Doing History in Europe: PhD Writing Cultures and Encounters

Writing is at the heart of the (cultural) historian’s craft and a key element of the PhD journey. Yet what counts as good writing, how to structure, argue, demonstrate and explain persuasively, and, crucially, how to sustain a productive writing process: all these practices are culturally specific.
Despite shared intellectual traditions and the common degree of doctor, the conventions, norms and expectations for writing a PhD thesis differ markedly across Europe between countries and, sometimes, academic fields. They reveal different emphases on how to position and present one’s research and how to engage with the works of others.

This course offers an innovative, transnational perspective on PhD writing cultures in the historical humanities. It aims to foster international exchange between PhD students, cultivate awareness of diverse academic practices, and in so doing enrich and strengthen the participants’ approaches to their own reading and writing. Jointly organized by the Norwegian Institute in Rome, the Huizinga Institute (Dutch national research school of cultural History), and the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome, this course brings together PhD candidates from Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, and beyond. Participants will engage in a dynamic programme of seminars, writing labs where they can work on a piece they are writing anyway, and an excursion to relevant scholarly institutes in Rome, stimulating transnational dialogues about PhD writing and career development.

Coordinator KNIR

Dr. Maria Bonaria Urban

Coordinator DNIR

Prof. Han Lamers

Teaching staff

Prof. Han Lamers (DNIR)
Mr. dr. Anne-Isabelle Richard (Leiden University)
[others TBA]

Language

English

Facilities in Rome

All participants will be housed at the Royal Netherlands Institute near Rome’s Villa Borghese Park. From there, it is only a short walk to the historical center of Rome. The KNIR accommodation consists of shared bedrooms and bathrooms, and includes a living and dining space, a large kitchen, washing machine and wireless internet. All residents have 24/7 access to the library and gardens of the Royal Netherlands Institute.

Target group

PhD students from year 2.

Application and admission

Students send in an application which includes a one page biography and a short 300 word description of their PhD project and a 300 word motivation for their application.

Deadline for applications

15 March 2027

You will be notified about the outcome within two weeks after the deadline. Please note that the decision of the selection committee is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

More info
E-mail: secretary knir.it
Phone: (+39)063269621

This course has been organized in collaboration with