International PhD Academy
June 13-17, 2022
As a field, Area Studies would seem to possess an unusual number of advantages in the contemporary academy: it is inherently inter- or trans-disciplinary, it offers students cultural capital and linguistic skills which are valuable in the marketplace as well as in the university, and its enclaves serve as repositories of expert knowledge which are of value to state and commercial actors.
Scholars working in the field are also often skilled communicators, well used to explaining their parts of the world to general publics as well as to expert audiences.
As generations of graduate students discover, however, Area Studies also seems to be perpetually riven by two tensions: firstly, that it seeks to critique power, whilst feeding off and aiding the institutions it critiques; and, secondly, that the broader academy sees Area Studies as an un-disciplinary field, in which scholars often lose the rigor and coherence of their disciplinary background.
This PhD Academy will be led by:
- University of Exeter, UK
- Duke University, USA
- Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy
Faculty
William Gallois, University of Exeter
Matteo Legrenzi, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Emily Selove, University of Exeter
Gareth Stansfield, University of Exeter
Victoria Szabo, Duke University
Giovanni Zanalda, Duke University
Guest Speakers
Lisa Anderson, Columbia University and former President of the American University in Cairo - online
Sara Curran, University of Washington
Tim Niblock, Tsinghua University & University of Exeter
Tingyi Wang, Tsinghua University & Honorary Research Fellow, University of Exeter
Learning outcomes
Participants will gain a clear sense of the major issues at stake in working Area Studies and will acquire group-working skills as they themselves author reports which can be shared globally across sub- fields of the discipline.
Doctoral researchers will also be able to grow their own networks through mutual interaction and through the access which they will subsequently be afforded to research events at the participating institutions. In this sense, the PhD Academy will involve ongoing learning and a sense of career development which transcends the time spent in Venice.
Who can apply?
This international PhD Academy is offered to PhD students, Post-docs, and young researchers working in Area Studies, broadly construed.
The PhD Academy is primarily for candidates from VIU's member institutions, although applications from excellent external candidates will be considered and evaluated.
Fees & Grant Support
Students from the VIU member institutions will pay no participation fees. Grant support is also available to support, partially or fully, the costs of international travel; accommodation on campus, in shared rooms, will be offered. External candidates admitted to the PhD Academy will pay fees (further information available in the Brochure). VIU Alumni are eligible for a reduced fee.
Applicants must submit the (1) application form, (2) a letter of motivation – which should include a short bio and a brief description of the candidate’s research project, (3) a curriculum vitae, and (4) a photo.
For further information please download the Brochure and the Program or write to: phdacademy@univiu.org
As the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, VIU will continue to monitor the situation; should it prevent international travel or the confirmation of the program on campus as scheduled, other practicable solutions will be evaluated. Applicants and confirmed participants will be informed of any changes.
