2009-10 Mellon Scholars
Federico Celestini
Federico Celestini studied in Rome before completing his Ph.D. and Habilitation in Musicology at the Karl Franzens University Graz, Austria. He has received several fellowships, e.g. from the British Academy (Oxford), the Riemenschneider Bach Institute (Cleveland) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Berlin). He is currently on staff at the Institut für Music Aesthetics, University for Music and Dramatic Art in Graz. Celestini combines interests in music, in philosophy and the history of ideas, and in social and cultural history. His latest book on Nietzche’s music aesthetics, will be published in 2010.
Alexander Semyonov
Dr. Alexander Semyonov received his Ph.D. in Comparative History from the Central European University in 2006. Semyonov’s latest research project focuses on mirrors of imperial imagination and ideological construction of empire Russian modern history. His research interests are: history of the Russian Empire in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, history and critical theory of nationalism, comparative and entangled history of empires, new intellectual history (Begriffsgeschichte, the Cambridge school) as related to identity discourses and history of frames of imperial imagination. Dr. Semyonov holds a teaching position at the Smolny Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Céline Spector
Dr. Céline Spector, a French native, received her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Paris X Nanterre in 2000. Spector’s most recent project adresses the intellectual history of Europe in the eighteenth century. In addition to this project, she is also participating in « C.I.T.E.R.E. » (« Circulations, territoire et réseaux en Europe de l’âge classique aux Lumières”, led by P.Y. Beaurepaire). It promises to initiate cooperation between scholars, for three years, at both a national and European level. Spector’s previous work focused primarily on eighteenth century French philosophy (Montesquieu, Rousseau).
The Mellon Visiting Scholar Program and the Endeavor Visiting Scholar Program, made possible with the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation, are independent but related initiatives designed to foster cutting edge research on contemporary Europe, to promote the diffusion of new ideas through teaching, to bridge differences in American and European academic cultures, and to create networks that connect Europe’s most promising scholars with colleagues in Chicago. Over the next four years, 18 European scholars will research and teach in Chicago for two quarters. The Mellon program typically hosts scholars from Paris, Vienna, and St. Petersburg who teach courses of their own design, while Endeavor scholars hail from Eastern Europe and teach in the College’s core curriculum.
These two programs add to the depth and breadth of the University of Chicago’s commitment to Europe, and will further nourish and expand the already vibrant links between Chicago and Paris. For example, in the autumn preceding their Chicago residency, Mellon and Endeavor scholars participate in a two-day orientation session at the University of Chicago’s Center in Paris. The Center in Paris will also serve as the site of major capstone conferences in both programs (Endeavor in 2012; Mellon in 2013). After their residency at the University of Chicago, Mellon and Endeavor Scholars may teach in one of the many undergraduate programs of study offered at the University’s Center in Paris.
The Center in Paris is at the core of the University of Chicago’s trans-European vision. For more information about this facet of Chicago’s involvement in Europe, contact Daniel Bertsche, Information Coordinator for International Education (ddb1@uchicago.edu).