Team and calls

Team

Simona Olivieri
Simona Olivieri

ORCID-iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0154-9156
Simona Olivieri is Assistant Professor of Arabic language at Ca' Foscari University of Venice and Principal Investigator of the ALiDiM project. Her research interests include Arabic language and linguistics, historical linguistics, philosophy of language, and digital humanities. In addition, Simona Olivieri does research on research integrity and ombudspersons for good research practice.

Giovanni Carrera
Giovanni Carrera

Giovanni Carrera is a postdoctoral fellow at Ca' Foscari University of Venice and a researcher in the ALiDiM project. His research interests include Arabic language and linguistics, philosophy of language, semantic theory, logic and rhetoric in the Islamicate traditions, and digital humanities.

Salvatore Simone Termini
Salvatore Simone Termini

Salvatore Simone Termini is a PhD student at Ca' Foscari University of Venice in the ALiDiM project. His research interests include Arabic language and linguistics, philosophy of language and digital humanities.

Calls for applications

Current calls

PhD position - deadline 07/05/2025

The ALiDiM project is currently advertising a fully funded 3-year PhD position. The position is part of the Asian and African Studies PhD programme and will start on September 1, 2025.

This PhD research will explore the development of classical Arabic linguistic and grammatical studies within the broader framework of Islamic disciplines. The successful candidate will contribute to the work package on external influences on the Arabic linguistic thinking, specifically exploring the interplay between Islamic scholarly traditions and classical Arabic language studies.
We seek candidates with a background in Arabic and/or Islamic studies, proficiency in classical Arabic (preferably with experience in classical Arabic texts), and a strong interest in interdisciplinary research on Islamic intellectual history.
The selected PhD student will be an integral part of our interdisciplinary team, working closely with the Principal Investigator and fellow researchers. Weekly seminar-style meetings will provide opportunities for discussion and collaboration. The position offers flexibility, including remote work options. The team emphasizes collaboration and mentorship, providing training opportunities for professional development. The PhD student will also actively participate in organizing and implementing a variety of academic activities, including seminars, workshops, and conferences. Furthermore, as part of the team, the PhD student will receive training in digital humanities (DH) methods for text annotation, enhancing their research skills and contributing to the project’s interdisciplinary approach. 

The call for applications will be published on the university website on March 27, 2025, with the application window closing on May 7, 2025, at 13:00 CEST. Full details on the position, including the application and selection process, will be available in the official call. Please note that, as part of the required documentation, candidates must submit a research proposal that aligns with the topic outlined above, as detailed in the call for applications.

Contact: For further information about the scientific aspects of the call, prospective candidates may contact Dr. Simona Olivieri (simona.olivieri@unive.it; alidim@unive.it).

Qualifications: Applicants should hold a master’s degree in a field pertinent to the PhD programme and possess a keen interest in language studies and intellectual history. We seek candidates with a background in Arabic and/or Islamic studies, proficiency in classical Arabic (preferably with experience in classical Arabic texts), and an interest in interdisciplinary research on Islamic intellectual history. Alongside the requested documentation, candidates shall submit a proposal for research that they aim to pursue; the research proposal must be framed within the topic outlined in this call for interest and indicated in the call for application to be published on the university website on March 27, 2025.

Funding: A full scholarship, amounting to approximately €16,250 gross per year (approx. €14,350 after taxes), will be provided, supplemented by additional funding to cover travel and publication expenses. The scholarship will be increased up to 50% for periods of study and research abroad, extending up to one year.

Expired calls

The successful candidates will contribute to the work package on the specialized linguistic lexicon in early Arabic linguistic works. One position will examine its interactions with other Arabic-Islamic disciplines, while the other will explore connections with the Greek tradition. Both positions are scheduled to start February 1, 2025.

  • Position 1: Study on terminology in Arabic-Islamic disciplines
    Their major responsibilities will include investigating the process of formation of linguistic terminology, specifically researching how the fundamental terms used in linguistic and grammatical disciplines were introduced and developed. The selected candidate will engage in analyzing the usage of the specialized terminology in seminal grammatical and lexicographical works accounting for relations with other Arabic-Islamic disciplines. The selected candidate will work in close collaboration with the postdoc investigating the specialized lexicon in the Greek tradition (Position 2).
  • Position 2: Study on terminology in the Greek tradition
    Their major responsibilities will include investigating the linguistic terminology in the Greek classical tradition, researching the specialized linguistic lexicon that might have influenced the Arabic tradition. The selected candidate will work in close collaboration with the postdoc investigating the specialized lexicon in other Arabic-Islamic disciplines (Position 1).

The application deadline is December 20, 2024, 12:00 CET. For full details on the positions, including the application and selection process, please refer to the call for applications published on the Department website www.unive.it/data/29506/#29081801.

The successful candidate will contribute to the work package on the specialized linguistic lexicon in early Arabic linguistic works. Their major responsibilities will include investigating the process of formation of linguistic terminology, specifically researching how the fundamental terms used in linguistic and grammatical disciplines were introduced and then developed. The selected candidate will engage in analyzing the usage of the specialized terminology in seminal works such as the “Kitāb Sībawayhi, al-Ǧumal fī al-Naḥw, and Kitāb al-ʿAyn”. The investigation entails accounting for relations with other Arab-Islamic disciplines as well as neighboring traditions (i.e., Greek, Syriac). 
The call is available on the Department website at www.unive.it/data/29506/#28954598. Deadline for application is September 20, 2024, 12:00 CEST. Further details on the application process and selection criteria are provided there.

The successful candidate will engage with seminal works such as the Kitāb Sībawayhi, the al-Ǧumal fī al-Naḥw, and Kitāb al-ʿAyn, analyzing how Qurʾānic verses are used and presented therein. With their research, the PhD student will contribute to the project’s objective of investigating the way primary sources are presented and used in early Arabic grammatical and lexicographical texts.
The call is available on the PhD Degrees website at www.unive.it/web/en/2161/annual-call#c19441. Deadline for application is May 23, 2024, 13:00 (CEST). Further details on the application process and selection criteria are provided there.

The successful candidate will contribute to the work package on the use of primary sources in early Arabic linguistic works. Their major responsibilities will include examining how linguistic data from the kalām al-ʿarab, “speech of the Arabs”, are presented in these texts, with a specific emphasis on assessing the consistency in their use. Additionally, the candidate will analyze the linguistic data to evaluate their historical accuracy. With their research, the postdoctoral researcher will contribute to the project’s objective of investigating the way primary sources are presented and used in early Arabic grammatical and lexicographical texts.
The call is available on the Department website at www.unive.it/data/29507/#28669303. Deadline for application is May 21, 2024, 12:00 CEST. Further details on the application process and selection criteria are provided there.