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About the Centre

The Centre for Modern Thought has been created as a site for cross-disciplinary theoretical research and theoretically informed inquiry bearing on global socio-historical developments and political issues. Its aim is to carry forward in a searching and creative manner the theoretical initiatives that have transformed the humanities and the social sciences over the last four decades. At the same time, it seeks to sharpen this thinking in the context of debate concerning the crucial socio-political issues of our time. It gives a significant place to intellectual history and philosophy as it attempts to create the institutional conditions for thinking a present history.

The Centre is designed to serve degree programs throughout the College of Arts and Social Sciences in the context of the University of Aberdeen’s new Graduate School. It is open to students seeking a Ph.D. program and offers an M.Litt by Research for those embarking on post-graduate study.

The Centre's funding for new staff appointments was secured by way of a proposal submitted in the context of Principal C. Duncan Rice's call for innovative projects ("Big Ideas") for the University of Aberdeen in 2004/2005. It offers the rationale for the Centre and describes some of its ambitions. It may be consulted here as web page, as a Word document or as an Adobe PDF.

Staff for the Centre for Modern Thought are drawn from programs across the College of Arts and Social Sciences, and the Centre is currently assembling a distinguished board of senior scholars who support it as a collaborative venture with considerable international significance.* In the course of the academic year 2005-2006, it will also be making up to five academic appointments. Staff who are assigned to the Centre will hold an academic appointment in one of the programs in the College. Their areas of specialty could traverse any of the following fields:

Modern Intellectual History. The Centre will seek a scholar whose work entails the capacity to address representations of history in the modern period, including Hegelian or Marxist models, and more contemporary “post-structuralist” elaborations. Such a scholar might come from the fields of philosophy, literature (as, for example, a specialist in the work of Walter Benjamin and the Frankfurt School), or history.

Theory of Knowledge and History of Science. An important part of the Centre’s work will have a meta-theoretical character. It will address the question of the relations between forms of knowing and practice in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. For this purpose, a scholar strongly versed in the area of history of science could play an important role.

Theory of Art. We hope to establish strong links between the College’s programs in art and visual culture. A suitable candidate might come from any field, including anthropology, architecture, film, or the performing arts. We would also welcome candidates whose work combines theoretical inquiry and practice.

Political Theory. The Centre’s ambition of addressing issues of broad socio-political import (contemporary challenges to the ideals informing modern democracy, issues in human rights, global transformations in communications and economic relations, etc.) will be served by a scholar with strong preparation in the field of political theory.

Literary Theory. We will seek a scholar with a strong capacity to address the questions raised by literature (for language, society, and thought) in the modern period. This scholar should be well versed in modern continental philosophy and might also bring a special interest in psychoanalytic theory. Individuals with additional interests in theatre or art would also be strongly considered.

Scholars from other fields such as religious studies, sociology, or law might also find the Centre a stimulating site for their work. The preceding enumeration of research areas describes a constellation of specialties that complement the University’s existing programs, but is not meant to exclude other possibilities. For example, the Centre is currently seeking funding for a specialist in the area of ecology.

To learn more about the University of Aberdeen, visit its web site at www.abdn.ac.uk. With a rich and distinguished history (honoured by its “6th Century” hiring campaign), and a beautiful location on the North Sea not far from Edinburgh and Glasgow, The University of Aberdeen is a rewarding site for scholars working at the highest levels of research.

To enquire about the job possibilities announced here, please contact Professor Christopher Fynsk, Director of the Centre for Modern Thought. Prospective students are also invited to contact the Director.

This page was last modified on: Thursday, 16-Nov-2006 17:16:04 GMT

Centre for Modern Thought · School of Language & Literature
University of Aberdeen · King's College · Aberdeen AB24 3UB
Telephone: +44 (0)1224-272625· Fax: +44 (0)1224-272624· Email: Christopher Fynsk c.fynsk@abdn.ac.uk

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