CALL FOR POSITIONS: 1 POSTDOC and 2 PHD-CANDIDATES (Helsinki: University of Helsinki, DEADLINE 16 MAY 2021)

 

(image 18th-century depiction of Batavia; Source: George III's Collection, British Library)

Our esteemed founding vice-president Prof. Heikki Pihlajamäki announced the opening of three research positions on comparative early modern colonial law.

Postdoc-position:

for a three-year period starting from January 1 2022 (or as agreed) onwards to contribute to the project Comparing Early Modern Colonial Laws: England, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain (CoCoLaw), led by Academy Professor Heikki Pihlajamäki. CoCoLaw will provide a comparative account of how early modern colonial laws of England, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal evolved. The Project sets the colonial laws in two important contexts: the historical continuation that links the colonial experience to the middle ages and the early modern context of continental European empires (Sweden, Germany, Russia). The Project will seek to understand how and why the legal strategies of the colonizing nations developed into different directions. In addition, CoCoLaw will systematically compare early modern overseas legal orders with each other, contributing to making legal history a truly global discipline. Culturally contextualizing and comparative methods best characterize the approach of the Project. We highly encourage applicants with linkages to these themes and an interest in comparative legal history of the early modern period to apply.

PhD-positions:

for a four-year period starting from January 1 2022 (or as agreed) onwards to contribute to the project Comparing Early Modern Colonial Laws: England, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain (CoCoLaw), led by Academy Professor Heikki Pihlajamäki. Successful candidates are expected to work full time and to complete their doctorates in four years. The duties may also include some teaching and other tasks. To fulfil the requirements of the position, the applicant chosen is awaited to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki CoCoLaw will provide a comparative account of how early modern colonial laws of England, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal evolved. The Project sets the colonial laws in two important contexts: the historical continuation that links the colonial experience to the middle ages and the early modern context of continental European empires (Sweden, Germany, Russia). The Project will seek to understand how and why the legal strategies of the colonizing nations developed into different directions. In addition, CoCoLaw will systematically compare early modern overseas legal orders with each other, contributing to making legal history a truly global discipline. Culturally contextualizing and comparative methods best characterize the approach of the Project. We highly encourage applicants with linkages to these themes and an interest in comparative legal history of the early modern period to apply.

Read more on the vacancies here:

• Postdoc
• PhD-positions