The Ghent Centre for Late Antiquity<https://www.gcla.ugent.be/> (GCLA) is hiring a PhD student to work on benefactors in Late Antiquity.

Euergetism, or gift-giving by the wealthy to their city in exchange for public honours, experienced an unprecedented proliferation in the early Roman empire. However, with the rise of Christianity, it is thought that euergetism in its classic, civic sense declined. With Christian donors caring about saving their soul rather than improving their reputation among their fellow-citizens, P. Veyne stated, euergetism lost its rationale. According to P. Brown, a shift in the social imagination occurred, in which a Greco-Roman 'civic model of society', exemplified by elites benefitting their fellow-citizens, was replaced by a Judeo-Christian ideal of the rich caring for the poor. Yet, it has been argued (cf. C. Lepelley, R. Haensch, Y. Duval and L. Pietri, Ch. J. Goddard, D. F. Caner) that this scenario seems at odds with evidence for e.g. the continuing popularity of investment by local elites, pagan and Christian, in games and public buildings, including churches, the feverish imperial elite and emperor-sponsored world of the circus, and persistent concerns expressed by authors such as Augustine of Hippo or John Chrysostom about Christian engagement with euergetic culture. A rival model of 'Christian euergetism' was proposed (J.-P. Caillet), emphasizing continuities with the civic munificence of the high empire. We invite applications that engage with this debate, focussing, for instance, on categories of gifts, their context (civic, ecclesiastical, private, rural?), regional differences, the social profiles of donors/recipients in the context of the transformation of civic elites, discourses of benefaction and/or charity, or on the recognition (honours, high status, personal salvation...) donors expected/received in return for their gifts.


Your job

  *   You complete a doctoral dissertation on benefactors in Late Antiquity within four years

  *   You participate in, and are willing to co-organize, team meetings, workshops and conferences organised by the GCLA

  *   You contribute to the functioning of your team and department (e.g. limited amount of teaching and/or of administrative tasks, ...)


Your profile

  *   You hold a good master's degree in a relevant field, including (but not limited to) Ancient History or Classics (or will be holding one by the starting date of your appointment)

  *   You have a very good knowledge of the ancient language(s) that are relevant for your research project. Knowledge of more than one ancient languages or cultures is an advantage.

  *   Whilst capable of doing independent work, you can also work well in a team.

  *   You have good organizational skills.

  *   Knowledge of digital humanities, or a willingness to acquire it, is essential if your research proposal entails a digital humanities component; in all other cases, it is an advantage.

  *   An interest in different disciplinary approaches (historical, literary, linguistic, ...) to Late Antiquity is an advantage.


What we offer

  *   We offer a full-time position as doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which, after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months. Your contract will ideally start on 1/1/2025.

  *   The fellowship amount is around 2500 euro net per month. The individual fellowship amount is determined by the Department of Personnel and Organization based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales<https://ugentbe.sharepoint.com/sites/intranet-personeelszaken/SitePages/en/Loonschalen.aspx>

  *   All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits<http://www.ugent.be/nl/vacatures/personeelsvoordelen.htm> (in Dutch).

Our profile

The Ghent Centre for Late Antiquity<https://www.gcla.ugent.be/> (GCLA) is an interdisciplinary research centre that brings together the rich and variegated expertise on Late Antiquity present at Ghent University. Some fifty researchers from the departments of archaeology, history, linguistics and literature join forces within the GCLA, and the GCLA also collaborates with other UGent colleagues, in this case from the Department of History. Our research, which is supported by the European Research Council (ERC), the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) and the UGent Special Research Fund (BOF), is characterized by close working with sources, material culture and languages, and covers Late Antiquity from North-Western Europe to Egypt and the Caucasus.


How to apply

To apply, please e-mail the following documents to Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.<mailto:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.<mailto:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.%3cmailto:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.>> by 20 November 2024:


  *   CV, including list of publications

  *   Copy of your diploma (if already in your possession)

  *   Motivation letter

  *   One-page research proposal setting out what you would like to research within the broad topic of benefactors in Late Antiquity.


More information

For more information about the topic of the PhD, please contact Arjan Zuiderhoek (Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.<mailto:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.<mailto:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.%3cmailto:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.>>). For more information about the position or the application process, please contact Lieve Van Hoof (Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.<mailto:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.<mailto:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.%3cmailto:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.>>), Director of the GCLA.



    

Center for Hellenic Studies (CHS)

The Center for Hellenic Studies (CHS) offers residential postdoctoral fellowships in Hellenic Studies for the 2025-26 academic year.  Fellows are appointed for a term of up to sixteen weeks in the fall (August 27, 2025 to December 17, 2025) or the spring (January 28, 2026 to May 20, 2026).  Applicants should indicate their preference for fall or spring on the application form.  During this time, recipients are expected to be in residence at the CHS and to devote full time to their study projects without undertaking any other major activities.

Fellowships include a stipend, housing at the CHS, and subsidized health insurance. The stipend (maximum $25,000) is adjusted for individual circumstances, such as the amount of support from other sources. Additional support (up to $1,500) is available for professional travel and other research expenses. The CHS will also assist with the fellow's travel expenses to and from Washington. All fellows, regardless of the term of their fellowship, receive an appointment for one year, beginning in July, which provides them with full access to the resources of the Harvard library system.
The purpose of the residential fellowship program is to encourage and support scholarship of the highest quality on topics related to ancient Greek civilization (e.g., archaeology, art history, epigraphy, history, literary criticism, philology, philosophy, pedagogical applications, reception, and interdisciplinary studies).  The program aims to foster interaction among researchers from diverse backgrounds and regions of the world.  Accordingly, the CHS welcomes projects with a traditional basis in Classics and those that adopt collaborative or interdisciplinary approaches to the field of Hellenic studies drawn from fields across the humanities, social sciences, and/or natural sciences.

In addition to supporting scholars working independently, the CHS also welcomes applications from individuals engaged in collaborative research projects (such as co-written or co-edited volumes, digital databases, or software tools). Each member of a collaboration should apply individually for a fellowship and describe the nature of the collaboration on the application form.

Eligibility
The prerequisite for a fellowship is a PhD degree in Classics or a related field. Applicants must have defended their degree before July 1, 2024.
Applicants may not apply to both the Fellowships in Hellenic Studies Program in Washington, DC and to the Early Career Fellowships in Hellenic Studies Program in Greece and Cyprus during the same application cycle.
The CHS is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for appointment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The CHS views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.
Dissemination of Research and Acknowledgement of Support
Fellows are encouraged to document the evolution of their projects and share their work in progress. All fellows are asked to submit a profile for publication on the CHS website and complete a survey at the end of their appointment. Beyond that, fellows are welcome to contribute one piece of content for publication in the CHS Research Bulletin<https://research-bulletin.chs.harvard.edu/>.
The CHS asks fellows to acknowledge the support of the Center in publications or presentations resulting from their work during the fellowship.

Criteria Used in the Awarding of Fellowships
The CHS will only fund proposals that:
1. Outline clearly and in detail a research project that contributes to scholarship in Classical studies or the humanities in general;
2. Demonstrate the capability of the researcher(s) to carry out the project: for example, through prior publications and letters of support;
3. Explain the importance of a CHS fellowship to the progress of the project.

Application Information
The deadline for submitting applications is Saturday, November 16, 2024 at midnight (Eastern). Recommendation letters are due no later than Saturday, November 23, 2024.
As part of the application process, applicants must upload three documents in PDF format:
1. A detailed research proposal of no more than 1,000 words. Bibliographies and references do not count toward the word limit.
2. A curriculum vitae documenting qualifications to conduct the proposed research.
3. A sample of published or forthcoming work of no more than 10,000 words. Bibliographies and references do not count toward the word limit.
Applicants must also provide the names and contact information of three referees, who will be contacted directly by the CHS after the application is submitted. Applicants are responsible for confirming the availability of their proposed referees prior to submission.
Notification of the selection committee's decision will be sent to applicants by Monday, March 3, 2025.
Applicants with questions are welcome to contact the fellowships team by email at fellowships(at)chs.harvard.edu.

https://chs.harvard.edu/fellowships/fellowships-hellenic-studies/