JOB: Doctoral Student on Spaces of Roman Republicanism (University of Helsinki, DEADLINE: 17 September 2018)

(Source: University of Helsinki)

We learned of a Call for Application for a position as doctoral student in Roman law, within the University of Helsinki’s research project “Law, Governance and Space: Questioning the Foundations of the Republican Tradition”. Here the call:

The University of Helsinki is the oldest and largest institution of academic education in Finland, an international scientific community of 40,000 students and researchers. In international university rankings, the University of Helsinki typically ranks among the top 100. The University of Helsinki seeks solutions for global challenges and creates new ways of thinking for the best of humanity. Through the power of science, the University has contributed to society, education and welfare since 1640.

The Faculty of Social Sciences invites applications for the position of a

DOCTORAL STUDENT ON SPACES OF ROMAN REPUBLICANISM

for a fixed term of four years starting from 1 November 2018 onwards (or as agreed) to contribute to the research project Law, Governance and Space: Questioning the Foundations of the Republican Tradition (SpaceLaw, www.spacelaw.fi).

Successful candidates are expected to work full time and to complete their doctorates in four years.

The SpaceLaw research project is located at the Centre for European Studies of the University of Helsinki. It is funded by an ERC Consolidator Grant and led by Dr. Kaius Tuori.

The project has two main research questions that explore the theme by the confrontation of ideas and their contexts in both the ancient Roman Republican tradition and its afterlife in the European tradition:

1) What is the relationship between the Republican ideals and administrative practices and how is their change visible in the spaces of administration from the Roman Republic to modern Republicanism?

2) How the changes in the context and space of administration reflect in the social topography, the public and private spheres of governance?

Administrative professionalization has conventionally been the hallmark of a modern state. Ever since Weber, the conceptual separation of the office and its holder has defined the European way of governance. This separation equally defined it from both its feudalistic predecessors and failed states prone to corruption and nepotism. The origin of this European tradition of the separation of public and private has been seen in the Roman Republican state with its strict responsibilities, term limits and defined powers of its magistracies. This separation was made concrete in the building of public spaces for political and administrative purposes, in settings whose magnificence and grandeur reflected the value that the society held them. In the European tradition, public spaces were a demonstration of public power. While the spatial settings as have been studied in relation to monarchical settings like courts, Republican administration has been neglected. The problem is that much of what is known about the Roman Republican administrative practice fits this image badly. For example how is it possible to have professional administration if the magistrates are not paid and have no offices to work? The purpose of this project is to challenge that assumption and to propose a new model of the Roman governance through a novel re-evaluation of the ancient Roman administrative tradition and its links with the European heritage through the issue of administrative space. Spatial analysis allows the observer to break beyond the limits of the self-understanding of the sources and to approach fundamental connections between questions of power, law and governance.

The doctoral student will work on a thesis linked with subprojects A and C of the project.

Subproject A: The Emergence of the Republican Tradition explores how the Republican tradition of administration was shaped by its historic, spatial, economic, social and philosophical contexts by examining four case studies. How does the change in the interpretations of the tradition correspond with the changes in its spatial and immaterial context? The results of a survey of the corpus of the Roman Republican texts on the theory and practice of administration and administrative space will be compared with the other case studies of the Republicanist tradition.

Subproject C: The Legal Framework and the Administrative Process analyses how Roman jurists and other elite authors conceptualized the legal framework of the administrative state and the process of administration. How jurisprudence and legal practice conceptualized space in administration? What were the needs and requirements of space for legal administration and how do legal texts reflect space? The result will be an unorthodox interpretation of how the law created space and was created in spaces such as the Forum.

The doctoral student may have a background in law, humanities and/or social sciences. Students with different specializations in i.a classics, intellectual history, ancient history and Roman law are encouraged to apply.

The duties of a doctoral student are to work on her/his own doctoral thesis and to complete her/his postgraduate studies in four years. The duties also include teaching and other tasks. Teaching tasks can account for up to 5 % of the annual working time.

Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in a field that is relevant to the research topic and have a high quality research proposal. Relevant disciplines include but are not limited to classics, ancient history, intellectual history, general history, and Roman law. Other requirements include proven ability and motivation, demonstrated through previous degree studies or otherwise, to pursue postgraduate studies and a doctoral degree according to the study plan and research proposal. Fluency in English language is required.

The appointee should either already have the right to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki by the start of the appointment, or apply for the right and obtain it within the probationary period of six months of their appointment. If the candidate does not already have the right to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki, it must be applied for separately. (www.helsinki.fi/en/research/doctoral-education/the-application-process-i...).

The salary shall be based on levels 2–4 of the job requirement scheme for teaching and research staff in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal performance will be paid. The gross salary range will be approx. 2065–3022 euros per month, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and work experience. In addition, occupational healthcare will be provided. The appointment starts with a probationary period of six months.

Applicants are requested to enclose with their applications the following documents as a single pdf file:
1) A curriculum vitae (max 2 pages).
2) A list of publications.
3) A research plan not exceeding four (4) pages including a statement outlining how the proposed topic fits to the profile of the research project.
4) Contact information and recommendation from one referee.

For instructions, please see https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-social-sciences/faculty/applying-f....

Please submit your application through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the link Apply for job. Applicants who are employees of the University of Helsinki are requested to submit their application via the SAP HR portal.

Further information about the position and about the research project Law, Governance and Space: Questioning the Foundations of the Republican Tradition may be obtained (in Finnish and English) from Dr. Kaius Tuori (kaius.tuori@helsinki.fi). In case you need support with the recruitment system, please contact recruitment@helsinki.fi.

Due date

17.09.2018 23:59 EEST

More information here