Blog

Last week, January 6, 2020, the Lisbon Consortium gathered students and faculty for a New Year’s Cocktail. Here are some photos of the event.

 

The IX Graduate Conference in Culture Studies “Building Narrative: Cultural Interfaces and Spatial Meaning” will take place next Thursday and Friday, 5-6 December 2019, at Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

For more information, please go to: www.buildingnarrative.wordpress.com

Julia Kristeva came to the Lisbon Consortium-Universidade Católica Portuguesa in October to give the Inaugural Lecture for the 2019/2020 Academic Year.

The Inaugural Session was also marked by the granting of two Research Awards Lisbon Consortium|Fundação Amélia de Mello. Ana Fabíola Maurício received the award for the best PhD Thesis and Teresa Líbano Monteiro received the award for best MA Dissertation).

Here are some photos of the event.

Next Wednesday, October 9, the Lisbon Consortium will host the Inaugural Session for the academic year 2019/2020. Prof. Julia Kristeva, from the University of Paris Diderot – Paris 7, will make the Inaugural Lecture.

Two students will also receive this year’s Research Awards Lisbon Consortium | Fundação Amélia de Mello.

The session starts at 5.00pm in room 511.

X Lisbon Summer School for the Study of Culture

ECOCULTURE

www.ecoculturesummer.school.blog

Lisbon, July 6-11, 2020

Deadline for submissions: February 20, 2020

Recent years have been marked by an alarming escalation of environmental crises, turning climate change, pollution, the depletion of natural resources and mass extinction into some of the most urgent concerns of contemporary society. The X Lisbon Summer School for the Study of Culture, under the topic “Ecoculture”, intends to reflect on the interrelation between culture and the environment, to examine the growing awareness of the negative impact of human activities and to discuss the necessity to rethink, reconceptualize and redefine the relationship between humans and the non-human world.  

The term environment inspires varied meanings and interpretations. Going back to its French roots, environ, the environment is, essentially, what surrounds us. It is usually associated with external physical conditions in which a living organism exists and develops, thus explaining its common usage as synonymous to nature, i.e. something not human and that can be affected by human activity. With this narrow conception of environment, dichotomic assumptions such as man v. environment, culture v. nature, civilization v. wilderness, where one is more valued than the other, multiply. Given its etymology, the term environment hints at a separation between humans and the milieus in which they move, hence spurring the idea of the environment as an entity that exists ‘out there’ and independent of humans, as a place one observes from afar or seeks as refuge. Many scholars have, nonetheless, brought attention to the sense of continuity and interdependence between man and the environment, claiming that the idea of nature necessarily implies the idea of man. Others have also underlined its transcendental essence, the fact that it involves practices and processes, with and without man, that far exceed man’s comprehension.

The environmental movement emerged in the 1960s, largely influenced by Rachel Carson’s  seminal work  Silent Spring, which critically analyzed the dangers of the misuse of technology and the risks inherent to humans’ ability to change entire ecosystems. The discussion over environmental issues has expanded enormously since then, not only encompassing questions related to natural phenomena and the interconnectedness of all life but also addressing problems concerning the finitude of human life on the planet (or at least of the existing way of life), inequality and injustice in world structures, as well as logics of domination and oppressive frameworks. What many of these raising questions have in common is the centrality of man and man’s actions. This anthropocentric perspective, which has led to the naming of a new geological era marked by human intervention as Anthropocene, places man, unchallenged, at the center of the environment and everything that happens to it, thus reinforcing the idea of man’s supremacy over nature.

The environment and environmental issues have gained space in academy, both as a discipline and a subject relevant to other areas of knowledge; it has also become a hot topic for many artists and different forms of art (photography, painting, cinema, theater, music, among many others). This fact is corroborated by the proliferation of the ‘eco’ prefix, which has come to accompany any discussion related to environmental questions. However, the environment and the increasingly more visible environmental changes have also become the source of great social, economic and political friction. More and more movements, sustained by scientific evidence, have gained ground. Fueled by the belief that saving and bettering what Pope Francis called “Our Common Home” is not only a necessity but a duty, they aim at raising awareness, changing minds and altering behaviors. This standpoint is, nevertheless, challenged by the lack of engagement and consensus in terms of a global response, which fails to integrate ecological discourses and practices and deal with environmental problems in an efficient and speedily manner.

The Lisbon Summer School invites proposals by doctoral students and post-docs that address, though may not be strictly limited to, the topics below:

• Nature/culture
• Environment in/and the arts
• Representations of environmental crises and catastrophes
• Ecocriticism
• The Anthropocene
• Climate change and global warming
• Pollution, waste and rapidification
• Extinction of species and living systems
• Sustainability and ecocitizenship
• Ecopolitics
• Ecofeminism
• Ecojustice
• Ecotranslation
• Activism, ecotage, ecoterrorism
• Landscapes, environments and ecologies
• Urban ecology
• Cultural ecology and human ecology
• Human, non-human, post-human
• Natural and built environment
• Digital environments
• Scientific knowledge, skepticism and manipulation

The Summer School will take place at several cultural institutions in Lisbon and will gather outstanding doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers from around the world. In the morning there will be lectures and master classes by invited keynote speakers. In the afternoon there will be paper presentations by doctoral and post-doctoral candidates.

Paper proposals

Proposals should be sent to lxsummerschool@gmail.com no later than February 20 2020 and include paper title, abstract in English (max. 200 words), name, e-mail address, institutional affiliation and a brief bio (max. 100 words) mentioning ongoing research.

Applicants will be informed of the result of their submissions by March 20, 2020 .

Rules for presentation

The organizing committee shall place presenters in small groups according to the research focus of their papers. They are advised to stay in these groups for the duration of the Summer School, so a structured exchange of ideas may be developed to its full potential.

Full papers submission

Presenters are required to send in full papers by May 30, 2020.

The papers will then be circulated amongst the members of each research group and in the slot allotted to each participant (30’), only 10’ may be used for a brief summary of the research piece. The Summer School is a place of networked exchange of ideas and organizers wish to have as much time as possible for a structured discussion between participants. Ideally, in each slot, 10’ will be used for presentation, and 20’ for discussion.

Registration fees

Participants with paper – 290€ for the entire week (includes lectures, master classes, doctoral sessions, lunches and closing dinner)

Participants without paper – 60€ per session/day | 190€ for the entire week

Fee waivers

For The Lisbon Consortium students, there is no registration fee.

For students from Universities affiliated with the European Summer School in Cultural Studies and members of the Excellence Network in Cultural Studies the registration fee is 60€.

Organizing Committee

• Isabel Capeloa Gil
• Peter Hanenberg
• Alexandra Lopes
• Diana Gonçalves
• Paulo de Campos Pinto

Diffractions – Graduate Journal for the Study of Culture is back with the first issue of series 2, under the title “Suspicion”.

The launching of the new issue will take place on July 26, at 6 pm, at Rua das Gaivotas, 6, with a round table and a film screening.

This issue gathers conversations with Rita Felski and Margarida Medeiros; contributions by Katrine Dirckinck-Holmfeld, Nanna Rebekka, and Alexandra Grieve-Johnson; reviews by Samuel Mountford, Vera Herold, and Ekaterina Smirnova.

Our Master program in Culture Studies was ranked once again #4 in the World by the Eduniversal Best Masters Ranking in Cultural Management/Creative Industries Management.

The Program congratulates Faculty, Students & Institutional Partners for this outstanding recognition.

Isabel Capeloa Gil, Rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa and Director of the Lisbon Consortium, received today an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Boston College.

The Lisbon Consortium congratulates Isabel Capeloa Gil for her honorary degree and inspiring Commencement Address.

Thursday, May 23 | 6.00pm | Room Sociedade Científica (library building)

Get to know the Lisbon Consortium and the MA Program in Culture Studies (in English).

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FCT SCHOLARSHIPS

(2019-2020)

 

The International Doctoral Program in Culture Studies at the Lisbon Consortium (INTDCS), funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), hereby announces the opening of a call for applications for 6 full scholarships (3 national grants and 3 mixed grants) in the academic year 2019-2020, in accordance with FCT’s Research Fellowship Holder Statute

(https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/docs/FellowshipHolderStatute2013.pdf) and FCT’s Regulation for Research Studentships and Fellowships

(https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/regulamento.phtml.en).

The Steering Committee of the Program will be responsible for selecting the candidates who will be awarded the grants. Grant Agreements will be signed directly between the selected candidates and FCT.

The international PhD program in Culture Studies offers a joint doctoral degree by three top tiered European universities, in Portugal (School of Human Sciences, Catholic University of Portugal), Germany (International Graduate Center for the Study of Culture, Justus-Liebig University Giessen) and Denmark (Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, University of Copenhagen).

The program speaks to an innovative approach to the study of culture that works across disciplines in the social sciences and humanities and aims at fostering a collaborative research-intensive environment. As part of a tri-national network, students can benefit from up to two semesters at one of the partner institutions.

 

SCIENTIFIC FIELD

Culture Studies

 

APPLICATIONS PERIOD

The period of applications will open on March 1 and run through June 14.

 

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants are eligible provided they have been accepted into the Doctoral Program in Culture Studies of the Lisbon Consortium and comply with the following:

– National grants: Portuguese citizens or foreign citizens;

– Mixed grants: Portuguese and EU citizens or foreign citizens who are able to prove habitual or permanent residence in Portugal upon application;

– Holders of Master’s degree upon application. Foreign Master’s degrees must be recognized/registered.

For more information, please consult:

https://www.dges.gov.pt/en/pagina/degree-and-diploma-recognition?plid=1536

– Very good academic performance;

– Excellent CV;

– Sufficient undergraduate training to do graduate work in the chosen field or relevant professional experience;

– Have not previously received an identical type of FCT-funded fellowship for the same purpose;

– Competence in English (IELTS 7.0 minimum; TOEFL 100 + minimum 24 in all skills; Cambridge Advanced Certificate B; CEFR C1). Certificate attained in the last 2 years.

 

GRANT

The grant is awarded for a 12-month period, renewable up to a maximum of 4 years, and includes a monthly maintenance stipend and a tuition fee stipend, in accordance with the current FCT stipend scheme (http://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores.phtml.en). It does not include application costs or any other expenses. It cannot be awarded for less than 3 consecutive months.

The performance of duties as a fellowship holder is carried out on an exclusive dedication basis.

Grants awarded within this call cannot start before September 2019.

 

APPLICATIONS

Applications should be sent by e-mail to lxconsortium@gmail.com or by registered mail to:

International Doctoral Program in Culture Studies
The Lisbon Consortium
Faculdade de Ciências Humanas
Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Palma de Cima
1649-023 Lisboa
Portugal

Applications must include the following documents:

– Application Form;

– Transcript of records;

– Master’s degree certified by the awarding institution (foreign Master’s degrees must be recognized/registered);

– Copy of identification document (Passport or ID card);

– Detailed CV;

– A personal statement indicating the student’s motivation and interest in the program (max. 3.000 characters);

– Preliminary research project (max. 15.000 characters);

– Certificate of English proficiency (except for native speakers).

 

[Please consult the Lisbon Consortium PhD Application Guidelines herefor further information]

 

EVALUATION

Proceedings for the awarding of scholarships will be based on the following selection criteria:

– Stage 1: Analysis of academic and scientific curriculum;

– Stage 2: Interview (in person or by videoconference) with the international Steering Committee.

 

The ranking of admissions will be established on a 0-100 points scale, according to the following percentage breakdown:

• Academic excellence (track record) – 40%
• Academic potential (interview) – 20%
• Motivation, innovation and professional skills (research statement) – 25%
• English language skills – 15%

 

INTERNATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE

– Professor Dr. Isabel Capeloa Gil

– Professor Dr. Frederik Tygstrup

– Professor Dr. Ansgar Nünning

– Professor Dr. Alexandra Lopes

– Professor Dr. Peter Hanenberg

 

PUBLICATION OF RESULTS

Results will be sent to all candidates by e-mail and will also be available on the Program’s website at https://lisbonconsortium.com/. If the decision is unfavorable, applicants have a period of 10 working days to submit their comments, under the terms established in the Administrative Procedure Code. The final decision can be appealed to the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, within 15 working days of its notification.

 

FUNDING

The scholarships awarded under this contract will be financed by funds from the State Budget of the MCTES (Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior)/FCT and, when eligible, by funds from the European Social Fund through the Programas Operacionais during the period 2014-2020, from Portugal 2020, namely, the Programa Operacional Temático do Capital Humano, the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte, do Centro e do Alentejo, in accordance with the provisions of their specific regulations.

The awarding of the scholarships depends on the reception of all the required documentation and on FCT’s budgetary availability.

 

 

For more information, please contact us at:

International Doctoral Program in Culture Studies
The Lisbon Consortium
Faculdade de Ciências Humanas
Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Palma de Cima
1649-023 Lisboa
Portugal
lxconsortium@fch.lisboa.ucp.pt

Programa

15h00 – 15h30

Abertura + A exposição Haus Wittgenstein com Nuno Crespo

15h30 – 17h00

A Viena de Wittgenstein: a Viena do “L’ Apocalypse joyeuse”)

Isabel Capeloa Gil

António Guerreiro

Debate moderado por José Manuel dos Santos.

(Coffee break)

17h30 – 19h00

Wittgenstein e a Arquitetura: o debate arquitetónico encabeçado pelo arquiteto Adolf Loos

Ana Tostões

João Luís Carrilho da Graça

Nuno Venturinha

Debate moderado por Ricardo Carvalho

IX Lisbon Summer School for the Study of Culture

Neurohumanities

Promises & Threats

Lisbon, July 1-6, 2019

 

CALL FOR PAPERS

Deadline for submissions: February 28, 2019

When the US government declared the 1990s “The decade of the brain”, it aimed at raising public awareness toward the use of neuroscience for the enhancement of life quality and as a way to better address the challenges of growing life expectancy. The initiative was further supported by substantial research funding, which not only impressed public opinion but appealed to many research fields. Finding a link to brain research and the processes of the human mind, many disciplines were repositioned and adopted the “neuro” prefix, promising new insights into age-old problems by reframing them from the angle of the brain-mind continuum.

Neuroscience seeks to explain how the brain works and which neurophysiological processes are involved in complex cognitive abilities like sensation and perception attention and reasoning, memory and thought.

One of the most striking and unique features of the human mind is its capacity to represent realities that transcend its immediate time and space, by engaging complex symbolic systems, most notably language, music, arts and mathematics. Such sophisticated means for representation are arguably the result of an environmental pressure and must be accounted for in a complex network of shared behaviors, mimetic actions and collaborative practices: in other words, through human culture. The cultural products that are enabled by these systems are also stored by means of representation in ever-new technological devices, which allow for the accumulation and sharing of knowledge beyond space and across time.

The artifacts and practices that arise from the symbolic use, exchange and accumulation are the core of the research and academic field known as the Humanities. The field has been increasingly interested in the latest developments deriving from neuroscience and the affordances they allow about the conditions and processes of the single brain, embedded in an environment, in permanent exchange with other brains in an ecology that is culturally coded.

This turn of the humanities to neuroscience is embraced by many and fiercely criticized by others. The promise of the Neurohumanities, the neuroscientifically informed study of cultural artifacts, discourses and practices, lies in unveiling the link between embodied processes and the sophistication of culture. And it has the somewhat hidden agenda of legitimizing the field, by giving it a science-close status of relevance and social acknowledgement it has long lacked. Here, though, lies also its weakness: should the Humanities become scientific? Can they afford to do so? Should they be reduced to experimental methodologies, collaborative research practices, sloppy concept travelling, transvestite interdisciplinarity? Is the promise of the Neurohumanities, seen by some as the ultimate overcoming of the science-humanities or the two cultures divide, in fact not only ontologically and methodologically impossible and more than that undesirable? And how will fields like Neuroaesthetics, Cognitive Literary Theory, Cognitive Linguistics, Affect Theory, Second-person Neuroscience, Cognitive Culture Studies or Critical Neuroscience relate to the emerging omnipresence and challenges of Artificial Intelligence?

The IX Summer School for the Study of Culture invites participants to submit paper and poster proposals that critically consider the developments of the Neurohumanities in the past decades and question its immediate and future challenges and opportunities. Paper proposals are encouraged in but not limited to the following topics:

• 4E Cognition: embodied, embedded, enacted and extended
• performance and the embodied mind
• spectatorship and simulation
• from individual to social cognition
• mental imagery
• empathy
• memory, culture and cultural memory
• cognition and translatability
• mind-body problem
• life enhancement
• neuro-power
• (neuro)humanities and social change
• AI, cognition and culture

The Summer School will take place at several cultural institutions in Lisbon and will gather outstanding doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers from around the world. In the morning there will be lectures and master classes by invited keynote speakers. In the afternoon there will be paper presentations by doctoral students.

 

Paper proposals

Proposals should be sent to lxsummerschool@gmail.com no later than February 28, 2019 and include paper title, abstract in English (max. 200 words), name, e-mail address, institutional affiliation and a brief bio (max. 100 words) mentioning ongoing research.

Applicants will be informed of the result of their submissions by March 15, 2019.

Rules for presentation

The organizing committee shall place presenters in small groups according to the research focus of their papers. They are advised to stay in these groups for the duration of the Summer School, so a structured exchange of ideas may be developed to its full potential.

Full papers submission

Presenters are required to send in full papers by May 30, 2019.

The papers will then be circulated amongst the members of each research group and in the slot allotted to each participant (30’), only 10’ may be used for a brief summary of the research piece. The Summer School is a place of networked exchange of ideas and organizers wish to have as much time as possible for a structured discussion between participants. Ideally, in each slot, 10’ will be used for presentation, and 20’ for discussion.

Registration fees

Participants with paper – 290€ for the entire week (includes lectures, master classes, doctoral sessions, lunches and closing dinner)

Participants without paper – 60€ per session/day | 190€ for the entire week

Fee waivers

For The Lisbon Consortium students, there is no registration fee.

For students from Universities affiliated with the European Summer School in Cultural Studies and members of the Excellence Network in Cultural Studies the registration fee is 60€.

Organizing Committee

• Isabel Capeloa Gil
• Peter Hanenberg
• Alexandra Lopes
• Paulo de Campos Pinto
• Diana Gonçalves
• Clara Caldeira
• Rita Bacelar

For further information, please contact us through lxconsortium@gmail.com

Susanne Weber-Mosdorf will be at Universidade Católica Portuguesa for a special lecture under the title “Challenges for the management of arts and philantropic strategies”, next May 30, at 6:00 pm, by invitation of Professor Isabel Capeloa Gil, director of The Lisbon Consortium.

Susan Weber-Mosdorf is a German politician and supporter of the Arts and Culture. She was Director of the World Health Organization and is involved in the creation and development of the National Archive of Literature, in the State of Baden-Würtemberg, in Germany, being also a trustee of the Cinema Academy and the Language Academy of the same State. Her specialization is Public Policies to support Art.