Research field & Background. Ancient philosophy is a field of research in continuous growth, and Italy has played a pioneering role in its development. Italian scholarship is characterised by bringing rigorous philological and historical skills to the task of philosophical elucidation. Methods developed especially in Anglophone scholarship, mainly related to the analysis of argumentative structures, have been progressively integrated, but what is still lacking is a focused methodological discussion on the relation between these different approaches, on the extent to which this interaction is important and on how to exploit this interaction in order to train the next generation of scholars and to get grants for research.
Aims & suitability. The project has two aims. The scientific aim is to identify research imperatives for future work in ancient philosophy, and the means to address them: the project will encompass theoretical reflection and practical outcomes, the former being targeted at detecting new research paths and the methods to be applied to them. The strategic aim is to promote Turin's place as a leading international hub in the study of Ancient Philosophy by encouraging applications for scholarships, fellowships and grants across Europe and North America. The project is conceived in such a way as to maximise some unique strengths of the partner groups. The Ancient Philosophy Group of the University of Turin, also contributing to the interdepartmental group TEAMPhil (Turin Enquiries in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy), is committed to a strategy of internationalization, which encompasses collaborations with Cambridge University Press and other European institutions such as the DCAMP (Durham Centre of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy) and the De Wulf-Mansion Centre (Leuven); however, no institutional collaboration with American Institutions has been established yet, especially due to the lacking of suitable funding. The University of Toronto, on the other hand, hosts the most active, large and attractive ancient philosophy group in North America and an outstanding collaborative programme in ancient and medieval philosophy: scholars forming the group are among the most influential scholars in our field. In brief, both groups would profit from the establishment of a connection, which would also pave the way for future collaborations (see below). In addition, both groups share specific interest in themes at the leading edge of our subject, which offer promising test cases for the methodological research we are planning. More specifically, Federico Petrucci and George Boys-Stones have been working on post-Hellenistic Platonism, and their current research is focused on the crucial passage from the Hellenistic to the post-Hellenistic age. This is an understudied topic, though its impact on history of thought was massive: we observe here the rethinking of Stoicism and its reception in Rome; the return to dogmatic Platonism will anticipate the success of this movement in Late Antiquity; the 'rediscovery' of Aristotle's school writings and the production of first commentaries on them is at the basis of the philosophy of Late Antiquity and of the Middle Ages. In brief, both centres can provide expertises that are rarely found together, and their collaboration will allow a pioneering rediscovery of this fundamental philosophical context.
Actions. All this provides the framework for the strategy we are planning to enact (see also the relevant section below).
a) Work in Progress & Grant seminar in Turin: some sessions will envisage students and PhDs of both institutions presenting their current research and open it to collective discussion; other sessions will be devoted to the elaborations of projects to be submitted at multiple levels, from PhD scholarship to major grants for senior scholars.
b) Residential Turin-Toronto Ancient Philosophy seminar in Greece on Panaetius' fragments and reception (Panaetius and the so-called Middle Stoa will be a perfect test-case for our methodological discussion).
c) Calls for outgoing and incoming mobility (short term).
Outcomes and pay-offs. The final outcome of the project will consist in multiple level pay-offs. 1) The first is scientific in nature: the methodological discussion is aimed to produce an innovative mix of approaches, and in this sense it will also represent a model for future research. Turin will thus be the Italian hub for this new perspective, enhancing its presence on the international stage in the relevant scientific fields. 2) A second fundamental pay-off concerns the research-core itself. On the one hand, as mentioned above, the test-case we selected is understudied, and the meetings (esp. the residential Turin-Toronto Ancient Philosophy seminar) will be part of a complex publication strategy across the two institutions. On the other, the Work in Progress sessions will be a fundamental step towards training the next generation of scholars to advance the boundaries of the subject. 3) The Grant sessions will favour both institutions at multiple levels. Students will have the possibility to exploit funding opportunities both in Italy and EU and in North America, opening up the possibility for them to get PhD scholarships at the partner institution. PhDs and post-docs will explore opportunities for fellowships (in line, e.g., with the programme for attraction of talents promoted this year by UniTo). Senior scholars will be able to plan further collaborative project for substantial grants.
Consistency with 'Programma triennale TO-PEOPLE'. All objectives are not only consistent with actions D1, 2 and 4 of the 'Programma triennale TO-PEOPLE' ("Esperienze di studio e ricerca all'estero"; "Corsi di studio internazionali"; "Integrazione della didattica nelle reti internazionali ed europee"), but they will also directly and strongly support them. With respect to the relevant research field, the methodological pioneer research will allow UniTo to be a hub for research innovation, and this will favour its involvement in future projects developed along similar lines. The close interaction with the partner will favour further mobility at multiple levels: contacts with scholars will provide further opportunities for intervisitation; Turin students will have a unique possibility to be part of an outstanding environment and to apply for international scholarship afterwards; Toronto students will benefit from exposure to Italian intellectual culture in its exemplary form at Turin, and this will attract their applications to our PhD programmes or stimulate them to spend part of their PhD in Turin (especially in the framework of the FINO consortium); early-career scholars from Toronto will be encouraged to apply to European fellowships (e.g., MSCA) indicating Turin as their hub, and in turn Turin students and PhDs will be invited to apply to Canadian fellowships; senior scholars will have the opportunity to ground future projects with the aim to submit joint applications for major grants (e.g. ERC); the Philosophy International Curriculum (which, from 2022-23, will also encompass a course on 'Philosophy in the Ancient World') will be promoted as a leading Italian Philosophy curriculum in English. In brief, this grant will be crucial in order to promote the leading role of the Turin Group of Ancient Philosophy in the Italian and European scenario.
Consistency with the Project UNITA. Although Toronto is not (and cannot be) included among UNITA partners, strengthening relationships with Canadian universities might be key for future development of the project. As a matter of fact, Canada represents the unique case of a North American country rich in cultural links with European culture and officially promoting a Romance language, namely French. Hence, among the potential outcomes of this project there is also a further networking opportunity of UNITA, based in common interests and cultural background.
Aims & suitability. The project has two aims. The scientific aim is to identify research imperatives for future work in ancient philosophy, and the means to address them: the project will encompass theoretical reflection and practical outcomes, the former being targeted at detecting new research paths and the methods to be applied to them. The strategic aim is to promote Turin's place as a leading international hub in the study of Ancient Philosophy by encouraging applications for scholarships, fellowships and grants across Europe and North America. The project is conceived in such a way as to maximise some unique strengths of the partner groups. The Ancient Philosophy Group of the University of Turin, also contributing to the interdepartmental group TEAMPhil (Turin Enquiries in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy), is committed to a strategy of internationalization, which encompasses collaborations with Cambridge University Press and other European institutions such as the DCAMP (Durham Centre of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy) and the De Wulf-Mansion Centre (Leuven); however, no institutional collaboration with American Institutions has been established yet, especially due to the lacking of suitable funding. The University of Toronto, on the other hand, hosts the most active, large and attractive ancient philosophy group in North America and an outstanding collaborative programme in ancient and medieval philosophy: scholars forming the group are among the most influential scholars in our field. In brief, both groups would profit from the establishment of a connection, which would also pave the way for future collaborations (see below). In addition, both groups share specific interest in themes at the leading edge of our subject, which offer promising test cases for the methodological research we are planning. More specifically, Federico Petrucci and George Boys-Stones have been working on post-Hellenistic Platonism, and their current research is focused on the crucial passage from the Hellenistic to the post-Hellenistic age. This is an understudied topic, though its impact on history of thought was massive: we observe here the rethinking of Stoicism and its reception in Rome; the return to dogmatic Platonism will anticipate the success of this movement in Late Antiquity; the 'rediscovery' of Aristotle's school writings and the production of first commentaries on them is at the basis of the philosophy of Late Antiquity and of the Middle Ages. In brief, both centres can provide expertises that are rarely found together, and their collaboration will allow a pioneering rediscovery of this fundamental philosophical context.
Actions. All this provides the framework for the strategy we are planning to enact (see also the relevant section below).
a) Work in Progress & Grant seminar in Turin: some sessions will envisage students and PhDs of both institutions presenting their current research and open it to collective discussion; other sessions will be devoted to the elaborations of projects to be submitted at multiple levels, from PhD scholarship to major grants for senior scholars.
b) Residential Turin-Toronto Ancient Philosophy seminar in Greece on Panaetius' fragments and reception (Panaetius and the so-called Middle Stoa will be a perfect test-case for our methodological discussion).
c) Calls for outgoing and incoming mobility (short term).
Outcomes and pay-offs. The final outcome of the project will consist in multiple level pay-offs. 1) The first is scientific in nature: the methodological discussion is aimed to produce an innovative mix of approaches, and in this sense it will also represent a model for future research. Turin will thus be the Italian hub for this new perspective, enhancing its presence on the international stage in the relevant scientific fields. 2) A second fundamental pay-off concerns the research-core itself. On the one hand, as mentioned above, the test-case we selected is understudied, and the meetings (esp. the residential Turin-Toronto Ancient Philosophy seminar) will be part of a complex publication strategy across the two institutions. On the other, the Work in Progress sessions will be a fundamental step towards training the next generation of scholars to advance the boundaries of the subject. 3) The Grant sessions will favour both institutions at multiple levels. Students will have the possibility to exploit funding opportunities both in Italy and EU and in North America, opening up the possibility for them to get PhD scholarships at the partner institution. PhDs and post-docs will explore opportunities for fellowships (in line, e.g., with the programme for attraction of talents promoted this year by UniTo). Senior scholars will be able to plan further collaborative project for substantial grants.
Consistency with 'Programma triennale TO-PEOPLE'. All objectives are not only consistent with actions D1, 2 and 4 of the 'Programma triennale TO-PEOPLE' ("Esperienze di studio e ricerca all'estero"; "Corsi di studio internazionali"; "Integrazione della didattica nelle reti internazionali ed europee"), but they will also directly and strongly support them. With respect to the relevant research field, the methodological pioneer research will allow UniTo to be a hub for research innovation, and this will favour its involvement in future projects developed along similar lines. The close interaction with the partner will favour further mobility at multiple levels: contacts with scholars will provide further opportunities for intervisitation; Turin students will have a unique possibility to be part of an outstanding environment and to apply for international scholarship afterwards; Toronto students will benefit from exposure to Italian intellectual culture in its exemplary form at Turin, and this will attract their applications to our PhD programmes or stimulate them to spend part of their PhD in Turin (especially in the framework of the FINO consortium); early-career scholars from Toronto will be encouraged to apply to European fellowships (e.g., MSCA) indicating Turin as their hub, and in turn Turin students and PhDs will be invited to apply to Canadian fellowships; senior scholars will have the opportunity to ground future projects with the aim to submit joint applications for major grants (e.g. ERC); the Philosophy International Curriculum (which, from 2022-23, will also encompass a course on 'Philosophy in the Ancient World') will be promoted as a leading Italian Philosophy curriculum in English. In brief, this grant will be crucial in order to promote the leading role of the Turin Group of Ancient Philosophy in the Italian and European scenario.
Consistency with the Project UNITA. Although Toronto is not (and cannot be) included among UNITA partners, strengthening relationships with Canadian universities might be key for future development of the project. As a matter of fact, Canada represents the unique case of a North American country rich in cultural links with European culture and officially promoting a Romance language, namely French. Hence, among the potential outcomes of this project there is also a further networking opportunity of UNITA, based in common interests and cultural background.