The German Historical Institute (GHI) is seeking applications for a Binational Visiting Fellow Tandem. The Fellowship program contributes to the creation of the new research network “Knowledge in Transit - Migrants’ Knowledge in Comparative Perspective” at GHI PRO - Pacific Regional Office of the German Historical Institute Washington DC in Berkeley.
The GHI’s fellowship program promotes cutting-edge research in history and related disciplines and international exchange of scholars. For this purpose, the GHI in cooperation with the Institute of European Studies at UC Berkeley is now offering German and North American postdoctoral scholars the opportunity to develop a binational research tandem which links up two academics–one from Germany and one from North America–working on research in the field of history of migration. The projects should contain productive areas of overlap with the tandem partner either in their topics or in their conceptual frameworks. The visiting fellow tandem program at GHI PRO presents an excellent opportunity for scholars to develop their expertise by collaborating closely, to work with additional resources and to make connections with others in their fields. It is funded by the VolkswagenStiftung, one of Germany’s most important non-profit foundations.
The program is designed for postdoctoral historians with a strong interest in the history of knowledge and an outstanding academic record. For German applicants, a good working knowledge of English is essential. Applicants may apply individually and be matched by the GHI or apply together with their potential tandem partner. Preference will also be given to candidates doing original research for a new book project.
The successful applicants will be in residence at GHI PRO for a 12-month fellowship roughly corresponding to the Berkeley academic year starting in September 2022. They will be expected to conduct their research and fully participate in the academic life at GHI PRO. Most prominently, they are invited to participate in the annual Bucerius Lecture “Histories of Migration: Transatlantic and Global Perspectives” and the attached Young Scholars Forum. Further, in collaboration with the permanent staff at GHI PRO, they will organize a workshop at an institution of higher education at the North American West Coast of their choice in their field of expertise.
As affiliated researchers at GHI PRO, the fellows will have access to the UC Berkeley academic and social facilities (library, databases, email address, office space at the IES, etc.) and are offered the opportunity to make use of further resources in the greater Bay Area–including the Magnes Collection, the Hoover Institution Library and Archives in Stanford or the National Archives/ Pacific Region in San Bruno–while pursuing their research agendas.
A member institution of the Max Weber Foundation, the German Historical Institute Washington is a distinguished independent research institute, conducting inter- and transdisciplinary research with a transatlantic focus. GHI PRO is located at UC Berkeley’s Institute of European Studies. It organizes a series of programs and scholarly events aimed at facilitating cooperation and dialogue among North American and German researchers in the humanities and social sciences. GHI PRO’s research programs center on histories of knowledge and migration in a broadly comparative perspective, addressing the experiences of many different migrant groups, home and transit lands, and receiving societies. Moreover, they widen the geographical focus to include Pacific histories of migrant knowledge.
Funding will be provided for a 12-month stay at GHI PRO/ UC Berkeley. The monthly stipend will be $4230 per month. In addition, fellowship recipients will receive reimbursement for their round-trip economy airfare. The GHI regrets that it is unable to provide accommodation for its fellows.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants should have completed a PhD before the start date of the fellowship
Applicants should be affiliated with a North American or European research institution or university
Applicants should be able to take leave for the duration of the program to be in residence in Berkeley, CA for the fellowship
To apply, submit the following materials as a single PDF and fill out the online application form (https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/ca735ca2a73248d899d1cd18dc1b1098) by December 1, 2021:
a cover letter
a CV
a copy of the certificate of your most recently achieved qualification or transcripts
a research project proposal (2,000 words max)
a workshop proposal which includes the intended workshop theme and scope as well as the intended host institution (1,000 words max)
and the names and contact details of two referees (for each applicant)
While applicants may write in either English or German, we recommend that they use the language in which they are most proficient. We can accept applications in electronic form only. All candidates will be notified by early December 2021 of the result of their application.