The Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography in Leipzig, Germany, invites applications for its Visiting fellows programme in the framework of the research project “Contentious Mobilities: Rethinking Mobility Transitions through a Decolonial Lens (CoMoDe)”.
Academic and non-academic applicants are welcome to apply for stays ranging from one to six months at the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL) in Leipzig. The fellowship scheme is administered by the IfL and financed by the Leibniz Association in the framework of its Junior Research Group programme.
BACKGROUND
The IfL conducts basic research on the regional geography of Germany and Europe and communicates its research findings to a wider public. Under the heading “Geographies of the Regional”, the institute develops interdisciplinary perspectives on socio-spatial developments in a globalised society that is increasingly characterised by differences, diversity and complexity.
The CoMoDe project brings a novel lens to mobility transitions research by combining critical mobilities studies and post-Soviet decolonial thinking. CoMoDe opens up new pathways for devising policy instruments able to contribute to environmentally viable and socially inclusive mobility futures. The project conceptualises mobility transitions beyond technocratic fixes, and adopts a perspective sensitive to epistemic perceptions and power constellations, still unexplored in human geography and mobility studies.
THE FELLOWSHIP SCHEME
The fellowship scheme has been set up with the aim to reach out to wider publics, to support knowledge mobility in an emerging field, to strengthen the ties between interested academic and non-academic institutions, to stimulate knowledge production and transfer, and to create durable networks for making a positive impact for socially just mobility systems and cultures.
Both academic and non-academic candidates are encouraged to apply for the fellowship scheme. No regional or disciplinary restrictions apply. Fellowship durations may vary from one to six months, depending on the ambition and scope of the individual projects. The fellows receive a 1.440 € monthly stipend intended to cover travel and accommodation expenses in Leipzig.
The fellows will be provided with an own working desk and have access to the institutional library, the geographical archive, and other facilities. The hosting institution will provide support for visa procurement, accommodation, etc.
The fellowships are explicitly output-oriented, i.e. should be developed with a precise goal in mind: joint publications, project applications, workshops, outreach products, exhibitions etc. Other innovative formats are welcome. These should align to the overall purpose of the CoMoDe project, and make proof of the applicants’ active engagement with individual and project-wide cooperation opportunities. Applicants are furthermore expected to actively participate in events at the hosting institution, and to deliver at least one public presentation in institute colloquia or a similar platform. Fellows are encouraged to organise workshops, develop research projects, contribute to teaching or engage in other activities that are in line with the aims of the project and the hosting institutions programmes.
The IfL follows the goal of professional equality for all. Persons with severe disabilities receive preference by equal qualification. We welcome applications from individuals with a migration background.
YOUR APPLICATION
Please send your application package as a single pdf document via e-mail with the keyword: “CoMoDe fellowship” to: l_pozharliev(at)leibniz-ifl.de
In order to apply, please submit an up to date curriculum vitae in 1-2 pages and a research and activity plan of not more than 1.500 words. This should lay down how your past and planned activities relate both to the CoMoDe project, and shall include a detailed outline of the projected final output in terms of joint publications, events, follow-up applications etc., as well as outline the planned activities during the fellowship and set the time schedule for carrying out those tasks. The fellowship is meant to take place in presence at the IfL. In case of uncertain development of the global COVID-19 pandemic regarding travel and other restrictions, applicants might be asked to include a brief contingency plan outlining a potential remote/online fellowship version. Applicants are furthermore welcome to get in touch with CoMoDe members prior to applying to get informed about possibly changing restrictions at the host institution, and to discuss their initial fellowship ideas.
Contact: Dr. Lyubomir Pozharliev (+49 341 600 55-260, l_pozharliev(at)leibniz-ifl.de)
Application deadline: 15 May 2022
Following a notification within a month after this deadline, fellowships may begin from August 2022 onwards. The call will be reconducted on a regular basis until the end of the project’s runtime by the end of 2025. Further details see