British Library, Curator of Ancient and Medieval Manuscripts

Call for Applications: UMN Future of the Past

Exploring the Assumptions of Cultural History

The lenses of Western modernity – e.g., capitalism, Christianity, democracy, empirical science – surreptitiously shape the study of past cultures in ways that disregard their own claims about their world in favor of those that align with traditions of the Euro-American academy. The product of this influence is a colonialist narrative that presents past cultures as flawed or inconsistent (because they fail to meet modern criteria) and modern (usually Western) cultures as the resolution of these inconsistencies. Exploring the Assumptions of Cultural History is a three-year project sponsored by the Future of the Past Lab and the Center for Premodern Studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities that seeks to interrogate the influence of Western assumptions in the study of cultural history and to imagine ways forward. The series will feature ten, week-long visiting fellowships grouped around three main themes: the transmission of evidence (2024-5), the role of comparative work (2025-6), and the influence of uniquely modern ontological premises (2026-7). In the Spring of the last year of the series (2027), fellows will come together in Minneapolis for a conference to share their findings, which will subsequently be published in an open access edited volume.

The Future of the Past Lab and the Center for Premodern Studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities invite applications for two, week-long visiting fellowships in the Spring semester of 2025 around the question of “Transmission of Evidence.” We seek fellows whose work examines issues related to the transmission of evidence from non-modern societies and cultures and how those issues impact the study of the past today. In particular, we are interested in projects that 1) address ways in which the institutions and apparatus responsible for the transmission of evidence have influenced the study of the past in ways that favor Western cultural assumptions, and 2) imagine ways that multidisciplinary approaches in the historical humanities and social sciences contend with these influences.

If selected, fellows will give a public lecture on their work, participate in a workshop on their project, and run a seminar with graduate students relating to their work. Depending on the fellow’s wishes and interests, other events may be scheduled as well. While at UMN, fellows will have access to office space, the University of Minnesota Library, and archival resources, and will be encouraged to make connections with UMN faculty. Fellows’ travel, lodging, and food costs will be covered, and each fellow will receive a $1,500 honorarium.

We welcome applications from scholars of all ranks (from advanced graduate students and up) and disciplines. Special consideration will be given to applications from candidates who represent a diversity of backgrounds and experiences, especially those that have been historically underrepresented in American academia. Likewise, we are interested in applications from colleagues who work in institutions and environments that do not have access to the resources available at an R1 institution or who would benefit from resources specific to the University of Minnesota. For your application, please submit:

  1. An updated CV
  2. An Application Statement (no more than two pages, single-spaced) that explains your research, how it relates to the theme, and why you believe you are a good candidate for the fellowship.

Applications should be submitted to futureofpast@umn.edu with the subject line “Fellowship Application 2025” no later than Friday, April 5th, 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact Noah Segal (nsegal@umn.edu).

 

About Us:

The Future of the Past Lab is an initiative based in the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Religions and Cultures at the University of Minnesota. Initiated in 2021, the goal of the Future of the Past is to prompt, facilitate, and platform public-facing work and conversations that think about the systems of power embedded in the histories of our fields; how those systems have favored particular dominant perspectives; how our practice as scholars and teachers perpetuates these systems today; and how we can make changes that remove barriers for under-represented individuals and world views.

The Center for Premodern Studies (CPS) is the home for collaborative scholarship and outreach in the historical humanities and social sciences at the University of Minnesota. Founded in 2021, it is the latest iteration in a long line of interdisciplinary ventures into the study of the past at Minnesota including the Mellon-funded Consortium for the Study of the Premodern World. CPS’s connections within and beyond the UMN will support fellows in engaging regional scholars, special collections, and museums.

University of Silesia in Katowice post-doc positions

Two new new post-doc positions have been announced at the University of Silesia in Katowice in the NCN OPUS project ‘Beyond the Sacred: Conceptions of Nature in Byzantium (4th-15th Centuries).’ Each position is for three years, with an option for a one-year extension. You will be working in a small yet friendly research group located in a newly renovated modern building in the centre of the city.

The remuneration is 8,986 PLN gross per month, along with a ’13th salary’ each year and holiday money. This compensation exceeds that of a professor and should be enough to live comfortably. The project also includes a budget for library trips (London, Paris), coverage of participation costs for the Congress in Vienna. You will also be entitled to University funding.
If you have any further questions, please contact:
If you want to learn first-hand how it is to work with us in Poland/Katowice, feel free to write to Tristan Schmidt: tristan.schmidt@us.edu.pl
Please note that different responsibilities are associated with each position.
———————————————————
Prof. Dr. Przemysław Marciniak
Hamburg Institute For Advanced Study
Hamburg University Fellow 2023/2024
Rothenbaumchaussee 45
20148 Hamburg
GermanyInstitute of Literary Studies
University of Silesia in Katowice
Uniwersytecka 4
40-007 Katowice
Poland

Opportunity: Endowed Professorship in Hellenic Studies – Assistant Professor, Stony Brook University

Endowed Professorship in Hellenic Studies -Assistant Professor. Stony Brook University: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Language and Cultural Studies. Deadline February 5, 2024 at 11:59pm Eastern time.

Description

The Department of Languages and Cultural Studies at Stony Brook University, the flagship institution of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, invites applications in its search for the Peter V. Tsantes Endowed Professorship in Hellenic Studies. This position will be central to reinforcing and expanding education in Greek language and culture at Stony Brook. This position involves the teaching of Modern Greek and a secondary area of specialization, with affiliations possible with the Departments of  History, Linguistics and/or Philosophy. Areas of secondary specialization may include Ancient Greek, Greek Philosophy, Greek Linguistics or Greek History.  Responsibilities include coordinating lectures and events offered through the Center for Hellenic Studies as well as enriching the minor in Hellenic Studies.

https://apply.interfolio.com/137265

Job opportunity: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Classics

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Classics

The Department of Classics at the University of Georgia invites applications for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor in Data Analytics and Pedagogy in Classics with an anticipated start date of August 1, 2024.

Candidates should be prepared to teach classes in data collection, quantitative analysis, visualization, and AI learning based on data sets of archaeological, material, and/or literary evidence, with a focus on methodologies and pedagogy. We welcome applicants whose research spans any gamut of the classical to early modern eras, and applicants with expertise in any languages in the Mediterranean spectrum. Familiarity with economic history and its cultural contexts is preferred. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Classics or a related discipline by time of appointment.

The successful candidate is expected to maintain an active research agenda, teach undergraduate and graduate courses (with a 2-2 teaching load), and contribute to departmental governance.

To apply, please submit dossiers containing a cover letter, cv, contact information for three references, and a writing sample (20 pages maximum). Applications should be submitted at https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/343145. Reference providers will be sent an email through the UGAJobs system with instructions on how to submit their letters of recommendation. Review of applications will begin on January 8, 2024 and continue until the position is filled.

The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, its many units, and the University of Georgia are committed to sustaining a work and learning environment that is inclusive. The University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).

Georgia is well known for its quality of life in regard to both outdoor and urban activities (www.georgia.org). UGA is a land and sea grant institution located in Athens, 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, the state capital (www.visitathensga.com; www.uga.edu).

For questions, contact the committee chair, Erika Hermanowicz, at:

erikat@uga.edu

OR

Grace McGibney, Student Services Paraprofessional, at

Grace.McGibney@uga.edu

website: http://www.classics.uga.edu

Position Announcement in Armenian Art and Architecture

Position Announcement: Arthur H. Dadian and Ara Oztemel Chair of Armenian Art and Architectural History, Tenured Full Professor.

Tufts University: School of Arts & Sciences: History of Art and Architecture.

Description
The Department of History of Art and Architecture at Tufts University seeks an outstanding scholar at the rank of tenured full professor to teach and advise undergraduates and graduate students in the MA in Art History and MA in Art History and Museums Studies programs. The department offers majors in Art History and in Architectural Studies, as well as several minors, including Museums, Memory, and Heritage.

Research focus should be on Armenian art, architecture, and visual culture of any time period, with additional interest and expertise in cultural connections, diasporic relations between Armenia and the wider world, as well as issues of cultural heritage preservation, among others. The successful applicant will be expected to teach art history undergraduate and graduate courses on Armenian art, architecture, and visual culture, on specific topics related to their own research, and broader thematic and/or theoretical threads that place Armenian Studies in larger art historical narratives.

Qualifications
The successful candidate will hold a Ph.D. and be internationally recognized, demonstrate outstanding scholarly accomplishments and promise of research, and exhibit a record of excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The position seeks a tenured full professor, but applicants at the advanced tenured associate professor level will be considered.

Application Instructions
All application materials are submitted via http://apply.interfolio.com/134542

Please provide a cover letter, a CV, a research statement, a teaching statement that includes evidence of the candidate’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, teaching evaluations from the most recent two years of teaching to be uploaded in a single PDF, and a recently published journal article or book chapter of at least 8,000 words. Finalists will be asked to provide the names and contact information for three references.

For any questions regarding this position, please email amy.west@tufts.edu. Review of applications will begin on December 15, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled. All offers of employment are contingent upon the completion of a background check.

 

Connecting Histories: The Princeton and Mount Athos Legacy

From the Index of Medieval Art:

We are excited to announce a new multi-year project, Connecting Histories: The Princeton and Mount Athos Legacy, that aims to create an international team of faculty, staff, and students that will explore and bring awareness to the rich, complex, and remarkable historical and cultural heritage of Mount Athos, and its connection to Princeton. The collaborative team will engage in research, teaching, digitization projects, and descriptive cataloging over three years (2023–2026), exploring holdings throughout the Princeton campus, including Visual Resources and the Index of Medieval Art in the Art & Archaeology Department; the Mendel Music Library; and the Graphics Art Collection and Manuscript Division at Princeton University Library.

We have two short-term research opportunities opening up and details can be found in the ‘Announcements’ page of the website: https://athoslegacy.project.princeton.edu/

One of the two research positions is a part time graduate opportunity at the Index of Medieval Art. This is a two to three-month remote, part-time research opportunity to help incorporate key works of art on Mount Athos into the Index database. The position would require the student to examine the Index legacy records, update the metadata, identify new color images, and incorporate them on the online database. They will be trained in Index norms in cataloging works of art, describing the iconography, transcribing inscriptions, and adding bibliographic citations. This opportunity offers a stipend of $2,500 and has been generously funded by the Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies, with the support of the Dimitrios and Kalliopi Monoyios Modern Greek Studies Fund and Art & Archaeology Department at Princeton University.

For more details about eligibility criteria and the application process, please check the ‘Announcements’ page: https://athoslegacy.project.princeton.edu/announcements/

Northwestern University: Assistant Professor of Art/Architecture

Assistant Professor of Art/Architecture of the Middle East, North Africa, and Iberia, 600-1500 CE

The Department of Art History at Northwestern University invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in the art or architecture of the Middle East, North Africa, and Iberia, from 600–1500 CE. The geographical and temporal fields of specialization within these parameters are open. We particularly welcome scholars whose work engages with transregional and intercultural contexts within and beyond the Islamic world; visual and material culture; architecture, urbanism, and the environment; archaeology, heritage, and preservation; or technical art history. This position is meant to complement areas of departmental strength in ancient, early modern, and modern art of the Middle East and North Africa; the art of Africa and the African Diaspora; Indo-Islamic and Mughal South Asia; and medieval and early modern Europe. The ideal candidate would also complement faculty in other Northwestern departments, including History and Religious Studies, and programs such as Middle East and North African Studies, African Studies, Medieval Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and the Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts. Our department is firmly committed to racial justice and equity, here and across the world, and we welcome candidates whose interests and experiences align with these values.

The successful candidate will teach four courses annually over the course of three academic quarters, at both undergraduate and graduate levels; share in departmental service; and contribute to the vibrant intellectual community within and beyond the department. Applicants must have earned a Ph.D. in art history or an adjacent field by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter. This is a full-time position starting September 1, 2024.

To apply, please submit 1) a letter of application explaining your research accomplishments and goals, and your teaching ideals, commitments, and strengths; 2) a statement describing how your research and pedagogy contribute to Northwestern’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; 3) a current CV; 4) one sample course syllabus from within your field; 5) the names of three references, with contact information. Letters of recommendation will not be requested until after the application deadline. Candidates who advance in the search will be asked to submit a writing sample of no more than 10,000 words. Application materials must be submitted electronically here by November 15, 2023.

Address any questions about this position to Mel Keiser mel.keiser@northwestern.edu

Job Opportunity: Curator – The Museum of Russian Icons

Job Opportunity:
Curator – The Museum of Russian Icons
Clinton MA
The Museum of Russian Icons offers a unique opportunity to play an important role in shaping a leading institute for icons and Eastern Christian art in the USA. The Museum is currently in the last phase of a reorientation and rebranding project, and its new plans will be shared with the public in the second half of 2023. The curator will also spearhead the Study Center which will be an essential part of the new Museum.
The Museum seeks a dynamic and highly motivated individual who is excited by this challenge. The ideal candidate will be an experienced, published scholar passionately interested in the arts of the Eastern Christian world, and deeply committed to the Museum’s mission. The ideal candidate should be fully able to employ the latest technologies to connect to global audiences. The candidate reports to and works closely with the Executive Director.
The Museum of Russian Icons, founded in 2006 by the American entrepreneur Gordon Lankton, holds the most comprehensive collection of Russian icons in the US, as well as a growing collection of Greek, Veneto-Cretan, and Ethiopian icons. The Museum serves as a place for contemplation and for experiencing the beauty and spirituality of icons. The permanent collection and temporary exhibitions offer unparalleled opportunities to situate Eastern Christian art within a global context and to explore its connection to contemporary concerns and ideas. The Museum’s Study Center stimulates object-based learning and multidisciplinary research and aims to share its research in the field of Eastern Christian art with wide audiences through an active slate of academic and public programs.
Essential Functions and Responsibilities:
• Maintain and care for the collections.
• Research, propose, and organize high-level exhibitions.
• Develop and lead the Study Center, including the library, in collaboration with the Executive Director.
• Organize and moderate conferences and lectures, online and in person.
• Publish proceedings of conferences on the website and act as key author for online content.
• Collaborate with Executive Director to refine collections through acquisitions and de-accessioning.
• Maintain extensive contacts with curators, scholars, donors, collectors, dealers, and consultants.
• Work closely with Registrar, restorers, contractors, and others participating in art installations.
• Work with marketing staff to generate publicity for exhibitions and initiatives.
• Oversee the galleries, including related signage, labels, and printed and online museum publications.
• Deliver talks on the permanent collection and special projects or exhibitions.
Experience and Skills:
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Minimum of three years of museum or institutional experience.
• Proven record of scholarly research and publishing in area(s) of specialty.
• Proven ability to execute complex projects, preferably exhibitions or other public-facing initiatives.
• Strong computer skills and an interest in contributing to the Museum’s social media platforms.
• Superior ability to present ideas and projects.
• Strong planning and project management skills.
• Able to directly engage with diversity, equity, access, and inclusion (DEAI) initiatives at the Museum.
Education:
PhD in art history or equivalent through publications with a focus on icons and Eastern Christian art.
Personal Qualities:
• Result-driven
• Intellectually rigorous
• Creative and innovative
• Inspirational, passionate, curious
• Generous and collaborative team worker
• Possessing superior judgment, discretion, tact, and diplomacy
Staff Position
Full Time, 40 hours per week (part-time may be considered)
Salary Range
$80,000–$95,000 (with extensive benefits)
Working conditions:
Hybrid (at the Museum in Clinton MA and remote). Flexible hours.
How to Apply:
Please send your application incl. a letter of interest, a resume, and names of 3 references to Simon Morsink, Executive Director: jobs@museumofrussianicons.org. No phone calls please.

Consideration of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Potential candidates are welcome to submit questions and documents to jobs@museumofrussianicons.org.

Job opportunity in Byzantine Art History at The University of Vienna

The University of Vienna is internationally renowned for its excellence in teaching and research, and counts more than 7,500 academics from all disciplines. This breadth of expertise offers unique opportunities to address the complex challenges of modern society, to develop comprehensive new approaches, and educate the problem-solvers of tomorrow from a multidisciplinary perspective.

At the Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies, the University of Vienna seeks to appoint a

Full Professor of Byzantine Art History

The position:

We are interested in researchers with a focus on different genres and periods of Byzantine art. We expect a willingness to teach the temporal and regional diversity of Byzantine art history at all levels (BA, MA, PhD).

The professorship is affiliated with the Department of Art History, one of the oldest and world’s largest institutions in this field. Cooperation with the Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies and their research projects is desired.

Your academic profile:

  • Doctoral degree/PhD
  • Outstanding research achievements, excellent publication and funding record, international reputation
  • Proven leadership qualities
  • Experience in designing and managing large research projects
  • Enthusiasm for excellent teaching and supervision at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral level
  • Willingness to take on organisational and administrative responsibilities within the Faculty and/or the University

The University of Vienna expects the successful candidate to acquire, within three years, proficiency in German sufficient for teaching in bachelor’s programmes and for participation in university committees.

We offer:

  • a dynamic research environment
  • a wide range of research and teaching support services
  • attractive working conditions in a city with a high quality of life
  • an attractive salary according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement for University Staff (§98 UG, level A1, to be negotiated individually) and an organisational retirement plan
  • a “start-up package”, in particular for the initiation of research projects
  • comprehensive relocation support

For Application materials and full details, see the website.

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