Call for Applications 2025
Description
The joint fellowship between the research program Ukraine in European Dialogue at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM Vienna) and the Research Centre “Ukraine in a Changing Europe” at the Institute of International Studies (IMS), Charles University in Prague, aims at innovative knowledge production and transfer in international relations and regional studies, informed primarily by expertise from Ukraine and beyond. Until recently, such expertise was underrepresented in Western-centric social sciences.
The trend for decolonization, set in motion by the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, exposed structural asymmetries and deficiencies in the expertise presumed to explain the ongoing developments and their broader reverberations. Overcoming those deficiencies requires joint efforts within and beyond area studies: Debunking the long-standing Russo-centric perception of the broadly conceived post-Soviet region must be complemented with the critical re-assessment of Western biases in social sciences.
The main objectives of the joint fellowship are: 1) regionally informed knowledge production and theory-making in social sciences; 2) fostering a new generation of scholars through teaching IMS students; and 3) creating a network of academics bridging social sciences and East European / Slavic studies.
Eligibility
The fellowship targets Ukrainian scholars working in the fields of international relations, critical area studies, security studies, comparative politics, sociology, migration studies, media studies, postcolonial and decolonial studies, and political philosophy with proven expertise and awareness of regional developments in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. We expect applicants to hold a PhD (or equivalent) degree in the respective disciplines and have a relevant publication record. It is equally open to promising recent PhD recipients and mid-career scholars. Preferential consideration will be given to Ukrainian scholars residing in Ukraine.
Conditions
The selected candidate will be invited for a five-month research stay at the IMS, preferably between September and December 2025, during which they are expected to conduct research related to the program and present its results to the academic and student community. The fellow is expected to present a draft paper at the IMS Area Studies research seminar, and they are encouraged to give guest lectures to IMS students within other courses or teach a separate block of lectures, related to the research project.
The fellow will receive a monthly stipend of EUR 2,000 to cover accommodation, living expenses, travel, health insurance, and any incidental costs related to their stay in Prague.
Charles University will provide the visiting fellow with a workplace, access to the university libraries and other facilities, as well as administrative assistance throughout the research stay.
Application
The application package consists of the following documents:
- application form;
- abstract (max 100 words);
- project proposal (max 2000 words);
- CV vitae including a list of publications;
- cover letter with a clear statement of the planned writing and teaching activities (max 2000 words);
- two recommendation letters from scholars familiar with the applicant’s academic work (sent separately).
All application materials should be in English.
Attached documents must be integrated into a single PDF file named after the applicant’s last name and sent to valeriya.korablyova@fsv.cuni.cz and ukrainianstudies.ims@fsv.cuni.cz with the subject header “IWM-IMS Fellowship.” Recommendation letters must be sent separately by the referees to the same email addresses before the deadline.
The deadline for applications is 15 March 2025.
Selection
The fellow will be selected by a jury consisting of representatives from both partner institutions and external experts. Applicants will be notified of the jury’s decision in May 2025. The jury is not required to publicly justify its decisions, nor to provide applicants with individual feedback on their applications.
