Syntax, formulaic structures, and canon-marking in Greek and Arabic: documentary texts and Galen (MSCA Doctoral Network MECANO)

31 Jan 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Department

Classics

Research Field

Language sciences » Philology

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Israel

Application Deadline

1 Mar 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

40

Offer Starting Date

1 Oct 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

HE / MSCA

Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number

101120349

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

This PhD project is part of the MSCA Doctoral Network MECANO  ('The Mechanics of Canon Formation and the Transmission of Knowledge from Greco-Roman Antiquity'). MECANO brings together five universities and an array of academic and non-academic institutions interested in the topic of canonicity. MECANO's twofold goal is to develop a new model for the study of canonicity and to train ten PhD researchers to become historically conscious and digitally skilled Humanities PhDs, ready to tackle the challenges of modern engagement with the topics of canonicity, diversity, and cultural heritage.

The aim of this PhD project concerns Galen’s vast Greek corpus of medical treatises, many also translated into Arabic. This group of texts offers perfect territory for exploring language structures in the canonical writer’s toolbox. How original or common were they? Can the impacts of such canon markers be traced in non-Galenic attestations of contemporary and other germane language material? Galen’s works spread widely already during his time; there is also contemporary language material in the form of documentary and (semi)literary papyri of similar text types (e.g. prescriptive passages in recipes and instructions in medical and magical papyri; stipulations in legal documents; dialogic, narrative, polemical or politeness mechanisms in private letters and petitions).

The specific objectives of this project are: (1) to study a syntactic feature (e.g. subordination, directives, non-finite complementation) in a select treatise or cross-section of treatises by Galen (with surviving translations in Arabic) in comparison to the range of linguistic possibilities used in documentary material; (2) to gauge the extent of formulaic structures in Galen’s usage and (3) to identify markers of canonicity. An analysis of Galen’s usage within this complex Greek état de langue equips the study with an informed basis for analysing the survival of structure/s (Bauformen) in the Arabic translations, along with the canon marking they imply or display.

Aside from the many activities and diverse expertise on offer in the Classics department, scholars of Arabic and Syriac language and literature offer excellent academic opportunities at the Hebrew University (HUJI) including courses, reading groups and superior library resources, all promoting expertise and high-quality research skills.

Responsibilities and Activities

• As a PhD candidate you will write a PhD thesis in Classics. You will be supervised by Prof. Donna Shalev (HUJI) and Marja Vierros (University of Helsinki).
• You will participate in the ongoing activities at the Department of Classical Studies at the Hebrew University.
• You will take a number of courses at the department and faculty and have access to all libraries and university resources. 

You will be part of an MSCA Doctoral Network, a vibrant group of PhD candidates and international researchers from five universities. This means participating in networking activities and spending time abroad, gaining from a unique study and training experience. You will take full part in the training programme, consisting of summer schools, workshops, a regular online seminar, and other activities.

Your programme includes two secondments: at the Department of Languages at the University of Helsinki (4-month research stay) and Brill/De Gruyter Publishers (Leiden, 3 months), preparing digital lexical entries for the GALex Greco-Arabic dictionary, learning about text encoding and the TEI, as well as morphology extraction.

Requirements

Research Field

Language sciences » Philology

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

• You should hold an M.A. in Classics (with a minimum average grade of 85 and a minimum grade of 85 in the thesis or equivalent) by time of appointment. 
• You should have excellent skills in Greek and/or Arabic with some knowledge of the second language.
• You are interested in historical medical treatises and/or documentary texts and in translation techniques, as well as grammatical and structural aspects of texts.
• You are willing to learn new text types and skills (language, digital, codicological, research methods)

Specific Requirements

The vacancy is open to applicants of all nationalities who comply with the MSCA mobility requirement: not having resided in Israel for more than 12 months in the 36 months preceding appointment.

You must not hold a doctoral degree in any other field or have failed a corresponding doctoral examination at another higher education institution.

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Languages

ANCIENT GREEK

Level

Good

Research Field

Language sciences » Philology

Additional Information
Benefits

• You will be employed as a full-time Visiting Researcher.
• You will earn a gross salary of ca. 11,500 NIS (3,200 EUR)
• In addition, you will be entitled to pension and holiday allowance.
• Family allowance will be available if relevant, as well as a research / travel allowance.

HUJI’s Faculty of Humanities is a highly interdisciplinary research and teaching faculty, situated on the Mt. Scopus campus founded in 1925. It is home to a multicultural and highly diverse community of students, researchers and staff, and international visitors in a wide range of fellowships and programmes. We warmly encourage candidates who can further strengthen and enrich this community by bringing new perspectives and backgrounds. 

Eligibility criteria

The vacancy is open to applicants of all nationalities who comply with the MSCA mobility requirement: not having resided in Israel for more than 12 months in the 36 months preceding appointment.

You must not hold a doctoral degree in any other field or have failed a corresponding doctoral examination at another higher education institution.

*MECANO is committed to creating an environment in which all talents can develop to their maximum potential, regardless of gender, age, cultural origin, nationality, or disability. We particularly encourage candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups to apply. This PhD position is one of two positions at the Department of Classical Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 

Selection process

To apply, we ask you to submit the following documents as one PDF - please send it to [email protected] :

• Introduction Statement (600–800 words), covering: (i) Which qualifications make you suitable for the position; (ii) How this PhD position aligns with your scholarly interests and further career plans within or outside academia; (iii) Your motivation to participate in a doctoral network which includes international  mobility and an internship period.
• CV (max. 2 pages)
• Names and email address of two academic referees (You must have the permission of the academic referees. We may ask them to provide a reference letter.)
• Academic writing sample in English (ca. 7000 words)
• MA degree certificate (if available) and transcript of records. If by the time you apply you have not yet obtained your M.A., please attach to your application a statement by your supervisor confirming that it will be obtained by time of appointment.

Please apply by March 1st, 2024 at the end of the day, by sending one PDF file with all above documents to [email protected] .

If shortlisted, you will be invited for an interview with the prospective supervisors and 1-2 other members of MECANO.

The recruitment process will be handled centrally by the MECANO selection committee.

Please note that MECANO is advertising positions for a total of 10 candidates within its framework, who will be based at 5 participating universities. Applications for each position must be submitted separately. It is possible to apply for more than one position, in which case the applicant must send a separate email to [email protected] , stating this and indicating their preference. The recruitment process will be handled centrally by the MECANO selection committee.

Additional comments

For questions about the position, please write to Prof Donna Shalev at [email protected] . 

For questions about the doctoral network, please contact Dr Daria Kondakova, MECANO Project Manager, at [email protected] .

Website for additional job details

http://www.mecano-dn.eu/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Country

Israel

Geofield

Where to apply

E-mail

[email protected]

Contact

City

Jerusalem

Website

https://huji.academia.edu/donnashalev
http://www.mecano-dn.eu/
https://en.classics.huji.ac.il/

Street

Mt. Scopus

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED