Every PhD thesis needs to explicitly grapple with issues of theory, methods and ethics. The course facilitates thorough discussions on a broad range of theoretical and methodological problems, including scientific theory and ethical issues. Course modules will change from year to year, and the course will introduce current debates in international historiography in relation to them.
The course has a core syllabus that all participants are expected to have read and reflected upon before the course begins. There will be additional recommended reading lists on issues related to and beyond those dealt with in the course. The plenary sessions of the course will be conducted in English, in some of the the group modules it will be possible to use Scandinavian languages. The students are expected to contribute actively in all parts of the course.
It is recommended to take this course in the first year as a Phd fellow. Even though tailored for first-year candidates, it is open for candidates at any stage of their process who works on a dissertation using historical methods and approaches.
The professional skills workshop on digital history is integrated in the course, and students who would like to take this workshop for credit may do so by registering for the workshop and do the mandatory writing.
Confirmed teachers:
- Toufoul Abou-Hodeib, University of Oslo
- Liudmila Nikanorova, Open University, UK
- Klaus Nathaus, University of Oslo
Program
Click here to see the draft programme.
Essential Information:
- This is a 5-day course. It will start at 9.00 on Monday, March 6, and end at at the latest on 16.00 on Friday, March 10. The course will be at the 12 floor of Niels Treschows hus, Blindern Campus of the University of Oslo.
- Participation in all course activities every day, including social events which will most likely be on Monday and Thursday evenings, is mandatory.
- Active participation in discussions of all papers and seminars is required. It is possible to audit the course rather than take it for credits, and in than case you will not do the mandatory writings.
- The course language is English, but essays may be written in English or in one of the Scandinavian languages. The latter may be discussed in Scandinavian.
- Credits: 5 ECTS
- The syllabus is max. 500 pages.
Mandatory Writing:
Reading responses: 400-600 words response for each of the seminars. The response should be uploaded to the relevant seminar folder at the latest 1 week prior to the workshop. You are expected to to make one or a set of observations that they think are worth taking particular note of in the readings.
Essay: The essay of 2400-3200 words, excl. references, should discuss a specific methodological and/or theoretical and/or ethical problem. The problem shall be clearly identified and be the center of the discussion. The essay should be analytically advanced and situated in the relevant literature, with full references. We recommend that you choose a problem that is central to your thesis or related to one of the course modules. Please note that the essay should be a standalone piece, and that a draft introduction for your PhD will not be acceptable. Your essay will be discussed as part of the course, and each participant will serve as a main commentator for one essay as will one of the teachers. The essay should be uploaded to the learning platform three weeks before the workshop. After the course, the essay is to be revised and resubmitted. Revised essays must be resubmitted by April 4th. The grading will be pass/fail.
Deadlines:
Deadline for application is January 10, but candidates may be accepted after this date if the course is not fully booked. Applicants who are based at NRSH partner institutions will have priority and will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Accepted students will be given access to Teams folder with all the course readings and other information.
Deadline for the submission of the essay is February 20.
Revised essays must be resubmitted by April 3.
To apply, please fill out the application form
Questions ca be sent to:
Ada Elisabeth Nissen, a.e.nissen@iakh.uio.no, with a copy to
Oliver Reiersen, oliver.reiersen@iakh.uio.no
Costs:
All participants must organize and pay for their own travel.
Participants from the partner institutions of the NRSH who do not live in the Oslo area will have their accommodations for March 5 - March 10 paid for. The NRSH will book accommodations.
There will be a lunch served every day and dinner for all participants on Monday and Thursday.
Partner institutions of the Norwegian Research School in History are:
- University of Agder, Department of Religion, Philosophy and History
- University of Bergen, Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion
- BI - Norwegian Business Schoow, Department of Law and Governance
- Nord University, Faculty of Social Science
- NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Humanities
- University of Oslo, Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History
- UiT - The Artic University of Norway, Department of Archaeology, History, Religious Studies and Theology
- Volda University College - Social Sciences and History
- University of South East Norway
Strategic Partner: