Post-doc position in Medieval History at the University of Utrecht
Location: Faculty of Humanities
Hours: 40.0 hours per week
Salary: € 3037 – € 3601
Education: Doctorate
Job number: 623236
Job description
As a postdoc you will work within the NWO-funded project Mind over Matter. Debates about relics as sacred objects, c. 350-c. 1150, which investigates debates and disagreements about the role of relic cults in Christian devotion in the West from Late Antiquity until c. 1150. Contrary to what is often maintained, the role of relics in Christian religious life was not self-evident and unchallenged. This project examines the learned debates on the role of matter in Christian devotion (project 1) and analyses their relation to the practices of the saints’ cults themselves (projects 2 and 3).
The postdoc, responsible for project 2, will focus on the physical setting of saints’ cults, using inscriptions as his main source to reconstruct thinking and speaking about relics at a local level, though always keeping an eye to the other physical remnants of cult sites (relics, reliquaries, architecture, images, altars) if preserved. Inscriptions are an indispensable source to study the dissemination of ideas about relics as sacred objects to a larger audience, because of their appearance at popular and public places and their verbal nature.
You will actively participate in the research team led by Dr. Janneke Raaijmakers. This means doing research together and sharing results, but also organizing an international conference and a national exhibition on sacred relics and other religious objects, Next to working closely together with the other members of the project team, the postdoc will collaborate with the members of the Centre d’Études Supérieur de Civilisation Médiévale (CÉSCM), Université de Poitiers, led by Prof. Cécile Treffort. You are expected to spend part of the research time at Poitiers. You will be based at Utrecht University, as a member of the department of medieval history led by Prof. Mayke de Jong.
Requirements
- A PhD in late antique or (early) medieval (art) history; late antique or (early) medieval art history, or in late antique or medieval Latin;
- expertise in the field of epigraphy (strongly recommended);
- excellent knowledge of (medieval) Latin (required);
- excellent knowledge of the (art) history of the period concerned;
- good knowledge of French (to facilitate collaboration with CÉSCM);
- ability to write and present research results in academic English;
- capacity to work both as a creative and independent researcher and as part of a team;
- capacity or at least willingness to collaborate across the academic disciplines and to combine different kinds of source material;
- an interest for relevant theory;
- experience in publishing at high academic standards;
- organizational skills.
Conditions of employment
We offer a postdoc-position of 1,0 fte with a one year contract beginning June 2014 at the earliest. The position can include a teaching assigment. After a positive evaluation this contract can be extended to a maximum of two more years (a total of three years maximum). Salary ranges between € 3.037,- and € 3.601,- gross per month on a fulltime basis depending on experience and qualifications (scale 10-11).
Utrecht University offers a pension scheme, a holiday allowance of 8% per year, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% and flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Employment Agreement of the Dutch Universities. More information: terms of employment.
Organisation
Utrecht University has great ambitions for its teaching quality and study success rates. This also applies to its clear research profiles which are centred around four themes: Sustainability, Life Sciences, Youth & Identity, and Institutions.
Utrecht University plays a prominent role in our society and contributes to finding the answers to topical and future societal issues.
The Faculty of Humanities has around 7,000 students and 900 staff members. It comprises four knowledge domains: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Culture Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. With its research and education in these fields, the Faculty aims to contribute to a better understanding of the Netherlands and Europe in a rapidly changing social and cultural context.
The enthusiastic and motivated colleagues and the excellent facilities in the historic town centre of Utrecht, where the Faculty is located, provide a stimulating professional atmosphere. Moreover, Utrecht University offers attractive terms of employment.
Please write to j.e.raaijmakers@uu.nl for further enquiries about this job position.
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More specific information about the VIDI-project.