A postdoctoral fellowship in early modern studies is being offered by the Arnamagnæan Institute at the University of Copenhagen.

Here is the Arnamagnæan Institute’s call for applications:

Postdoctoral Position – Hernando Colón’s Book of Books

The Arnamagnæan Institute, Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen Denmark, invites applications for a two year postdoctoral position to be filled by 1 April 2020 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Hernando Colón’s Book of Books
Earlier this year a remarkable discovery was made at the University of Copenhagen’s Arnamagnæan Institute, when one of the manuscripts in the collection was positively identified as El libro de los epítomes, one of the principal bibliographical tools from the library of Hernando Colón (1488-1539), son of the navigator Christopher Columbus.

Long believed to be missing, the book’s discovery has been hailed as one of the most exciting developments in early modern book history for decades, and the University of Copenhagen has therefore decided to launch a three-year research project focusing on this remarkable book. Funding for the project is provided by the Carlsberg Foundation.

The Principal Investigator is Professor Matthew Driscoll of the Arnamagnæan Institute, who will oversee the production of an edition and translation of the Libro, both in digital and print form.

Job content
The project is seeking a postdoctoral researcher, to be based at the Arnamagnæan Institute, for a two-year period starting at some point between 1 April 2020, the project’s starting date, and 1 April 2021. The successful candidate will be expected to assist with the editorial work by, among other things:

• Identifying the books which are summarised in the Libro and linking them to entries in the other bibliographical tools in Colón’s library.
• Determining whether the books still exist in Colón’s library, and finding copies and descriptions elsewhere; identifying digital copies where they exist.
• Mapping the book-trade in the early 16th century on the basis of Colón’s notes and comments.
• And, most importantly, analysing the epitomes as evidence of reading practices in the 16th century, and situating them within/against other contemporary practices by humanists and other scholars from across Europe and beyond.

Qualification requirements
In order to be considered for the position applicants must have research qualifications at least corresponding to what can be achieved as part of a successfully completed PhD within a relevant field.

Applicants should have a PhD-degree or equivalent in a relevant subject, such as Classical philology, Spanish or Early Modern History. Requirements for the position include:

• A solid knowledge of Latin, especially medieval and early modern, as well as fluency in Spanish and, ideally, Italian and French. English is the working language of the project and hence also required at a high level. Familiarity with Danish, or a willingness to acquire such, would be an advantage but is not required.
• A background in book and collection history, European literature and the history of ideas in the early modern period.
• Experience in conducting research into primary sources in archives and special collections libraries.
• Familiarity with digital tools and techniques used in humanities.

For further information about the position, please contact professor Matthew Driscoll, mjd@hum.ku.dk.

See the full call for applications on H-Net.