PHD Project Descriptions - Rebpaf 0
PHD Project Descriptions - Rebpaf 0
PHD Project Descriptions - Rebpaf 0
PhD Position 2: Epic Books in the Age of Print: Translation and Transformation
Location: University of Bristol
This project focuses on late 15th-century England and Burgundy to study the transformations of
Charlemagne material with specific reference to one narrative, Quatre Fils Aymon, which became
widely disseminated in manuscript and print, both in England and on the continent. Using translation
theory, the project investigates processes of inter- and intralinguistic translation and expands the
bounds of translation theory by examining the art-historical dimension of translation. Special
attention will be given to both literary and visual representations of the Other (Saracens and/or
Women). It is anticipated that training will include a four-month secondment at Boydell and Brewer
to gain work experience at a major independent publishing house in medieval studies and gain
transferable IT and marketing skills. It will also include a short secondment to the University of
Zürich.
Required Criteria:
The researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.)
in the UK for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the application
deadline.
An upper second-class degree (or international equivalent) in languages, literatures, or book
history.
A master’s qualification, or be working towards a master’s qualification, or international
equivalent. Applicants without a master's qualification may be considered on an exceptional
basis, provided they hold a first-class undergraduate degree (or international equivalent).
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Applicants with a non-traditional background may be considered provided they can
demonstrate substantial equivalent and relevant experience that has prepared them to
undertake their proposed course of study.
Good reading knowledge of medieval French.
Fluency in spoken and written English corresponding to level c:
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/language-requirements/profile-c/
Desirable Criteria:
A foundation in palaeography and codicology.
A demonstrable interest in book history and/or textual criticism.
Knowledge of other medieval languages, for example, Latin or Middle English.
The ideal applicant is a communicatively skilled team player who is willing to teach and
learn from their peers in the local group.
Supervisor Profiles:
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/Marianne-Ailes-dba901dd-299f-472d-90cb-
f140b133e2ae/
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/Ad-Putter-09ecfd98-f060-490d-acff-
a29e09fd6e9d/
For specific queries about this position, please contact marianne.ailes@bristol.ac.uk. For general queries about PhD
opportunities with REBPAF, please contact rebpaf@universityofgalway.ie.
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PhD Position 4: Walahfrid Strabo’s Hortulus in Manuscript and Print
Location: University of Zürich
This project focuses on the 1510 edition of Walahfrid Strabo Hortulus by the humanist Joachim
Vadianus. The edition, printed in Vienna, is exceptional in two ways: 1) the manuscript on which it
is based is known and survives in the Vatican library; 2) despite the overwhelming interest of
humanist printers in classical Latin texts, this printed edition (reprinted in 1512) contains a didactic
poem by a 9th-century abbot. This study exploits the rare opportunity to compare the manuscript
copy-text with the printed copy to calibrate the formal re-mediation: how do the texts compare, and
just as importantly, how do para-texts, mise-en-page, and illustration? It also asks why this text was
selected (who funded it? who bought it?), and what comparisons can be drawn with other early
medieval poets who made it into print (e.g., Hrosvitha). It is anticipated that training will include a
four-month secondment at Quaternio Verlag Luzern, where this researcher will gain valuable insight
into, and hands-on experience with, processes of production and marketing at a publisher specialising
in facsimile editions of illuminated medieval manuscripts. It will also include a short secondment to
the University of Galway.
Required Criteria:
The researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.)
in Switzerland for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the
application deadline.
Good command of Latin, including knowledge of Medieval and Neo-Latin.
MA in literary or historical studies.
Native or near native command of German.
Linguistic ability to participate in network-wide training activities conducted in English.
Desirable Criteria:
Knowledge of palaeography.
The ideal applicant is a communicatively skilled team player who is willing to teach and
learn from their peers in the local group.
Supervisor Profiles:
https://www.sglp.uzh.ch/de/aboutus/personen/cardelle.html
https://www.rose.uzh.ch/de/seminar/wersindwir/mitarbeitende/trachsler.html
For specific queries about this position, please contact carmen.cardelle@uzh.ch. For general queries about PhD
opportunities with REBPAF, please contact rebpaf@universityofgalway.ie.
PhD Position 6: Media and Narratology: Transformations of the Short Story in German from
Manuscript to Print
Location: University of Vienna
Based on a study of the evolving media in which shorter narratives were transmitted (late
medieval multi-text codices, in the sixteenth century printed omnibus editions such as Pauli’s
Schimpf und Ernst and Kirchhof’s Wendenmuth) and in the seventeenth century
newspapers), this project triangulates changes in modes of transmission with formal and
narratological changes, such as changes from verse to prose and changes in focalisation and
plot-telling. The project will lead to a deeper understanding of the relationship between
medium and text in a crucial period of transition. It is anticipated that training will include a
three-month internship at Antiquariat Inlibris to gain experience of, and access to,
manuscript and rare books at Austria’s leading rare books dealer and to develop and apply
palaeographical and codicological skills in a non-academic context. It will also include a
short secondment to the University of Antwerp.
Required Criteria:
The researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.)
in Austria for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the application
deadline
Proficiency in English-language academic reading and writing.
A degree (MA) in German Literature or Medieval Literature with a focus on German.
Near-native proficiency in German (C1, C2).
A working knowledge of either Middle High or Early Modern German.
Desirable Criteria:
Prior research experience in medieval and/or early modern German literature.
An understanding of (historical) narratology.
The ideal applicant is a communicatively skilled team player who is willing to teach and
learn from their peers in the local group.
Supervisor Profiles:
https://www.germ.univie.ac.at/matthias-meyer/
https://www.germ.univie.ac.at/rabea-kohnen/
For specific queries about this position, please contact matthias.meyer@univie.ac.at. For general queries about PhD
opportunities with REBPAF, please contact rebpaf@universityofgalway.ie.
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leading rare books dealer and to develop and apply palaeographical and codicological skills in a non-
academic context. It will also include a short secondment to the University of Alicante.
Required Criteria:
The researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.)
in the UK for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the application
deadline
A master’s qualification, or be working towards a master’s qualification, or international
equivalent. Applicants without a master's qualification may be considered on an exceptional
basis, provided they hold a first-class undergraduate degree (or international equivalent).
Applicants with a non-traditional background may be considered provided they can
demonstrate substantial equivalent and relevant experience that has prepared them to
undertake their proposed course of study.
Good reading knowledge of medieval English.
Fluency in spoken and written English corresponding to level c:
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/language-requirements/profile-c/
Desirable Criteria:
A foundation in palaeography and codicology.
A demonstrable interest in book history and/or textual criticism.
Knowledge of other medieval languages, specifically French and Latin.
The ideal applicant is a communicatively skilled team player who is willing to teach and
learn from their peers in the local group.
Supervisor Profiles:
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/Ad-Putter-09ecfd98-f060-490d-acff-
a29e09fd6e9d/
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/Marianne-Ailes-dba901dd-299f-472d-90cb-
f140b133e2ae/
For specific queries about this position, please contact a.d.putter@bristol.ac.uk. For general queries about PhD
opportunities with REBPAF, please contact rebpaf@universityofgalway.ie.
PhD Position 10: The Commodification of the Early Book: Collecting and Selling Rare
Books in the 19th Century
Location: University of Alicante
This project traces the history of the present-day valuation of rare books as precious commodities in
the marketplace back to the 19th c., focusing on Sir Thomas Phillipps, the greatest book collector of
all times, and his contemporaries. It locates the history of the present-day valuation of rare books as
collectible investment items in the 19th century, and it asks what neglected sources (19th-century
sales catalogues, guides to book collecting, inventories of private collections) can tell us about the
canons of value still prevalent nowadays in the trade of early books, both in manuscript and in print.
It is anticipated that training will include a three-month secondment at Maggs Bros. to gain first-hand
experience of the book trade in the UK’s leading dealer in manuscripts and early printing; to apply
palaeographical and codicological skills to research into and marketing of the firm’s newly acquired
manuscripts and early printed books; and to benefit from 19th-century company records recording
sales (going back to 1853). It will also include a short secondment to the University of Bristol.
Required Criteria:
The researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.)
in Spain for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the application
deadline.
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An honours BA with a minimum degree result of a high 2.1 or international equivalent.
An MA degree.
High level of competence in academic English (minimum C1).
Prior study of both late medieval and early modern English literature.
Desirable Criteria:
A demonstrable interest in book history, digital humanities, and/or textual editing.
Some knowledge of Spanish and/or Catalan.
The ideal applicant is a communicatively skilled team player who is willing to teach and
learn from their peers in the local group.
Supervisor Profiles:
https://cvnet.cpd.ua.es/curriculum-breve/en/sanchez-marti-jordi/5774
https://cvnet.cpd.ua.es/curriculum-breve/en/garcia-sempere-maria-
manuela/1419https://web.ua.es/va/valenciana-prosa/marinela-garcia-sempere.html
For specific queries about this position, please contact Jordi.Sanchez@ua.es. For general queries about PhD opportunities
with REBPAF, please contact rebpaf@universityofgalway.ie.
PhD Position 11: Is it Worth It? Modelling the Perceived Value of the Medieval Book Using
Predictive Machine-learning Methods
Location: University of Antwerp
This project turns to machine learning to quantitatively model the prices of medieval manuscripts at
modern and historic auctions. It seeks to provide novel, quantitative insights into the factors driving
the current (perceived) value of historical artefacts. Machine learning systems will be applied to
recent auctioning information for premodern books, based on codicological properties, data to be
collected from websites and catalogues of major auction houses. It is anticipated that training will
include a three-month secondment at Maggs Bros. to gain first-hand experience of the book trade in
the UK’s leading dealer in manuscripts and early printing; to apply and enrich palaeographical and
codicological skills to research into and marketing of newly acquired manuscripts and early printed
book; and to gather research data on the relation between valuation and codicological features. It will
also include a short secondment to the University of Bristol.
Required Criteria:
The researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.)
in Belgium for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the
application deadline
A Research MA degree in (medieval) literature, (book) history and/or Digital
(Computational) Humanities. In the case of a degree in Data Science or Machine Learning,
the researcher must be able to demonstrate a clear affinity with medieval manuscripts.
Proficiency in English-language academic reading and writing.
Desirable Criteria:
Demonstrable skills in programming (such as Python or R), machine learning or more
general data science (statistics) will be considered an asset. Applicants are encouraged to
submit a portfolio of any digital projects they might have been engaged with (e.g. Github
profile). In any case, the researcher must be willing to acquire a digital orientation in their
work.
The ideal applicant is a communicatively skilled team player who is willing to teach and
learn from their peers in the local group.
Supervisor Profiles:
https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/staff/mike-kestemont/
https://www.uantwerpen.be/nl/personeel/remco-sleiderink/
For specific queries about this position, please contact mike.kestemont@uantwerpen.be. For general queries about PhD
opportunities with REBPAF, please contact rebpaf@universityofgalway.ie.
PhD Position 12: Promoting Open Educational Resources (OER) in Early Book Studies
Location: University of Galway
This practice-based project has the following objectives: 1) to create an inventory of the best existing
OER related to early book studies; 2) to critically analyse current European and international policy
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on OER; 3) to conduct surveys and/or interviews that capture the current academic discourse around
the value of OER in and beyond the subfields of medieval and early modern studies; 3) to investigate
why literary studies remains underrepresented in high-profile OER repositories, making relevant
recommendations for improving future volume and visibility; 4) to develop an experimental
multimedia corpus of small-scale OER that effectively introduce editorial and bibliographical
methodologies to undergraduate and nonspecialist audiences; 5) to develop capacity-building and
awareness training encouraging medievalist and early modernist stakeholders to create, access, re-
use, adapt, and redistribute OER. It is anticipated that training will include a two-month secondment
at Cúirt International Festival of Literature to gain firsthand experience of arts events and social
media management and to acquire archival skills by exploring Cúirt’s archives. It will also include a
short secondment to the University of Antwerp.
Required Criteria:
The researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.)
in Ireland for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the application
deadline.
An honours BA with a minimum degree result of a high 2.1 or international equivalent.
Prior study of late medieval and/or early modern literature.
Minimum IELTS score of 7 or equivalent (only applicable for students who have not earned
a previous degree in an English-speaking context).
Willingness and aptitude to acquire new digital skills.
Desirable Criteria:
A completed MA or MLIS/MLS degree or other relevant postgraduate qualification.
A demonstrable interest in book history, digital humanities, and/or textual editing.
Experience with qualitative data collection and analysis.
The ideal applicant is a communicatively skilled team player who is willing to teach and
learn from their peers in the local group.
Supervisor Profiles:
https://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/english-and-creative-arts/lindsayreid/
https://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/languages-literatures-and-
cultures/catherineemerson/
For specific queries about this position, please contact lindsay.reid@universityofgalway.ie. For general queries about PhD
opportunities with REBPAF, please contact rebpaf@universityofgalway.ie.
PhD Position 13: Open Educational Resources (OER) in the History of the Book: Towards
a New Anthology
Location: University of Galway
This practice-based project is focused on literary anthologies and OER creation and has the following
aims: 1) to critically assess the extent to which aspects of selection, paratext and layout are included
in traditional, commonly assigned anthologies used for teaching late medieval and early modern
English literature; 2) to explore how non-traditional digital formats can be leveraged to convey
information about material culture to students of literature; 3) to conceptualise, create, and effectively
disseminate an open, classroom-friendly anthology of texts that will provide undergraduate and
nonspecialist audiences with a sophisticated understanding of early English print culture (c. 1476-
1603). The digital anthology developed by the researcher will place particular emphasis on
illuminating issues such as the coexistence of print and manuscript circulation, the transnational
character of literary exchange and the book trade, and the economics of textual production in the long
16th century. It is anticipated that training will include a four-month internship at Boydell and Brewer
to gain work experience at a major independent publishing house in medieval studies and gain
transferable IT and marketing skills. It will also include a short secondment to the University of
Antwerp.
Required Criteria:
The researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.)
in Ireland for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the application
deadline
An honours BA with a minimum degree result of a high 2.1 or international equivalent.
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Prior study of both late medieval and early modern English literature.
Minimum IELTS score of 7 or equivalent (only applicable for students who have not earned
a previous degree in an English-speaking context).
Willingness and aptitude to acquire new digital skills.
Desirable Criteria:
A completed MA or MLIS/MLS degree or other relevant postgraduate qualification.
Confidence reading Middle English.
A demonstrable interest in book history, digital humanities, and/or textual editing.
The ideal applicant is a communicatively skilled team player who is willing to teach and
learn from their peers in the local group.
Supervisor Profiles:
https://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/english-and-creative-arts/lindsayreid/
https://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/languages-literatures-and-
cultures/catherineemerson/
For specific queries about this position, please contact lindsay.reid@universityofgalway.ie. For general queries about PhD
opportunities with REBPAF, please contact rebpaf@universityofgalway.ie.