Congratulations to Dr. Morgan Palmer of the Classics and Religious Studies Department on receiving a research fellowship from the Hardt Foundation for the Study of Classical Antiquity. Founded in 1950, the Hardt Foundation in Vandoeuvres, Switzerland has been providing scholars from all over the world with support for individual research projects in the field of classics. The Foundation supports research on the Greek and Latin languages, ancient history, ancient philosophy, and ancient law and selects a vast range of international scholars of many different areas of study. Fellowship recipients are invited to the estate for a two to four week stay and are provided with access to a state-of-the-art library and other research resources through the Geneva Library Network.
The Hardt Foundation will provide Dr. Palmer with the opportunity to travel to the estate for four weeks this summer to work on her book: Inscribing Rome: Memory and Monuments in Livy's History. Her book explores how Livy incorporated inscriptions into his History of Rome. By using interdisciplinary scholarship on intermediality (the intersections between media), Palmer's book will examine the epigraphic medium that exists between Livy's writings and when the Emperor Augustus was using inscriptions to further his imperial program.
"Livy's historical inscriptions were in dialogue with Augustus's new ones, and he made them vividly present in his narrative," Palmer said.
She will utilize the Foundation's extensive multilingual collection of scholarship on Livy and intermediality to expedite her research. During her stay she will have access to the historic estate which was renovated in 1860 by Genevan architect Samuel Darier who expanded the main house and remodeled the interior. In 1950, the estate passed into the hands of German Baron Krud von Hardt who converted the stables into a neo-classical style building for housing the library. The estate otherwise consists of a main house, an orangery (an enclosed patio), and a greenhouse. This setting provides researchers with an ideal atmosphere for their research..
"What excites me most about this opportunity is the prospect of being in an environment that promotes interdisciplinary exchange within a diverse group of international scholars," Palmer said. "The Hardt Foundation fosters a sense of community among its residents. Opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in international settings have enriched my work and provided me with fresh perspectives on my research and teaching. I am excited to meet the other scholars in residence at the Hardt Foundation and to learn more about their projects while working on the book this summer."
