PostDoc-position, PhD-positions at Utrecht‏

In the NWO (the Netherlands organization for scientific research) - funded project, the following positions are available.

Applications should be submitted online via: http://www.uu.nl/NL/Informatie/sollicitanten/Pages/vacatures.aspx.

The deadline for applications is march 17th, 2013.

The full text of the proposal can be downloaded from:

http://www.uu.nl/gw/medewerkers/PGZiche

For further questions please contact Ms. Suzanne van Vliet, Secretary of the Department of Philosophy (S.vanVliet@uu.nl).

3 PhD Researchers (3 x 1,0 fte)

Utrecht University is one of the largest and most prominent universities in Europe. The Faculty of Humanities, with nearly 7.000 students and 900 staff members, offers an inspiring and dynamic working environment. Our research and education programmes focus on language, culture, history, arts, literature, media, philosophy and theology. Our strongest points are interdisciplinary and international collaboration, excellent quality of research and education, and the use of modern media. The Utrecht University Graduate School of Humanities guarantees an outstanding quality of education programmes for Research Master students as well as PhD students.

The Department of Philosophy is looking for 3 PhD Researchers. The positions are part of the research project ‘Thinking classified: Structuring the world of ideas around 1800”. This five year research project, funded by NWO (the “Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research”), investigates the emergence and function of large-scale labels such as “realism” or “empiricism” around 1800.

The period around 1800, and in particular the impact of Kant’s philosophy and the reception of Kant’s ideas, were crucial in structuring our way of thinking about philosophy and the sciences. The idea that philosophy forms an overarching framework that can be subdivided into various types of philosophy – such as “realism”, “idealism”, or “empiricism” – was shaped by Kant, and in the aftermath of Kant’s philosophy. The same holds for our way of structuring the realm of “science”: “Science” becomes a generic concept that needs to be related to a large number of “sciences”.

The project will investigate these processes via a cooperation between philosophers and historians of science. The project explicitly aims at broadening our understanding of the period around 1800: the Realist movement of this period (Jacobi, Herder, etc.) will be included, as will be the various types of interpretations of Kant’s philosophy. The international dynamics in the reception of Kant will be part of the project’s research activities.

A research group, consisting of a number of PhD-researchers and a Postdoc, together with the project leader, Prof. dr. P.G. Ziche, will investigate these processes at the intersection between the (history of) philosophy and the history of science. Each researcher in the group will work on a specific theme within the overall programme; close cooperation between the members of the group is expected. The PhD-projects will deal with the Realists’ movement around 1800, with the notions of “experience” and “empiricism” in this period, and with the empiricist interpretations of Kant’s philosophy. Within the general description of these sub-projects (for more details, see the full text of the proposal), candidates are free to further specify their research questions.

Application procedure

We are looking for three talented and dedicated young researchers with a background in (the history of) philosophy or in the history of science who are willing to work in an active team. Acquaintance with the relevant philosophical or scientific developments in the 18th and early 19th century and the ability to study the relevant sources in the original languages are required, as is fluency in English.

We offer you a 12-month fulltime position with - at good performance - the prospect of an extension with a maximum of 36 months (in total 4 years fulltime).

The gross salary is in the range between € 2,042.- and maximum € 2,612.- gross per month.

The salary is supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8,3% per year. In addition we offer: a pension scheme, a partially paid parental leave, flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

Applications should contain the following:

- an application letter (max. 1 page)
- a curriculum vitae
- an outline that shows how you would fill in your project – within one of the sub-projects specified in the research proposal – and position within the overall programme (max. 2 pages)

1 Postdoc Researcher (1,0 fte)

Utrecht University is one of the largest and most prominent universities in Europe. The Faculty of Humanities, with nearly 7.000 students and 900 staff members, offers an inspiring and dynamic working environment. Our research and education programmes focus on language, culture, history, arts, literature, media, philosophy and theology. Our strongest points are interdisciplinary and international collaboration, excellent quality of research and education, and the use of modern media.

The Department of Philosophy is looking for a Postdoc researcher. The position is part of the research project ‘Thinking classified: Structuring the world of ideas around 1800”. This five year research project, funded by NWO (the “Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research”), investigates the emergence and function of large-scale labels such as “realism” or “empiricism” around 1800.

The period around 1800, and in particular the impact of Kant’s philosophy and the reception of Kant’s ideas, were crucial in structuring our way of thinking about philosophy and the sciences. The idea that philosophy forms an overarching framework that can be subdivided into various types of philosophy – such as “realism”, “idealism”, or “empiricism” – was shaped by Kant, and in the aftermath of Kant’s philosophy. The same holds for our way of structuring the realm of “science”: “Science” becomes a generic concept that needs to be related to a large number of “sciences”.

The project will investigate these processes via a cooperation between philosophers and historians of science. The project explicitly aims at broadening our understanding of the period around 1800: the Realist movement of this period (Jacobi, Herder, etc.) will be included, as will be the various types of interpretations of Kant’s philosophy. The international dynamics in the reception of Kant will be part of the project’s research activities.

A research group, consisting of a number of PhD-researchers and a Postdoc, together with the project leader, Prof. dr. P.G. Ziche, will investigate these processes at the intersection between the (history of) philosophy and the history of science. Each researcher in the group will work on a specific theme within the overall programme; close cooperation between the members of the group is expected. The Postdoc-project will investigate the emergence of these large-scale labels by studying, in particular, the body of literature dealing with the history of the sciences in the 18th and early-19th century: Which forms of demarcation are introduced under the general term “science”? How does subdividing the sciences relate to the simultaneous processes for subdividing philosophy?

Application procedure

We are looking for a dedicated researcher with a strong PhD and proven research skills in the history of science/history of philosophy. An expertise in the history of science is required, as is a thorough acquaintance with the relevant philosophical and scientific developments in the 18th century and the ability to study the relevant sources in the original languages. The Postdoc-researcher will also have to prove her/his ability to fulfill functions in coordinating the group’s actvities.

We offer a full-time position, consisting of an initial period of 24 months which, after a satisfactory evaluation, can be extended by another 12 months (3 years in total). The salary starts from €2,977,- gross per month, depending upon previous work experience. The salary is supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8,3% per year. In addition we offer: a pension scheme, a partially paid parental leave, flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities

Applications should contain the following:

- an application letter (max. 1 page)
- a curriculum vitae
- an outline of (possible) research activities that shows how you would fill in your position within the overall programme (max. 2 pages)