Personal profile
Biographical details
Sophia studied Modern History, German Medieval Literature & Linguistics, and English Literature at the Universities of Basel, Freiburg i. Br. and Cape Town, before moving to London for her doctoral research in Early Medieval History. She obtained her lic. phil. degree from the University of Basel in 2010. Besides participating in significant interdisciplinary Swiss-Southern African research projects at the University of Basel, she worked in the field of indexing, recording and archiving at the National Archives of the Canton of Basel-Landschaft during the years 2008 and 2009.
Since 2014, Sophia has been teaching on several History modules in the Departments of History and War Studies, KCL, and in the Department of International History, LSE. Furthermore, she has been teaching Advanced Latin at the London Summer School in Classics, UCL and KCL. Sophia is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). She is currently pursuing an MA in Academic Practice in Higher Education at the King's Learning Institute (2016-2018).
Research interests (short)
Sophia’s doctoral research, which is currently being adapted into a monograph, lies in the History of Late Antique and Medieval Political Thought, with a focus on the Patristic and Carolingian Periods.
Her teaching has focused on three areas:
- Late Antique and Medieval History (400-1500), including the Latin West, the Greek East and the rise of Islam in Europe. In line with her doctoral research, Sophia's main area of academic practice covers problems of continuity and change in the politics and religions of Medieval Europe.
- Twentieth-century International History, the History of the International System since 1600 and the History of Human Rights Discourse. Sophia’s interest in global structures and phenomena that demand an international understanding of social organisation and systems of government emerged during her studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where she examined Southern African political propaganda material used by different nationalist movements during their struggle for independence/freedom.
- History and Memory Studies, exploring contemporary approaches to the past through an examination of case studies and current literature. Sophia has developed a strong focus on literature and linguistics as a result of her previous studies at the Universities of Basel and Freiburg i. Br. She is interested in approaches to history that accept literature as a historical source and representation of reality.
Sophia is interested in Educational Research as a tool for enhancing academic practice in the disciplines of History and Political Thought in higher education.
Research interests
Sophia specialises in the History of Ideas and Political Thought, with a focus on Medieval Europe. Thanks to a Doc.Mobility Fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Sophia was able to complete her PhD thesis, Augustine of Hippo and the Art of Ruling in the Carolingian Imperial Period, at KCL in 2015. Her doctoral research, which she is currently adapting into a monograph, explored how the political thought and ethics of Augustine of Hippo were understood, taken on and modified by Carolingian-era political advisers to serve the Carolingian imperial dynasty. Her analysis focused on Alcuin of York’s and Hincmar of Reims' discussions of empire, rulership and the moral conduct of political agents. She investigated how the political thought and ethics of Augustine – as represented in the late work De civitate Dei – came into play in these discussions. She developed a philological-historical approach to the Latin sources and applied it throughout her thesis.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Academic Practice in Higher Education, MAAP, Master of Arts, King's Academy
1 Oct 2016 → 1 Oct 2018
Award Date: 1 Oct 2018
Academic Practice in Higher Education, PGDipHE, Postgraduate Diploma, King's Academy
1 Oct 2015 → 1 Oct 2016
Award Date: 1 Oct 2016
PhD Thesis: Augustine of Hippo and the Art of Ruling in the Carolingian Imperial Period, King's College London
1 Oct 2010 → 1 Oct 2015
Award Date: 1 Oct 2015
Academic Practice in Higher Education, PGCAPHE, Postgraduate Certificate , King's Academy
1 Oct 2014 → 1 Oct 2015
Award Date: 1 Oct 2015
External positions
Graduate Teaching Assistant, LSE London School of Economics & Political Science
24 Oct 2015 → …
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Thesis
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Augustine of Hippo and the Art of Ruling in the Carolingian Imperial Period
Mösch, S. C. (Author), Rio, A. (Supervisor) & Heather, P. (Supervisor), 2015Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy
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