University of Cambridge, 2 PhD Studentships in Slavonic Studies

Mon Feb 15 16:22:34 UTC 2010

University of Cambridge, Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages. 

TWO PhD STUDENTSHIPS 2010-2013 IN SLAVONIC STUDIES

Applications are invited for two fully-funded PhD studentships (EU/UK rate**) covering 
the period 1 October 2010 to 31 September 2013, working under the supervision of Dr. 
Alexander Etkind in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages.  These awards have 
become available as a result of the award of a 2009 HERA JRP grant (Humanities in the 
European Research Area, Joint Research Program) in the category "Cultural Dynamics: 
Inheritance and Identity" for the collaborative research project “Memory at War: Cultural 
Dynamics in Poland, Russia, and Ukraine”. The University of Cambridge is leading this 
project, which will be accomplished in association with the Universities of Bergen, 
Helsinki, Tartu, and Groningen. The project will involve multiple conferences, field trips, 
and publications in which the prospective PhD students will participate. Successful 
applicants for these awards are expected to begin PhD study on 1 October 2010.  

Qualification requirements 
Candidates should hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field, such as 
Slavonic Studies, Political Science, History, etc., and demonstrate a good command of 
one of three Slavonic languages (Polish, Russian, or Ukrainian), a reading knowledge of 
another of these languages (or eagerness to acquire this knowledge at Cambridge), and 
excellent writing skills in English. Experience in journalism or information technologies is 
a bonus.

Closing date  
15th March 2010.

New Admission Applicants
Applications should be made on paper to the Board of Graduate Studies and the Faculty of 
Modern and Medieval Languages simultaneously in the normal way by the CLOSING DATE 
FOR THESE APPLICATIONS/AWARDS which is 15 March 2010. See 
http://www.mml.cam.ac.uk/gradstudies/applying/phd.html for details of how to apply and 
which documents to submit.

When sending the application to the Faculty and to the Board of Graduate Studies, it is 
important that applicants mark the envelope and top right corner of the application form 
“HERA” and indicate that the start date is 1 October 2010 on the application form. In the 
Research Statement, candidates are required to outline their original research project and 
explain how it will fit the Joint Research Program, “Memory at War: Cultural Dynamics in 
Poland, Russia, and Ukraine.” Applicants should specify Dr. Alexander Etkind as 
supervisor on their application forms and are encouraged to contact Dr. Etkind 
(ae264 at cam.ac.uk) to discuss the HERA project, Cambridge College selection, and their 
applications.  Applicants should also email the MML Graduate Office (mml-graduate-
studies at lists.cam.ac.uk) indicating that they have sent an application to the Faculty to be 
considered for these awards.   

Applicants who have already applied for graduate PhD places at Cambridge  
Applicants for this funding who have already applied for graduate PhD places at 
Cambridge via the admissions/leave to continue route should notify the MML Graduate 
Office (mml-graduate-studies at lists.cam.ac.uk) indicating by 26 February 2010 to indicate 
that they wish to be considered for these studentships and are willing to adjust their PhD 
proposals in relation to the HERA Joint Research Program outlined below.  Such applicants 
are encouraged to contact Dr. Etkind (ae264 at cam.ac.uk) to discuss the HERA project and 
Cambridge College selection.  

The HERA project  
The Joint Research Program, “Memory at War: Cultural Dynamics in Poland, Russia, and 
Ukraine,” will explore the on-going dynamics of cultural forms of memory and the 
interactions of these forms inside and across Poland, Ukraine, and Russia. Inheriting 
tortured memories of World War II and Soviet socialism, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine are 
actualizing their post-traumatic energies in remarkably different and increasingly 
antagonistic ways. We are planning to create a corpus of what we call ‘thick databases’ of 
memory events, and a series of interpretations of their effects in different realms of 
culture and society in Eastern Europe. The project offers a new metric for measuring the 
profound changes that these countries have undergone since the collapse of the Soviet 
bloc.  Moreover, the project will bring greater understanding of the hidden obstacles 
populating the cultural field – obstacles that have the potential to obstruct further and 
deeper changes. Introducing the concept of the memory event (a re-discovery of the past 
that creates a rupture with its accepted representation), the project examines (i) how 
myriad texts and artifacts of various cultural genres – novels, films, history textbooks, 
government decrees, monuments, and blog posts – perform memories of the traumas of 
the twentieth century; (ii) how artists, critics, bloggers, or historians in one country 
challenge, provoke, or imitate their counterparts in another country by virtue of this 
performance; (iii) how the nation-state participates in the public sphere by promoting, 
revising, or censoring these memories; and (iv) how the transnational dynamics of 
culture – particularly the prospect of a united and uniting Europe – affect the prospects of 
peace for the participants in the Memory War.

**  
      Overseas applicants can apply but should note that the funding is at the Home/EU 
rate, therefore they will have to secure additional funding in order to accept the 
studentship.   

Dual nationalities   Applicants with dual nationality should consult the Board of Graduate 
Studies website for eligibility criteria: 
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/funding/costs/status.html.  The website 
provides criteria for classification as a Home or EU/Exchange student: There are a 
number of requirements that must be met in order to be eligible for Home or EU fees. 
Students must meet the requirements of both 'settled status' and 'ordinary residence': * 
Settled status/nationality means that students must be nationals of the UK or another EU 
country, or have the right of permanent residence or indefinite leave to remain in the UK 
ie they must not be subject under immigration laws to any restriction on the period for 
which they may stay in the UK. Students may also be the 'relevant family member' of an 
EU national (a relevant family member is generally a spouse or civil partner, a direct 
descendant, or a dependant). *  Ordinary residence' means that in addition, students 
must also have been ordinarily resident in the UK, the EEA (defined as the EU together 
with Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway), Switzerland or the Overseas Territories for the 
three years prior to the start date of the course for which they are applying, and that 
residence should not have been wholly or mainly for the purposes of receiving education.  
If an applicant has both EU nationality and overseas nationality, the applicant must still 
meet the criteria for ordinary residence in order to be classified as a home student.  

Visa applications  Those students who require visas, in order to study at Cambridge 
should note that the Faculty of History cannot assist in any part of the process.  Instead, 
the first point of contact must be the visa section of the Board of Graduate Studies 
website:  http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/current/visas.html   It should be 
noted that the visa application process is a necessarily long process and applicants for 
these awards are expected to begin PhD study on 1 October 2010.  The University of 
Cambridge Points Based Immigration Office contacts are as follows: 

Mrs Catherine Fage, PBI Officer (email caf28 at admin.cam.ac.uk, tel 01223 765114) 
Ms Samantha Coulson, PBI Assistant  (email slc74 at admin.cam.ac.uk, tel 01223 337984) 
Mr Matthew Wright, PBI Assistant (email mw470 at admin.cam.ac.uk, tel 01223 764082) 
Students should only contact the PBI office if their questions and queries are not 
adequately 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------