Grant opportunity for Phd on early modern/enlightenment women philosophers in Monash

Here are the details:

Note that the closing date is 2 June.

We are seeking a suitably qualified PhD candidate to carry out research on the topic of freedom in the early modern and/or enlightenment periods (c. 1650-1800). The candidate will be based in the Philosophy department at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and supervised by Dr Jacqueline Broad. The candidate’s research will be connected to a larger project, ‘Women on Liberty: From the Early Modern Period to the Enlightenment (1650-1800)’, funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant (project no. DP140100109; chief investigator, Dr Broad).

Project description: The main purpose of this ARC project is to further our understanding of moral, political, and metaphysical concepts of freedom in women’s philosophical writings of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The project examines women’s ideas about liberty as freedom from external interference, freedom from domination, and freedom as self-determination. It also examines interconnections between women’s moral and metaphysical conceptions of free will and their political views.

The successful candidate will be expected to carry out independent research that complements this larger project in some way. For example, research proposals might focus on either individual male or female philosophers of the periods, or on specific philosophical issues to do with gender and freedom in this era, or on topics pertaining to freedom alone.

Candidate requirements: Applicants must have, or expect shortly to have, a first-class honours degree, or masters by research degree, in philosophy, politics, history of ideas, or feminist theory. Further details of eligibility requirements to undertake a PhD at Monash are available at http://www.monash.edu/migr/apply/eligibility/phd/

From January 2013, Monash University has introduced Graduate Research Programmes, which will incorporate coursework and research training skills development. For more information, please go to: http://www.monash.edu/migr/why-monash/phd/index.html

Start date: The successful candidate will be expected to take up the stipend by either second semester 2014 or first semester 2015.

Remuneration: We offer a stipend to the value of $AUD28,715 per annum full-time rate (tax-free stipend), for three years. Prospective international applicants should note that international fees will be paid for the life of the scholarship.

Please send an expression of interest via email to Dr Jacqueline Broad at Jacqueline.Broad@monash.edu, including:

• Full Academic Record and Curriculum Vitae.
• A brief statement on (i) why this project is suited to your background and interests, and (ii) your proposed research topic.
• Contact details of two academic referees.
• Indication of when you would be available to take up scholarship.

Closing date for expressions of interest: Monday, 2 June 2014.

Any enquiries: Dr Jacqueline Broad, Jacqueline.Broad@monash.edu