Call for applications for a Summer School in the History of Mathematics (Edinburgh: July 13 (arrival)- July 26, 2025)
with K. Chemla, A. Keller, E. Lee, A. Reynaud, K. Saito, E. Sammarchi, F. Zheng
We invite applications from early-career scholars working in the history of science (Master’s students, PhD students, scholars who are within twelve years after their PhD degree) from all over the world, to attend the “Current research on the history of mathematics in the ancient world, new questions and new approaches” Summer School to be held in Edinburgh, from July 14 (beginning of lectures) to July 25, 2025.
The aim of this Summer School in the history of ancient mathematics is to give participants—even if they are not specializing in one of the topics covered—an overview of a global history of ancient mathematics (that is, in our definition, a history ranging from the third millennium BCE till the fourteenth century). It further is to train them with new methods to read ancient sources, and more widely to present perspectives and questions that have deeply revitalized this field, opening fresh venues for research. This Summer School will take a global perspective and involve researchers working on cuneiform, Greek, Sanskrit, Chinese, Arabic and Latin sources. It will present case studies that illustrate how new questions and methods can reopen what may have seemed finalised in standard historiographies of ancient mathematics.
Each set of sources in, respectively, cuneiform script, Greek, Sanskrit, Chinese, Arabic and Latin, will be the object of 6 classes of 1h each.
Classes, presented each by a given researcher, will deal with the following issues:
- the history of number systems and arithmetical operations;
- how algorithms were worked with;
- reasonings, proofs and theories;
- different forms of algebraic knowledge and practices;
- different types of work with geometric figures and diagrams;
- definitions and organisations of mathematics.
For each class, a set of texts (both in original languages and English translations) will be provided to be analyzed and discussed.
Students in groups or alone will choose two different research projects for which they will receive close tutoring before making a presentation of their work in the two last days of the Summer School.
Interested applicants should send a cover letter, a CV and a writing sample (max. 1500 words) before April 2, 2025, to karine.chemla@ed.ac.uk and to agathe.keller@cnrs.fr. We will cover travel, meals and accommodation expenses of the selected candidates, who will be informed by May 15, 2025 at the latest. Participants with access issues are welcome, and we invite them to mention in their cover letter which specific equipment they need to follow the Summer School.
