‘Dealing with the Past’ – Research Fellowship, Robert Bosch Academy, Germany (2015)

The Robert Bosch Academy is a center for interdisciplinary, multilateral dialogue, and solutions-oriented cooperation on the global challenges of the 21st century. It provides distinguished decision-makers and experts from around the world with the opportunity to spend a sabbatical in Berlin and to participate in public life in the capital and beyond. The Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin is now offering an in-residence Research Fellowship “Dealing with the Past”.

Dealing with a legacy of gross human rights violations is one of the greatest challenges societies are facing in the aftermath of violent conflict. Research suggests that there is a relationship between the ability to address this legacy in a comprehensive and inclusive manner and the potential to develop sustainable peace. The Robert Bosch Academy invites scholars and experts to submit a project proposal concerning (but not limited to) some of the following questions:

- How has the field of Dealing with the Past evolved as a conceptual approach and as a policy field over the last decades? What are the most important changes in the development of the field in recent years?
- What are specific characteristics of Dealing with the Past and where can difficulties in its definitions and limitations in its understanding be identified?
- What are best practices and what are the most difficult challenges of Dealing with the past in different (post-)conflict societies?
- Which are the main advocacy issues related to Dealing with the Past in order to bring more attention on the global agenda and to create concrete impact in this area? Which of these issues connect a number of different (post-)conflict regions and should therefore be addressed in a joint effort on the international level?
- Which are the existing transnational networks related to Dealing with the Past, what are their different missions and which actors are being represented?

Eligibility
The Research Fellowship targets scholars and experts who conduct research and work on specific issues relevant to the Robert Bosch Academy’s portfolio. Preference will be given to those applicants who can demonstrate an established record relating to Dealing with the Past as scholar or practitioner with a broad international understanding beyond regional expertise. Specific areas or regions of knowledge as well as connected fields of interest are to be indicated nonetheless. The Fellow is expected to disseminate the results of their research not only through publications, but also through feeding into their future career after the end of the Fellowship.

Fellowship
The Fellowship offers a six months research leave with a monthly stipend being provided which covers the fellow’s living expenses. A budget for travel and conferences can be made available.

Further details:
http://www.mladiinfo.eu