The Institute for the Public Life of Arts and Ideas at McGill University seeks two
postdoctoral fellows in Studies in Early Modern Europe. One will have a demonstrable research
interest in the public life of arts and ideas (A). The other will have a demonstrable research
interest in Digital Humanities (B). The Fellows will join a large, international, interdisciplinary
research project entitled, “Forms of Conversion: Religion, Culture, and Cognitive Ecologies in
Early Modern Europe and its Worlds.” “Forms of Conversion” will study how early modern
Europeans changed their confessional, political, social, and sexual identities. It will consider how
these subjective changes interrelated with broader transformations in early modernity—the
geopolitical reorientation of Europe in light of emerging relations with Islam and the Americas;
the rethinking of the knowledge of Antiquity and the Middle Ages; the reimagining of God. By
examining forms of conversion across disciplinary boundaries as a network of movements and
transformations, the project will develop an understanding of religious, cultural, and cognitive
change that will provide a new account of early modernity and a foundation for a renewed
understanding of the present age. Members of the team include scholars in Art, Architectural,
Literary, Music, and Theatre History, History of Religion, History of Cognition and Emotion,
Social and Intellectual History, and Digital Humanities. See the project description at
http://www.mcgill.ca/iplai/research/.
The start date for the year-long positions is August 1, 2013. There is the possibility of a
one-year renewal. Candidates will have a PhD in a field consonant with “Forms of Conversion,” a
research program relevant to the central interests of the project, and a record of work in one of the
two fellowship tracks. The Fellows will work on their own research program, collaborate with
colleagues in an interdisciplinary context, and may have opportunities to teach courses in their
areas of specialty. Fellow A will also take part in the development of the project’s program of
public outreach, education, and exchange and serve on the project’s Education Advisory
Committee. Fellow B will take part in the development of the project’s Digital Humanities
infrastructure and serve on the project’s Management Committee. Fellowship stipends will be
approximately $40,000CDN per annum, plus travel and research support. Applications, consisting
of a description of research program, writing sample, and CV must be sent by email (.pdf
attachments only) by April 5, 2013 to Paul Yachnin, Tomlinson Professor of Shakespeare Studies,
McGill University at Conversion.IPLAI@McGill.ca. Please indicate clearly whether you wish to
be considered for the A or B track. Please also arrange for three letters of reference to be sent to
the same email address by the April 5 deadline. Candidates should ask referees to include the
candidate’s name on the subject line of the email.
NOTE THAT THESE POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS ARE SUBJECT TO FUNDING
