The Department of Literary Studies at Ghent University (Belgium) is seeking well-qualified applicants for two fully-funded and full-time doctoral research fellowships attached to the European Research Council Consolidator Grant project Novel Echoes. Ancient novelistic receptions and concepts of fiction in late antique and medieval secular narrative from East to West. Its Principal Investigator is Prof Dr Koen De Temmerman, who specializes in ancient fiction and its persistence in later periods.

The two successful applicants will start employment between 1st October 2019 and 31st March 2020. In order to be eligible, candidates must have obtained their MA degree at the time of application or demonstrate that they will have that degree in hand by the start of their doctoral fellowship.

Within the ERC project, subprojects will be assigned to individual team members. For the current vacancies, these subprojects are situated in the following areas:

• Position 1: Afterlives of one ancient novel (Latin or Greek) throughout Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages (e.g. in late antique epic, letter collections and/or historiography);
• Position 2: Receptions of ancient fiction in the 10th century.

Qualifications:

1. an MA degree in Greek and/or Latin Language and/or Literature;
2. excellent knowledge of ancient Greek and/or Latin ;
3. demonstrable interest in (research into) the literary and/or cultural history of the imperial period, Late Antiquity and/or Byzantium;
4. a strong knowledge of the literary and cultural history of this period as evidenced by their study trajectory (optional courses, subject of papers and dissertations, etc.);
5. excellent study results (including BA and MA dissertations of high quality).

Successful applicants will

1. will write and successfully defend a PhD dissertation within the four years of the fellowship;
2. will contribute to the strong research tradition of the Department and the University by pursuing excellence in his/her research and by publishing his/her results in journals and with publishers that are internationally accepted as being of the highest quality;
3. will come and live in Belgium, work closely together with the other team members and the project’s international advisory board, and contribute to a pleasant and stimulating atmosphere;
4. will contribute to the scholarly activities of the research group (e.g. by organizing events in collaboration with the Principal Investigator and/or other members of the team, etc.).