PhD Scholarship Opportunities in the History of Philosophy (2x positions)

Job No.: 625710

Faculty/Portfolio: Faculty of Arts, School of Philosophical, Historical, and International Studies (SOPHIS)

Location: Clayton campus

Employment type: Full-time

Duration: 3-year and 3-month fixed-term appointment

Remuneration: The successful applicant will receive a Research Living Allowance, at the current value of $29,500 per annum 2021 full-time rate (tax-free stipend), indexed plus allowances as per RTP stipend scholarship conditions at: www.monash.edu/graduate-research/study/scholarships/scholarship-policy-and-procedures . A tuition fee scholarship and Single Overseas Health Cover (OSHC) will be provided for a successful international awardee.

The Opportunity

We are seeking two PhD candidates: one for Project One, the other for Project Two.

Project One: Monash Faculty of Arts is funding a PhD scholarship connected to a larger project, an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project on The Philosophical Foundations of Women’s Rights: A New History, 1600-1750 (DP190100019). The research team for this project comprises Associate Professor Jacqueline Broad (Monash) together with Professor Deborah Brown (UQ) and Professor Marguerite Deslauriers (McGill, Canada). The purpose of the project is to show that the history of women’s rights is much longer and richer than previously thought. The project expects to generate a new understanding of feminist history by investigating several texts calling for the recognition of women’s dignity, worth, nobility, and excellence (cognate concepts to rights) in England and Europe from 1600 to 1750, against the backdrop of the rise of Cartesianism.

The successful PhD candidate will be expected to carry out their own independent research that complements this larger project in some way. For example, research proposals might focus on

• philosophical issues to do with rights in the history of philosophy;
• a wider early modern philosophical tradition or school of thought;
• a single male or female philosopher of the historical period; or
• another philosophical topic relevant to the larger project.

The precise details of the PhD research are flexible and responsive to the successful applicant’s expertise and interests, in consultation with the supervisors.

Project Two: Monash Faculty of Arts is funding a PhD scholarship connected to the project Extending New Narratives in the History of Philosophy, as part of Monash’s commitment to this Partnership, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and twelve partner institutions. The research team includes 12 co-investigators (including Jacqueline Broad at Monash) and more than 70 collaborators worldwide. The project aims to create new and more inclusive histories of philosophy by promoting research on currently marginalized philosophers and philosophical themes in the European tradition and other traditions, with an emphasis on recovering the philosophical works of women. For further details, see www.newnarrativesinphilosophy.net/index.html .

The successful PhD candidate will be expected to carry out an independent research project related to the key themes of the Extending New Narratives project. We particularly encourage research proposals on neglected philosophical figures and/or philosophical topics in the early modern period (c. 1600-1750). The candidate would work under the supervision of Associate Professor Jacqueline Broad in the Monash Philosophy Department. The precise details of the PhD research are flexible and responsive to the successful applicant’s expertise and interests, in consultation with the supervisors.

Monash University is the largest university in Australia and regularly ranks in the top 100 universities worldwide. Monash has six globally networked campuses and international alliances in Europe and Asia. The applicant(s) will be based at the Clayton campus in Melbourne. As one of Australia’s leading centres for philosophical research, Monash Philosophy received a top rating of 5 in the 2018 Excellence in Research Australia ranking exercise, indicating an “outstanding performance well above world standard”.

Candidate Requirements

The successful applicant will have an excellent academic track record in Philosophy or other relevant disciplines (e.g. politics, law, history of ideas, or feminist theory).

In its assessment, the selection committee will prioritise applicants who hold an Australian (or equivalent international) Honours or Master’s degree (both in a relevant field), with a significant research component and with first-class honours/H1 awarded.

Details of eligibility requirements, including English-language proficiency skills, to undertake a PhD in the Faculty of Arts are available at www.monash.edu/arts/graduate_research/how-to-apply . Applicants should ensure they familiarise themselves with these requirements before deciding whether they should apply.

Scholarship holders must be enrolled full time and on campus. Please note: applicants who already hold a PhD will not be considered.

Successful applicants will be expected to enrol by early 2022. However, there may be some flexibility as to the date of commencement.

Enquiries

Associate Professor Jacqueline Broad, Philosophy Department, [email protected]

Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)

EOIs shall comprise:

• A cover letter that includes a brief statement of the applicant’s suitability
• A research proposal not exceeding 750 words that fits within the broad project aims and objectives
• A curriculum vitae, including a list of any published works, conference presentations and relevant work experience
• A recent writing sample (e.g. a research thesis or conference paper)
• A full statement of academic record, supported by scanned copies of relevant certified documentation
• Contact details of two academic referees

It is important that you contact Associate Professor Jacqueline Broad, Philosophy Department, [email protected] , prior to submission of the EOI to discuss the project.

EOIs should be sent, preferably in the form of a single attachment to an email, to Ms Kinda Say, Senior Graduate Research Administrator, Faculty of Arts, at the following email address [email protected] . State “EOI [your name] - PhD Scholarship in History of Philosophy” in the subject heading of the email.

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed, by video call if necessary. The interviews will be conducted in English.

Closing date

Sunday 31 October 2021, 11:55pm AEDT

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