5 fellowships (3 doctoral and 2 post-doc.) on Comparative Medieval Encyclopaedism at the University of Louvain

Announcement of 5 fellowships (3 doctoral and 2 post-doc.) on Comparative Medieval Encyclopaedism at the University of Louvain

Dear colleagues and friends,

As part of a new research project to be conducted at the University of Louvain (Belgium) in the field of comparative medieval encyclopaedism, we are pleased to announce the availability of 5 fellowships (3 doctoral and 2 post-doctoral) to highly qualified young scholars.

The research project:

‘Objectifying the contribution of the Arab-Muslim world to the history of sciences and ideas: the sources and resources of medieval encyclopaedism’ is a project which seeks to explore medieval encyclopaedism in the East and the West in order to provide unbiased information and quantifiable benchmarks that can help us better understand the extent of what Europe owes to the scholars of Islam. The comparative study of encyclopaedias in Islam, Byzantium, the Latin and the Romance-speaking West has been at the core of our investigations ever since our group ‘Cyclopes’ was founded in 2003. The current project will run until at least 2017. In addition to the five topics of inquiry that have been specifically defined for PhD students and post-doctoral fellows (see below), the project will include, among other activities, a yearly seminar and the participation in at least one international conference on issues at the heart of the present investigation.

On the web site "Cyclopes", please find a short description of the project as a whole, together with a detailed presentation of each of its five topics designed for doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships (‘Topics’), namely:

1) ‘Arabic sources in black and white: a study of Arab authorities in the Latin encyclopaedias of the 13th C.’ (PhD; supervisors: G. de Callataÿ – B. Van den Abeele)

2) ‘Between the East and the West: the sources and scopes of the Byzantine Suda (10th C.)’ (PhD; supervisor: F. Van Haeperen)

3) ‘From the Speculum historiale to the Miroir historial: towards a more ‘neutral’ approach of Islam’ (PhD; supervisor: M. Cavagna)

4) ‘A comparison of the Oriental and Occidental traditions with respect to the Wonders of the Word’ (Post-doc; supervisor: G. de Callataÿ)

5) ‘From Latin to the vernacular: the translation of Arab authors into the Romance-speaking area’ (Post-doc; supervisors: B. Van den Abeele – M. Cavagna).

The fellowships

The three fellowships for doctoral research (Topics 1 to 3) are for a 45-month tenure. Topics 1 and 3 are to start in October 2012. Topic 2 will begin in October 2013. The net monthly allowance for PhD students would amount to c. 1,500-1,700 euros. Applicants for these fellowships should not be over 30 years of age at the time of application.

The fellowships for post-doctoral research (Topics 4 and 5) are each for a 24-month tenure. Topic 5 is normally to begin by October 2012, and Topic 4 by October 2013, although some flexibility with the dates is possible. The net monthly allowance for post-doc fellows would amount to 2,000-2,300 euros. Applicants for post-doctoral fellowships should not be over 38 years of age at the time of application. They should not have stayed or worked in Belgium for more than 24 months during the three years that precede the appointment. They should not have obtained their PhDs more than 6 years prior to this appointment.

The deadline for applications to Topics 1, 3 and 5 is 15 June 2012.

The deadline for applications to Topics 2 and 4 is 15 June 2013.

As full-time employments, it is implied that the recipients will reside in Belgium during the entire tenure of the respective fellowships (both doctoral and post-doctoral).

How to apply?

Applications should be made electronically at the following address: godefroid.decallatay@uclouvain.be. They should include:

· An up-to-date CV, including a full list of publications (no published or ready-to-be-published material should be sent).

· The name and address, with email address, of 2 (for doctoral fellowships) or 3 (for post-doctoral fellowships) scholars of international reputation that we may address to obtain a reference.

· A letter of motivation (in English or French, maximum 5 pages in all) in relation with one of the above-defined topics of inquiry, containing the following elements: 1) an outline of the proposed research, expounding as clearly as possible the plan, method and aim of the research project; 2) an exposition of the reasons why the applicant believes he/she has the appropriate qualifications for conducting this particular research and for completing it in due time; 3) the applicant’s view on how he/she conceives of his/her own interaction with the other fields of inquiry and with the project as a whole.

Please note that it is possible to apply for several topics at the same time. In this case, the applicant is invited to attach as many letters of motivation as there are fields of inquiry for which he or she is applying.

Schedule

·  Receipt of each fully completed application will be acknowledged as soon as possible.

· Final decision and notification of results are expected for 15 July 2012 (for Topics 1, 3 and 5) and for 15 July 2013 (for Topics 2 and 4).

Please feel free to pass on the present announcement to anyone you know who might be interested.

“Objectifying”, ARC, UCL

Collège Erasme

Faculté de Philosophie, Arts et Lettres

Place Blaise Pascal, 1

B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve

Belgium

Godefroid de Callataÿ (FIAL/INCAL)

Baudouin Van den Abeele (FIAL/INCAL)

Mattia Cavagna (FIAL/INCAL)

Françoise Van Haeperen (FIAL/ INCAL)