One-month research fellowships for PhD students and Postdocs – Research area “Cultural Encounters – Cultural Conflicts” (University of Innsbruck)

The research area “Cultural Encounters – Cultural Conflicts” at the University of Innsbruck offers, together with the International Relations Office, three one-month research residency fellowships for PhD students and Postdocs in the field of European Cultural Studies from May 1–31, 2020.

European Cultural Studies at the University of Innsbruck

One aim of the Research Area "Cultural Encounters – Cultural Conflicts" is to intensify interdisciplinary exchange within European Studies from a historical and cultural-scientific perspective. The fellowship is aimed at doctoral students and post-docs whose current research project focusses on European Cultural Studies.

In particular, the fellows' research stay will be linked to the work of the Innsbruck Research Centre "Concepts of Europe" (https://www.uibk.ac.at/fz-europakonzeption/). It deals with the images of the continent since early modern times, both inside and outside Europe, as well as the social and cultural practices associated with them, which have contributed to the politics, economy, lives and mentalities of European societies in the past and present. Perceptions of intra- and extra-European observers, practices of the social order of the European space, transnational networks and forms of communication as well as imaginations of different actors about what 'Europe' is or should be, shape the perspectives on the continent. As such, 'Europe' is seen as a polyphonic space of discourse and resonance in which identity and alterity, inclusion and exclusion, legitimacy resources and values are negotiated.

Possible submitted research projects on 'Europe' may be, but are not limited to, the following concepts:

- Designs of Centres and Peripheries of Europe

- European identity constructions (local/regional/national in relation to European)

- Definitions of and perspectives on Europe from non-European and global spaces

- Social practices that span European horizons of thought and action

- Europe as a ‘Network’

- Europe and migration

- Controversies and approaches surrounding the concepts of ‘North’, ‘South’, ‘East’ and ‘West’.

After a first get-to-know meeting at the beginning of May, fellows will be involved in the ongoing interdisciplinary discussion on European research affiliated with the research area. In addition to individual interdisciplinary lectures on Europe (Athos as a European community, Environmental History of Europe, European processes of reception in art history etc.), the scholarship holders will have the opportunity to participate in the event "In Conversation with...” to deal more intensively with a current European topic (Brendan Simms: "Britain’s Europe", 2016).

The highlight of the research month will finally be a workshop at the end of May 2020 in which the fellows will present their research topics and discuss them with the researchers associated with the FSP. The workshop will be accompanied by a keynote (planned: Wolf Lepenies, Berlin).

A cultural programme will give the opportunity to get to know Innsbruck as heart of the Alps as well as neighbouring research institutions.

Travel costs will be reimbursed up to 400 € within the EU and up to 800 € from outside the EU. For the fellowship month, a stipend of up to 1.000 € will be paid to offset accommodation and other costs. Fellows will be offered support with their search for accommodation.

Application requirements

• (Equivalent of an) MA degree or a PhD.
• Research project that focusses on European Cultural Studies
• Interest in contributing actively to interdisciplinary discussions
• Very good knowledge of German (C1)
• Accident and Health Insurance

Required Application Documents

• Project Proposal (5–10 pages) including timeline
• Short Proposal (1–2 pages) outlining the work focus for the fellowship month
• CV
• Copy of relevant diplomas
• For PhD students: Letter of reference

Please submit the application documents – if possible as one pdf file – via email to fsp-kultur@uibk.ac.at by January 26, 2020. For further questions, please write to the same email address.

For further information

• for the research area “Cultural Encounters – Cultural Conflicts”: https://www.uibk.ac.at/fsp-kultur/index.html.en

• for the “Forschungszentrum Europakonzeptionen”: https://www.uibk.ac.at/fz-europakonzeption/

Applicants will be informed about the selection in the first week of February 2020.

Fellows are obligated to submit a short written report at the end of their stay at Innsbruck University. The fellowship can only be accepted within the specified timeframe of May 1–31, 2019. Applicants have no legal claim to the fellowship.

Stefan Ehrenpreis, Stella Lange, Niels Grüne (Research Center “Concepts of Europe”)

Contact

fsp-kultur@uibk.ac.at

Universität Innsbruck, Innrain 52, A-6020 Innsbruck

Telefon: +43 512 507-39820