The Norwegian Institute in Rome, the Huizinga Institute, and the Royal Netherlands Institute (KNIR( in Rome jointly organise the course Doing History in Europe – PhD Writing Cultures and Encounters in June 2027 at the KNIR in Rome.
Course description
Writing is at the heart of the cultural historian’s craft and a key element of the PhD journey. Yet what counts as good writing, how to structure, argue, demonstrate and explain persuasively, and, crucially, how to sustain a productive writing process: all these practices are culturally specific. Despite shared intellectual traditions and the common degree of doctor, the conventions, norms and expectations for writing a PhD thesis differ markedly across Europe between countries and, sometimes, academic fields. They reveal different emphases on how to position and present one’s research and how to engage with the works of others.
This course offers an innovative, transnational perspective on PhD writing cultures in the historical humanities. It aims to foster international exchange between PhD students, cultivate awareness of diverse academic practices, and in so doing enrich and strengthen the participants’ approaches to their own writing.
Jointly organised by the Norwegian Institute in Rome, the Huizinga Institute (Dutch national research school of cultural History), and the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome, this course brings together PhD candidates from Italy, Norway and The Netherlands. Participants will engage in a dynamic programme of seminars, writing labs, and excursions to relevant scholarly institutes in Rome, stimulating transnational dialogues about PhD writing cultures.