The Center for Hellenic Studies

Call for Contributions – “Humanities in the Text” (ENS–CHS Joint Initiative) 

     

Submission Deadline: December 1, 2026

Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies (CHS, Harvard University) and the École Normale Supérieure – Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (ENS–PSL) are pleased to invite researchers to contribute to the program “Humanities in the Text.” The theme for applications in 2026 is the Odyssey. Topics can include (but are not limited to) war, migration, power, gender, personal and collective identity, emotions, history of arts and sciences in Homer and in Homer’s reception.

This program seeks to create a digital anthology of Greek and Latin texts, translated and commented upon, to be published on the publication platforms of the two institutions, with permanent archiving (and DOI). The multimedia modules will help in the study and teaching of ancient languages and cultures, while demonstrating how ancient texts can continue to inspire contemporary inquiry, through dialogue with specialists from diverse disciplines.

Contributors (researchers, educators, and scholars from any field) are invited to submit projects centered on an (ancient or medieval) Greek or Latin text, accompanied by translation and commentary, and potentially enriched by multimedia or interdisciplinary perspectives.

Application Guidelines and Participation

Each proposal (2 pages) should include:

  • A short excerpt from Homer’s Odyssey (maximum 20 lines) with translation and a brief description of the interpretive approaches to be developed (1 page).
  • A short CV of the project leader and, where relevant, members of the proposed team (1 page).
Apply Here

Presentation and Symposium

Selected projects will be presented on March 15th, 2027, during an online joint symposium co-hosted by ENS–PSL and Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies. Each contributor will have 15 minutes to present their project (in English), followed by discussion.

Publication

After selection and completion, each contribution will be published as part of the digital anthology and may include:

  • Homer’s Greek text with English translation and commentary is adapted for teaching at various levels (secondary to higher education).
  • Two or three short interpretive essays showing the text’s relevance across disciplines, periods, or cultural contexts.
  • Optional multimedia elements (images, short videos up to 2 minutes, or a podcast up to 10 minutes).

Questions: Please send inquiries to outreach@chs.harvard.edu by December 1st, 2026.

Timeline

  • December 1st, 2026: Deadline for the submission of proposals.
  • March 15th, 2027: Presentation of contributions during an online joint symposium (ENS/CHS).
  • 2027: Possibility to publish a written version in an international digital library supported by CHS-ENS.

Further information can be found in the links below:



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