Call | Summer School "The Future of Text"

The University of Padua, in collaboration with Tokyo College of the University of Tokyo, invites applications for a Summer School on the topic “The Future of Text”. Participants will engage with handwritten, printed, and digital texts from early modernity to the present day, with a particular focus on the impact of recent technologies on the future of text.

While providing a broad overview of the historical development of textual practices and technologies—from the invention of printing to generative artificial intelligence—the activities will allow students to develop a critical awareness of the challenges and opportunities presented by digital technologies such as digitization, social media, and artificial intelligence. Students will also have the opportunity to explore specific software for textual analysis, visualization, and extrapolation, and to visit key institutions during their stay in Italy, including archives and libraries in Padua and Venice.

Topics Covered:

  • Textual practices in the pre-modern world
  • Documenting practices
  • Artificial Intelligence and information today
  • Imagining textual futures
  • Site visits to archives in Venice and libraries in Padua
  • Hands-on workshop on Voyant Tools for the creation and analysis of textual corpora

Organizers and Main Instructors:

  • Federico Mazzini and Prof. Paola Molino (University of Padua)
  • Michael Facius and Prof. Naoko Shimazu (University of Tokyo)
  • Invited instructors

Target Audience:

We welcome applications from MA and PhD students from the Universities of Padua and Tokyo. A maximum of ten students will be selected.

Location and Date:

University of Padua, Italy
June 16–20, 2025 (arrival by June 15)

Language of Instruction:

English

Fees:

For students from the University of Padua and Tokyo, participation in the Summer School—including site visits, joint lunches, and coffee breaks—is free of charge.

Students from the University of Tokyo will receive a lump sum of 1000 EUR for travel expenses and accommodation in Padua, thanks to the support of the Centre for Mobility and Humanities of the University of Padua and the Department of Historical, Geographical Sciences and the Ancient World of the University of Padua.

Application:

Please send a motivation letter (1 page), CV (max 2 pages), and a letter of transcript or other academic record of your MA/PhD program at the University of Padua or the University of Tokyo.

Deadline:

Participants will be selected on a rolling basis until all slots are filled; latest possible submission: April 30, 2025, 23:59 JST.

Submit Applications To: