the details of our upcoming Graduate Conference:
Entitled “Byzantium and its environment” the conference will run from the 1st-2nd March here in Oxford, as well as online via Zoom. The focus will be on natural and environmental history throughout the Late Antique and Byzantine period.
For the full schedule and abstracts, as well as details of how you can register, please see here.
1. NEWS AND EVENTS
Armenian and Byzantium V: Graduate and Early Career Workshop, University of Oxford, 7–8 February 2025
'Armenia & Byzantium without Borders' is a two-day workshop aiming to bring together advanced PhD students and early career scholars working in the fields of Armeno-Byzantine studies. This event continues the successful collaboration between the University of Oxford and the University of Vienna that began in Vienna in 2018, with the first workshop convened by Dr Emilio Bonfiglio and Prof. Claudia Rapp within the framework of the 'Moving Byzantium: Mobility, Microstructure and Personal Agency' project, and subsequent workshops held in Oxford (II: 2019 & IV: 2023) and Vienna (III: 2021).
Papers will be 20-minutes long and touch on any aspect of Armeno-Byzantine relations, with a focus on the special (but not exclusive) theme for the 2025 run, which is ‘Disruption and Resilience'. To give participants the opportunity to discuss their ongoing research in conversation with senior specialists in their field, each paper will be accompanied by a senior scholar's 10- minute response, followed by a general discussion. The workshop will be inaugurated with the lecture of our keynote speaker, Dr Johannes Preiser-Kapeller (Austrian Academy of Science, Vienna). The working language of the workshop will be English.
For the workshop schedule please see here.
For more information, please contact Professor Theo M. van Lint: theo.v...@ames.ox.ac.uk
“Reading Medieval Greek Manuscripts”:Mediterranean Studies Summer Skills Seminar, 19—22 May 2025 • Remote
The Summer Skills Seminar, “Reading Medieval Greek Manuscripts” will be held via Zoom from Monday, 19 May to Thursday, 22 May 2025 from 10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm MDT.
Are you pursuing research in Byzantine or Medieval Greek studies? Do you want to unlock new sources and enrich your research with primary materials? This course is designed for scholars, students, and professionals who are eager to deepen their engagement with Greek manuscript culture. Unlike other fields with abundant text editions, Byzantine Studies requires hands-on expertise in reading original manuscripts. As digital archives continue to grow, vast collections of Greek texts from places like Mount Athos and Greek monasteries are now accessible, yet still vastly underexplored.
Mastering Greek paleography will set you apart, allowing you to read and interpret manuscripts independently, access invaluable sources directly, and develop original research insights. With a blend of lectures and hands-on sessions, this seminar offers foundational skills for understanding and working with Greek primary sources. Whether you’re a graduate student looking to enhance your research skills, a faculty member aiming to broaden your expertise, or a professional in the field, this course provides an indispensable toolset for engaging with Greek manuscript culture.
No matter your background in Greek—Ancient, Medieval, or Modern—if you have the reading skills, this course will be tailored to meet your level and needs.
Application & Information
Participants need to have reading knowledge of Greek (whether ancient, medieval or modern). The language of instruction is English.
Please note: sessions will not be recorded; synchronous attendance is required.
The regular application period is until April 28.
Applicants will be advised of acceptance by May 5. Payment is due on May 12. Applicants waiting on a grant or subvention may request an extension for the second payment.
Late applicants may be accommodated if space remains. Full payment will be due within three days of acceptance, including a $75 surcharge for late applications.
All payments are final and non-refundable. A letter of confirmation/ receipt will be provided by the Mediterranean Seminar, together with a certificate of completion once the course has concluded.
Fees
• $1100 for Full Professors, Librarians & Professionals
• $825 for tenured Associates, Emerita/us, Retired Faculty, Independent Scholars & Non-Academics;
• $575 for non-tenured Associates and Assistants, Postdoctoral Fellows & Graduate and Undergraduate students;
• $400 for Adjuncts, Lecturers & Contingent faculty.
For more information and the application link please see here
OCHJS: Call for Applications: Hebrew Manuscript Studies Workshop
We are delighted to invite applications for the Hebrew Manuscript Studies: Codicology, Palaeography, Art History summer workshop, taking place from 23 June to 4 July 2025 and led by Judith Olszowy-Schlanger (OCHJS and Corpus Christi College) and César Merchán-Hamann (OCHJS and Bodleian Library).
To apply, please consult all of the materials below:
Application closing date: 21 February 2025 at 12 noon UK Time
The Summer Workshop in Oxford proposes a comprehensive and specialised programme in which basic yet in-depth methodological introduction and research guidance will be provided to the fields of Hebrew Manuscript Studies mentioned above, as well as to history of the book and collections, art history, conservation and digital palaeography. The workshop will be divided into two parts, the first 6 days long and the second 4 days long. The first part will be devoted to methodological introduction as well as detailed examination of medieval manuscripts. The second part will be devoted to manuscripts in the age of print, i.e., in the early modern and modern periods. Applicants can attend both parts, or Part 1 only, but only alumni of our programme can apply to Part 2 only. The workshop is organised in collaboration with the Bodleian Library, which will allow access to original manuscripts in situ for the teaching sessions. Lecturers will include Professor Judith Olszowy-Schlanger, Professor Sarit Shalev-Eyni, Dr Agata Paluch and Dr César Merchán-Hamann.
Crash Course in Greek Palaeography - Ghent & Brussels, 27-28 May 2025
The Greek section of Ghent University, in collaboration with the Research School OIKOS and the Royal Library of Belgium, offers a two-day crash course in Greek palaeography. The course will take place on 27-28 May 2025 in Ghent and Brussels. It is intended for MA, ResMA and doctoral students in Classics, Ancient History, Ancient Civilizations, Byzantine studies, Medieval studies and related fields. Students must have a good command of Greek. The course offers an introduction into Greek palaeography from the Hellenistic period to the end of the Middle Ages and is specifically aimed at acquiring practical skills for research involving literary and documentary papyri and/or manuscripts. Participants will gain hands-on experience with original papyri housed at Ghent University Library and with manuscripts from the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels.
Programme and practical information:
The course will take place over two full days, with one session in Ghent on Tuesday, 27 May, and the other in Brussels on Wednesday, 28 May. Specialists in Greek palaeography (Yasmine Amory, Floris Bernard, Andrea Cuomo, and Joanne Stolk) will deliver lectures providing a chronological overview of the evolution of Greek handwriting, accompanied by introductions into the material features of both papyri and codices (by Serena Causo and Grigory Vorobyev). The lectures will be followed by practical sessions, consisting of supervised reading of selected extracts from papyri and manuscripts in small groups. There will be guided exhibitions of selected papyri (in Ghent) and medieval manuscripts (in Brussels).
The study load is equivalent to 2 ECTS credits (2×28 hours). In preparation for the course, participants will be required to read secondary literature which will be distributed several weeks in advance. Additional materials will be provided in order to help develop further reading skills after the course.
There is no participation fee for this course. Lunches will be provided on both days free of charge. Travel and accommodation expenses are the responsibility of the participants. The train connection between Ghent Sint-Pieters Station and Brussels Central Station is frequent, with a travel time of less than 40 minutes. Participants may choose to lodge in either city. The course will take place at the following venues:
· Faculty of Arts, Ghent University: Blandijnberg 2, Ghent
· Royal Library of Belgium: Kunstberg/Mont des arts 28, Brussels (close to Brussels Central Station).
Further details are published here.
Registration
Prospective participants should register by sending an e-mail to grigory....@ugent.be with a short motivation letter (approximately 300 words), detailing their academic background, research interests and motivation for attending the course. Priority will be given to MA and doctoral students associated with OIKOS and those who have not previously had the opportunity to study palaeography. The deadline for registration is 1 March 2025. Applicants will be notified of the outcome shortly thereafter.
Workshop - "Teaching and Learning Greek in Byzantium 3: Towards a Diachronic Codicology of Composite Manuscripts"
The workshop "Teaching and Learning Greek in Byzantium 3: Towards a Diachronic Codicology of Composite Manuscripts", organized by Andrea Cuomo and Grigory Vorobyev, which will take place in Ghent on June 21, 2025. It will also be possible to participate online.
Programme: https://www.mela.ugent.be/events/
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/MelaCodicology
Enquiries are welcome at grigory....@ugent.be.
International Byzantine Greek Summer School 2025, Trinity College Dublin (Online)
The 2025 International Byzantine Greek Summer School, hosted online by Trinity College Dublin, is now open for applications here.
Course dates:
Level 1 Beginners: 14–25 July 2025
Level 2/2.5 Intermediate: 28 July–8 August 2025
Level 3 Advanced Reading: 28 July–8 August 2025
To apply:
Download the application form at www.tcd.ie/Classics/byzantine
Application deadline: 23 April 2025
Online course fee: €350/two weeks
A limited number of student bursaries are available for this course
For queries please contact the course administrator at ibgs...@gmail.com
2. CALLS FOR PAPERS
International Student Conference - "Byzantium Receiving, Receiving Byzantium", CEU + university of Vienna
The Late Antique and Byzantine Studies Student Colloquium at CEU and UniWien is pleased to announce its Third Annual Graduate Student Conference, titled Receiving Byzantium, Byzantium Receiving, which will take place on Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17, 2025.
The theme of the conference, Receiving Byzantium, Byzantium Receiving, invites exploration of Byzantium’s dual role as both a recipient and a transmitter of cultural influences. Byzantium both engaged with the classical traditions it inherited and interacted with its neighbouring traditions. Recent scholarship as well as popular representations of Byzantium have expanded the discourse on these issues and opened fresh perspectives on the Byzantine Middle Ages.
Generously funded by the Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies at Central European University and the Ancient, Byzantine, and Medieval Studies Cluster of the Doctoral School of Historical and Cultural Studies at the University of Vienna, the conference invites graduate students at the MA and PhD levels to submit a 200-word abstract (with paper title) along with their academic affiliation to ozdemi...@phd.ceu.edu and alessand...@univie.ac.at by February 28, 2025. Selected speakers will be notified by March 10, 2025.
For more information and the official call for papers see here.
3. JOBS AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
OCHJS: Calls for Visiting Fellowships Applications
The OCHJS is delighted to announce calls for applications for 4 different forms of Visiting Fellowships as part of its Oxford Seminars in Advanced Jewish Studies programme: OSRJL Visiting Fellowships in Rare Jewish Languages, René and Susanne Braginsky Visiting Fellowships in Manuscript Studies, Salo and Jeannette Baron Visiting Fellowships in Jewish History and Yishai Shahar Visiting Fellowships in Jewish Art History.
Each of these Visiting Fellowships will last for the duration of one Oxford term—either Michaelmas Term 2025, Hilary Term 2026 or Trinity Term 2026—and will come with an honorarium of £3,000.
The deadline to apply for each of the Visiting Fellowships is 14 February 2025 at 12 noon UK Time.
To apply, please consult the following documents:
OSRJL Visiting Fellowships in Rare Jewish Languages
Call for Applications & Procedure
Application Form
René and Susanne Braginsky Visiting Fellowships in Manuscript Studies
Call for Applications & Procedure
Application Form
Salo and Jeannette Baron Visiting Fellowships in Jewish History
Call for Applications & Procedure
Application Form
Yishai Shahar Visiting Fellowships in Jewish Art History
Call for Applications & Procedure
Application Form
Pre-1400 Assistant/Associate Professor for Art History, Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is looking for an Assistant/Associate Professor of Art History, with a pre-1400’s focus and are particularly interested in a person with an ecocritical/environmental humanities approach. The position is tenure track.
For more information please see here.
Thirty new scholarships for international students, University of Bologna
The University of Bologna is offering 30 new scholarships to deserving international students who intend to enrol in second cycle degree programmes in a.y. 2025/26.
More information is available here.
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto Rebanks Postdoctoral Fellowship
The Royal Ontario Museum Rebanks Postdoctoral Fellowship – Department of Art & Culture has now been advertised.
This is a postdoctoral position for those who have completed their PhD in the last 5 years to work on research related to any of the Department’s main research areas (Indigenous Americas, Archaeology of the Americas, Canada, Ancient Egypt & Nubia, Ancient Greece & Rome, Ancient Near East, China, Europe, Global Africa, Global Fashion & Textiles, Global South Asia, Islamic World, Japan, Korea, Asia-Pacific, Southeast Asia). It is a one-year position with the possibility of a one-year renewal. Details and application form is available here.
The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2025 and the applicant needs to have a letter of support from the curator whose collection area aligns most closely with their research interests.
Hellenisms Past and Present, Local and Global Postdoctoral Fellowship, Simon Fraser University
STAVROS NIARCHOS FOUNDATION CENTRE FOR HELLENIC STUDIES POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP
September 2025 – August 2026
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies (SNF CHS) at Simon Fraser University invites applications for the Hellenisms Past and Present, Local and Global Postdoctoral Fellowship. Our search committee welcomes applications that span disciplinary boundaries from candidates working on comparative approaches on the advertised fellowship theme. Applicants from all fields of the humanities and the social sciences who engage with Hellenisms Past and Present, Local and Global are encouraged to apply.
Situated atop Burnaby Mountain, east of downtown Vancouver, the SNF CHS is a major site for Hellenic Studies in North America. Affiliated faculty are members of the Department of Global Humanities and have expertise in Ancient, Byzantine, Early Modern and Modern Greek history, archaeology, literature and language. The successful applicant will join the faculty and students who make up our intellectual community and participate in the Centre's seminar series, offering one formal talk on campus. They will also design and teach one course with Hellenic content in the Department of Global Humanities to be offered in the Spring term (January to April 2026).
The SNF CHS Postdoctoral Fellow will also offer one talk for a lay audience as part of the Centre's outreach activities. While at Simon Fraser University, the SNF CHS Postdoctoral Fellow will have opportunities to engage with the content development activities of the SNF New Media Lab, The salary for this position is $50,000 CAD per year plus benefits for the year and an additional teaching contract for $12,000 CAD for the Spring term. The advertised fellowship has a duration of one year.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. Simon Fraser University is committed to an equity employment program that includes special measures to achieve diversity among its faculty and staff. We particularly encourage applications from qualified women, aboriginal Canadians, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities.
Candidates must have completed their Ph.D. within a maximum of FOUR years before the appointment date (September 2025) and submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research project outline, and THREE letters of reference.
All application materials should be submitted to the Director of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies, Dr. Dimitris Krallis: hell...@sfu.ca. Please include "Application for Postdoctoral Position" in the subject line of your email.
Applications received by February 28, 2025, will be given priority.
For more information see here.
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Alexander Johnston
MPhil in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies
President, Oxford University Byzantine Society
http://oxfordbyzantinesociety.wordpress.com