Announcements

Research Opportunities for Ancient Culture Enthusiasts

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Studies in Late Antiquity [https://online.ucpress.edu/sla ] has launched an exciting new ‘diversity, equality and inclusion’ initiative. Please would you share the announcement [below] with any ‘future scholar’ (from High School through to graduating UG) who might be interested and also circulate via your wider networks.

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Research Opportunities for Ancient Culture Enthusiasts

Calling on all history nerds, myth buffs, and lovers of ancient art, literature, and religion…
Studies in Late Antiquity, a scholarly journal published by the University of California Press
(https://online.ucpress.edu/sla), invites talented high school and undergraduate students from
underrepresented backgrounds to participate in a new research initiative. We encourage students
interested in any aspect of premodern Mediterranean society (and we mean any!) to apply for this newly
launched program that aims to promote diversity among the ranks of future scholars and teachers of the
ancient world. There are no prerequisites or costs: this is a free opportunity to learn more about a favorite
topic, how to conduct historical research, and to potentially publish your work in a scholarly journal.
How the program works: Each student will be paired with a university professor in their area of interest.
They will work with this mentor on a chosen topic for a period of six months to one year. During the
mentorship (conducted online), students work towards producing a final research project, which can take the form of a blog, long-form essay, podcast, or website.

Studies in Late Antiquity looks forward to publishing the final product in the journal. Because this
program seeks to build diversity, equity, and inclusion among university instructors across the world, we
especially encourage applications from BIPOC/BAME and LGTBQ+ identifying students, along with
first-generation university students and those from challenging economic backgrounds, veterans, and
people with disabilities.

Questions about the program and the application process (which is also free!) should be sent to
studiesinlateantiquity@ucpress.edu.

FOR APPLICANTS: Please send the following to studiesinlateantiquity@ucpress.edu
1. A cover letter that explains in brief how your academic and/or personal experiences contribute to the
DEI goals of the program.
2. A short statement (300-500 words) that describes your intellectual interests and the topic, theme, or
question you hope to explore through this program.

From: Caroline Humfress

Professor of Medieval History

School of History, University of St Andrews

ASCSA William Sanders Scarborough Fellowships

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ASCSA WILLIAM SANDERS SCARBOROUGH FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline: January 15, 2024

This fellowship is intended to honor and remember Professor William Sanders Scarborough and to help foster diversity in the fields of Classical and Hellenic Studies and the Humanities more broadly by supporting students and teachers from underrepresented groups in their study and research at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.

William Sanders Scarborough (1852–1926), the son of an enslaved woman and a freedman, was a pathbreaking African American Classical scholar and public intellectual. Scarborough’s scholarship included philological works on Greek and Roman authors, as well as studies of African languages and African American folklore. His First Lessons in Greek (1881) was the first foreign language textbook by an African American author. He taught at Ohio’s Wilberforce University and Payne Theological Seminary, serving as Wilberforce’s president from 1908–1920. At least twice in his life (1886 and 1896), Scarborough hoped to attend the American School, with the encouragement of the School’s Managing Committee. Lack of funding, coupled with his many professional responsibilities, kept Scarborough from realizing his dream of going to Greece.

Eligibility: Open to graduate students, faculty members (K-12 and all levels of post-secondary education), and independent scholars residing in the United States or Canada (regardless of citizenship) whose geographic origin, diverse experiences, and socio-economic background are underrepresented at the School (including persons from the Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color communities). The fellowship is designed for such applicants whose studies, research, or teaching would benefit from residency at the School. Fellowship recipients need not be specialists in the field of Classical Studies. The School welcomes applicants from faculty of K-12 schools and from students or faculty from public and private universities, colleges, and community colleges; and encourages applications from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Terms and Duration: The fellowship supports up to three months in residence at the School to carry out proposed research projects, to join the School’s academic programs (field trips and seminars during the academic year, excavations at the Agora or Corinth, ASCSA summer travel programs, scientific field schools, etc.), and/or to develop knowledge, resources, and collegial networks to enhance their teaching.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the Programs Administrator well in advance of submitting their proposal for advice on matching the resources and opportunities of the School to their needs and interests. Fellowship winners will be paired with ASCSA mentors who can assist them in planning and preparing for their time in Greece.

Applicants intending to use the fellowship to participate in an ASCSA summer program must submit the Scarborough application AND a separate application to the relevant program(s) of interest. Applicants wishing to use the Scarborough fellowship to offset costs of participation in the Regular Member academic program of the School must also apply directly for Regular Membership (deadline Jan. 15, 2024); admission to the Regular Program requires that applicants write an examination in mid-February. The fellowship may not be held concurrently with
Regular Member Fellowships. The fellowship may not be held remotely; residency in Athens is required.

Awards granted in the January 2024 competition must be used between June 1, 2024 and May 30, 2025.

Each award provides for $1500 per month (rounded upwards to the nearest whole month to a maximum of 3 month) as a stipend. The fellowship provides room and board at Loring Hall, a waiver of any applicable School fees (including summer program course fees), and one roundtrip economy-class airfare to Athens. Meals, Monday through Friday, are provided at Loring Hall for the fellow. The cost of participation on trips during the academic year is not covered (costs are billed in Athens after each trip). Meals or incidental expenses outside Loring Hall are not covered by the fellowship.

The School intends to make up to four awards each year.

Application: Submit an online application here, https://ascsa.submittable.com/submit/171376/william-sanders-scarborough-fellowship. A complete application will include:

A 2-page, single-spaced, statement indicating your eligibility, describing the proposed use of the fellowship including any formal program at the School you plan to apply for, the proposed timeframe for your work at the School (this includes proposed dates of attendance), and your project or research goals (as applicable). Please note that you may only change the proposed dates of attendance indicated on your application, after acceptance, with approval from the School’s administration. Due to limited housing space, we may not be able to accommodate requested changes to the proposed dates.
A curriculum vitae.
A copy of current transcripts for student applicants (scans of official transcripts are acceptable).
Arrange for two letters of recommendation. Recommenders will be asked to upload their letters via the online application system, Submittable. Upon submission of the online application, recommenders will be sent an automated email with instructions about how to submit their letters of recommendation. Or, applicants may choose to send the request at any time by clicking the “Send Request Now” button on the online application form.

For more information: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/fellowships-and-grants

Questions? Contact: Alicia Dissinger, Programs Administrator, programs@ascsa.org

Award decisions will be announced in March 2024.

The American School of Classical Studies at Athens does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national or ethnic origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation when considering admission to any form of membership or application for employment.

—
American School of Classical Studies at Athens
321 Wall Street
Princeton, NJ 08540-1515
Email: programs@ascsa.org
Website: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr

Northwestern University: Assistant Professor of Art/Architecture

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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

Online lecture: The “Byzantine literary system”: Possibilities and limitations of an analytical tool (in Greek)

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The Byzantine Studies Lectures of the Institute of Historical Research (National Hellenic Research Foundation) continue on October 16 with a hybrid lecture on:

The “Byzantine literary system”: Possibilities and limitations of an analytical tool (in Greek)

 Panagiotis Agapitos, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

 

18:00 EET, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48, V. Constantinou Av. 11635, Athens.

To join via Zoom please follow the link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ne5jSwtOTwauB9El0_Sa6Q

 

ASCSA Summer Travel/Study Programs for 2024

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ASCSA Summer Travel/Study Programs for 2024: 

    Warrior Sailors, Traders, and Pirates: Aegean Islands Through the Ages (June 17 to July 5, 2024)
    Alexander to Actium: The Archaeology of Hellenistic Greece (July 11 to July 29, 2024)
Application deadline: January 8, 2024
*NEW* One online application form to apply for any (or all) of these three summer program offerings!
Scholarships available for all programs.
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ASCSA SUMMER SESSION
The Summer Session program of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens is a six-week travel study course designed for those who wish to become acquainted with Greece and its major monuments, and to improve their understanding of the country’s landscape, history, material culture, and literature from antiquity to the present.

The 2024 Summer Session runs from June 10 to July 24, 2024, and its Directors are Professor Amelia R. Brown, of the University of Queensland, and Professor Amy C. Smith, of the University of Reading.

Format: The ASCSA Summer Session has provided extensive exposure to Greece, ancient and modern, for generations of students of Classics and related fields. It has a strong academic component with participants researching and presenting topics on site and offers unique opportunities to interact with eminent archaeologists in the field. Roughly half of the session is spent in travel throughout Greece. Three trips give participants an introduction to the major archaeological sites and museum collections throughout the country. The remainder of the session is devoted to study of the museums and monuments of Athens and the surrounding area with day trips to such sites as Marathon, Sounion, and Eleusis. The Summer Session Program is designed to present a comprehensive view of Greece’s rich history and archaeology. Participants should expect long days at sites and museums, extensive walking on uneven and rocky terrain, and Mediterranean temperatures well above 30ºC/86ºF for extended periods without ready access to shade. Prospective applicants uncertain about their ability to participate in all program activities are encouraged to contact the ASCSA office for more information.

Eligibility: Enrollment is open to graduate and advanced undergraduate students, and to high school teachers and college/university faculty of Classics and related subjects. Enrollment is limited to twenty participants. The language of instruction is English.
ASCSA SUMMER SEMINARS
The Summer Seminars of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens are 18-day programs that focus on specific cultural themes, historical periods, or geographical regions. The Seminars are led by exceptional scholars of Classics and related fields. Under their direction, participants study texts, visit archaeological sites and museums, and engage with expert guest speakers in order to deepen their understanding of Greece’s landscape, history, literature, and material culture.

For Summer 2024, the two seminars are:
Warrior Sailors, Traders, and Pirates: Aegean Islands Through the Ages (June 17 to July 5, 2024)
This seminar will discuss issues of insularity and connectivity in the Mediterranean, from the Bronze Age to the 20th century. Using a mix of chronological (e.g., Iron Age networks and colonization) and thematic approaches (e.g., raw materials and trade routes) the course explores the islands in their multifaceted cultural roles as places of inhabitation and worship, sources of desired raw materials, marketplaces, strategic locations during the wars –from the Delian League to World War II– as well as paradise destinations of modern tourism. The course will spend time around Athens and Euboea, the Cycladic islands, and Crete. Taught by Professors Emilia Oddo (Tulane University) and Bice Peruzzi (Rutgers University).

Alexander to Actium: The Archaeology of Hellenistic Greece (July 11 to July 29, 2024)
This age of cultural globalization that followed in the wake of Alexander’s campaigns saw great developments in science, medicine, literature, art, and political organization. In Greece these developments played out under the clouds of state violence and imperialism as foreign powers fought for control of Greece or fought each other in Greece for control of more expansive Mediterranean empires. Participants will explore the material remains of the programs of construction and commemoration, explore how foreign powers exploited important routes and garrisoned strategic areas to transform Greece into a landscape of control, and explore the ways in which varied Greek polities negotiated these transformations by exploring the history and archaeology of Northwest and Central Greece.  Taught by Professors Jake Morton (Carleton College) and Thomas C. Rose (Randolph-Macon College).

Internationally known scholars of Greek history, art, and archaeology will participate as guest lecturers in both seminars. Students are expected to give on-site reports, which they will prepare in their home libraries before the program begins. The program is designed to present a comprehensive view of Greece’s rich history and archaeology. Participants should expect long days at sites and museums, extensive walking on uneven and rocky terrain, and Mediterranean temperatures well above 30ºC/86ºF for extended periods without ready access to shade. Prospective applicants uncertain about their ability to participate in all program activities are encouraged to contact the ASCSA office for more information.

Eligibility: Enrollment is open to graduate and advanced undergraduate students, as well as to high school and college/university teachers of classics and related subjects. Each seminar is limited to twenty participants. The language of instruction is English.

For more information, link here: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/programs/summer-session-and-seminars.

The American School of Classical Studies at Athens does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national or ethnic origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation when considering admission to any form of membership or application for employment.

—
American School of Classical Studies at Athens
321 Wall Street
Princeton, NJ 08540-1515
Email: programs@ascsa.org
Website: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr

Online Lecture: Daughter, Healer, Soldier, Spy: Finding Communities in the Medieval Middle Eastern Countryside

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The Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture and the Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard University are pleased to announce the first lecture in the 2023–2024 East of Byzantium lecture series.

Tuesday, October 17, 2023 | 12:00 PM EDT | Zoom
Daughter, Healer, Soldier, Spy: Finding Communities in the Medieval Middle Eastern Countryside
Reyhan Durmaz, University of Pennsylvania

The medieval Middle Eastern countryside was a dynamic space populated by groups uniting around powerful patrons, distinct religious practices, and a variety of languages. These groups, contrary to our expectations of a “community”, were often destabilized, negotiated, dismantled, and reconfigured. As a way to capture this dynamism, in light of literature and epigraphy, this talk explores a group of demographic categories that are often sidelined in our conventional taxonomies of medieval Middle Eastern society – such as rulers and subjects, clergy and lay people, elite and non-elite.

Reyhan Durmaz is an assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on the history of religion, especially Christianity, in the late antique and medieval Middle East.

Advance registration required. Register: https://eastofbyzantium.org/upcoming-events/

Contact Brandie Ratliff (mjcbac@hchc.edu), Director, Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture with any questions.

An East of Byzantium lecture. EAST OF BYZANTIUM is a partnership between the Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard University and the Mary Jaharis Center that explores the cultures of the eastern frontier of the Byzantine empire in the late antique and medieval periods.

12th Biennial Medieval Slavic Summer Institute (MSSI)

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12th Biennial Medieval Slavic Summer Institute (MSSI)

June 17 – July 12, 2024
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, USA
Deadline for submission of application: March 1, 2024
The Hilandar Research Library (HRL), the Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies (RCMSS), and the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures (SEELC) at The Ohio State University host a four-week intensive Summer Institute for qualified graduate students in Columbus, Ohio, every other year. The Medieval Slavic Summer Institute (MSSI) offers lectures in two areas: (1) Manuscript Description and Access and (2) Readings in Church Slavonic. Manuscript material on microform from the HRL’s extensive holdings forms a large part of the lectures and homework assignments. There are also a number of lectures on related specific topics. By the end of the Institute, each participant will be able to describe an original Slavic manuscript relying on lectures and hands-on work.

Space is limited to 12 participants.

The intensive nature of the Institute leaves little to no room for participants to have time to pursue outside commitments such as teaching online courses, studying for general exams or spending significant time conducting their own research. (HRL/RCMSS offers other types of grants for individual research.)

Applicants must be graduate students with a BA degree and with a reading knowledge of Cyrillic and of at least one Slavic language. Preference will be given to applicants with reading knowledge of Old Church Slavonic or some other pre-modern Slavic language.

The HRL is the largest repository of medieval Slavic Cyrillic texts on microform in the world and includes holdings from over 100 monastic, private, museum, and library collections from twenty-three countries. There are over 6,000 Cyrillic manuscripts on microform in the HRL, as well as over 1,000 Cyrillic early pre-1800 printed books on microform. The holdings range from the eleventh to twentieth centuries, with a particularly strong collection of manuscripts from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. About half of the manuscripts are East Slavic, with much of the remainder South Slavic in provenience. Learn more about the HRL here.
For further information on eligibility, credit, housing, or financial aid, please contact hilandar@osu.edu.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Hilandar Research Library
Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies
The Ohio State University
119 Thompson Library
1858 Neil Ave Mall
Columbus, Ohio, 43210-1286
USA

Constantine and George Macricostas Fellowship at the Gennadius Library (2024)

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CONSTANTINE AND GEORGE MACRICOSTAS FELLOWSHIP AT THE GENNADIUS LIBRARY

Deadline: January 15, 2024

The Constantine and George Macricostas Fellowship at the Gennadius Library supports research on Orthodox Christian Studies with an emphasis on history, religious traditions, and geographical, geopolitical, and cultural reach. Of particular interest is the significant role that the institution of the church played in the broader history of Hellenism. Opened in 1926 with the 26,000-volume collection of diplomat and bibliophile Joannes Gennadius, the Gennadius Library now houses 145,000 titles of rare books and bindings, research materials, manuscripts, archives, and works of art that illuminate Hellenism, Greece, and neighboring civilizations from antiquity to modern times. The collection includes rare and unique items on the intellectual, social, cultural, political and institutional history of the Orthodox Church through the centuries. Holdings of 90,000 research titles in open stacks complement the rare books and other collections to create a comprehensive resource for the history of Greece across the ages. The fellowship is for research in the Gennadius Library for the coming full academic year.

Eligibility: Ph.D. students and those who have earned the Ph.D. within the last 5 years with research projects focusing on the historical, political, and sociological dimensions of Eastern Orthodox religion from Late Antiquity to the present are eligible. The fields of study may include, but are not limited to religious studies, anthropology, history, philosophy, politics, law, and sociology. Open to all nationalities.

Terms: A stipend of $11,500 plus room and board in Loring Hall, and waiver of School fees. Meals, Monday through Friday, are provided at Loring Hall for the fellow. Fellows are expected to be engaged full-time in the supported research from early September 2024 to late May 2025, and are expected to participate in the academic life of the School. Any concurrent employment requires permission of the Director of the School. A final report is due at the end of the award period, and the ASCSA expects that copies of all publications that result from research conducted as a Fellow of the ASCSA acknowledge the support of the ASCSA and be contributed to the Gennadius Library.

Application: Submit an online application. An application consists of a curriculum vitae, description of the proposed project (up to 750 words), and two letters of reference to be submitted online. Applications should specifically reference the Gennadius Library or its holdings, as well as the proposed project’s relation to the history of the Orthodox Church. Student applicants must submit transcripts. Scans of official transcripts are acceptable.

Link to online application: https://ascsa.submittable.com/submit/271839/macricostas-fellowship
For more information: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/research/gennadius-library/educational-programs/fellowships

Questions? Contact: application@ascsa.org

The award will be announced by March 15, 2024.

The American School of Classical Studies at Athens does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national or ethnic origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation when considering admission to any form of membership or application for employment.

—
American School of Classical Studies at Athens
321 Wall Street
Princeton, NJ 08540-1515
Email: programs@ascsa.org
Website: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr

BSANA Governing Board Call for Nominations

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Call for Nominations

Join the Governing Board!  We are accepting nominations for 4 new members. Candidates should consult the list of those four members whose terms are ending on the BSANA website Leadership page. The Governing Board reflects our mandate for diversity and inclusion, with representation of our diverse fields of study, of early career, independent, tenure-earning and retired members, and of public and private institutions. Each member serves for four years. Make your voice heard!

Please send your nominations and self-nominations to the Chair of the Nominating Committee, Lynn Jones, at lajones@fsu.edu.

We look forward to seeing you in Vancouver!

In memoriam: Aristeides Papadakis

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Please note the following obituary, commemorating Dr. Aristeides Papadakis (August 1, 1936-September 16, 2023). The text below is from the website of Devol Funeral Home, where friends and family can leave a message on the digital tribute wall.

“Dr. Aristeides Papadakis fell asleep in the Lord on September 16, 2023. He was born August 1, 1936, to Michael and Stephania Papadakis in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. He moved to New York City with his parents as a young child. He graduated from Holy Cross Orthodox Seminary in Brookline, Massachusetts and continued his studies at Fordham University earning a scholarship to study at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington D.C. After completing his PhD, he became a professor at the University of Maryland.

Professor Papadakis was a scholar of Byzantine, medieval, and religious history. He was the author of several books and many articles on the history and theology of the Eastern Orthodox church, which included being asked to act as editorial consultant and contributor to the Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. He participated and lectured at international conferences at the invitation of several universities and institutions, including the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences of the Vatican, the Harvard University Center for Byzantine Studies at Dumbarton Oaks, the University of London, University of Cyprus, and Fordham.

Aristeides is survived by his sister in law, Georgia, nieces Anna (David) and Xanthe, his nephew Michael (Carmen), great nephew Cole, and great niece Zoe (Niranjan).

He was a devoted member of the community of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Georgetown.

Friends and family will always remember Aristeides for his gracious manners and gentle spirit.

A memorial service will take place at 10:30 a.m. on September 25th at St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral in Washington DC.

Interment at Rock Creek Cemetery immediately following.”

© 2023 Byzantine Studies Association of North America, Inc. (BSANA) . All Rights Reserved.