The Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften, the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities of Goethe University Frankfurt am Main in Germany, is seeking to appoint up to three post-doctoral fellows in the humanities or social sciences for the academic year 2025/2026.
Candidates should contribute with their individual research to the research focus Democratic Vistas. Reflections on the Atlantic World and to its outreach platform, the John McCloy Transatlantic Forum. Democratic Vistas looks at democracy from a genuinely interdisciplinary perspective. It understands democracy not only as a form of government, but also as a form of life. Corresponding to this expansive conception of democracy, Democratic Vistas creates a space for dialogue for researchers from a broad range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, and it seeks for its cohort of fellows to reflect this disciplinary diversity. Geographically, the program focuses on the »Atlantic World« in a broad sense. Both classical transatlantic relations and the Atlantic World in its North-South dimension fall under its purview. For more information about Democratic Vistas, see: https://www.forschungskolleg-humanwissenschaften.de/index.php/en/projects/democratic-vistas
The fellows will be part of the Democratic Vistas academic community, a network of some 25 scholars from different disciplines in the humanities and social sciences at Goethe University, as well as of the community of fellows at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften.
Duration: 12 months, starting on September 1st or October 1st 2025.
What we offer: We offer a grant of 2,400 €/month. The grant is tax-free in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 no. 44 EStG (German Income Tax Act). Additional benefits include a return trip (to a max. of 2,000 €) from the fellows’ home / residence town to Frankfurt; a family allowance when appropriate and a mission allowance of up to 2,000 €/year. We also provide an office at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften in Bad Homburg (near Frankfurt) with technical support and a library service, academic and general support and a joint fellow lunch every day (Mo – Fr). Apartments in the guesthouse of the Kolleg are available for rent at the fellow’s own cost.
What we expect: Fellows are expected to work on their projects and to take part in the academic events organized by the Forschungskolleg or by members of the Democratic Vistas community at Goethe University; participation in the research colloquium of the Kolleg is mandatory. Fellows will be asked to contribute to one or two outreach activities during their research stay (e.g. workshops with advanced high school students).
Eligibility: Candidates should have completed a doctorate in one of the disciplines represented in the Democratic Vistas group and should have proven potential to conduct and publish research at an international level.
Application: Please send your application in English in one PDF document (a 2-3 page research project, a CV and two letters of reference) to Iris Koban, Managing Director of Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften: i.koban@forschungskolleg-humanwissenschaften.de
The letters of reference may also be sent directly from the referees.
Closing date is February 28, 2025.
If you have any questions, please address Iris Koban or the heads of program of the Democratic Vistas research focus, Johannes Völz, Professor of American Studies (voelz@em.uni-frankfurt.de) and Gunther Hellmann, Professor of Political Science (g.hellmann@soz.uni-frankfurt.de).
For information on the working and living conditions at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften, see: https://www.forschungskolleg-humanwissenschaften.de
You can also find this Call for Applications here: https://www.forschungskolleg-humanwissenschaften.de/downloads/CfA_PostDoc_Fellowships_Democratic%20Vistas_25_26.pdf