Open Call: Summer Institute for the Study of East Central and Southeastern Europe

The Summer Institute for the Study of East Central and Southeastern Europe (SISECSE) is a two-week residential workshop, that provides scholars of Eastern Europe time and space to dedicate to their own research and writing in a collaborative and interdisciplinary setting. ACLS in partnership with the Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS) will convene leading scholars from Eastern Europe and North America for a two-week residency in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria from June 5, 2025 to June 20, 2025. This program is made possible thanks to a generous donation by Carl and Betty Pforzheimer.

In addition to conducting their own research, scholars will have the opportunity to participate in a series of immersive discussions on a broad topic of shared academic interest. In 2025, discussions will explore “Epistemic Mistrust: Authorship, Credibility, and Knowledge Production.” Whether in times of crisis and war, or times of peace and stability, who do they trust to tell the truth? Whose stories do they listen to? With a growing lack of trust in traditional sources of knowledge—including suspicion of academic institutions—public confidence in the value of research is eroding. Nevertheless, humanistic approaches are essential for fostering critical thinking and promoting interdisciplinary dialogue.

Details

• The program will offer a travel stipend and cover accommodation and per diem expenses for the two-week residency.
• Institute members will be expected to be in residence and to participate in all planned events for the duration of the institute.
• Scholars will also be provided with opportunities to travel locally during this time.
• Scholars should apply with their own research proposals through the ACLS online system.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must have a PhD degree conferred (officially awarded) by an accredited university by the application deadline. An established scholar who can demonstrate the equivalent of the PhD in publications and professional experience may also qualify.
• The competition is open to scholars in any field or discipline in the humanities or interpretive social sciences pursuing postdoctoral or advanced research in East Central and Southeastern Europe, including Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.
• Applicants must have an affiliation—a long-term regular research or teaching appointment—with an institution (i.e., college, museum, university) in North America (Canada, Mexico, US) or East Central and Southeastern Europe. Applicants who do not have tenure-track or permanent positions should describe their future commitment to working in North America or East Central and Southeastern Europe.
• There are no restrictions as to the citizenship of applicants.
• The application must be submitted in English, but the written work produced may be in any language.

Evaluation Criteria

• Significance of the topic and its potential contribution to the study of East Central and Southeastern Europe.
• The quality and innovativeness of the proposal with regard to its methodology, scope, theoretical framework, and grounding in the relevant scholarly literature.
• The impact of the fieldwork on the applicant’s research project, if applicable.

For more information, visit Sofia.