The Centre for Empire Studies: (Post)Colonial Histories and Global Entanglements (CES) at the University of Münster welcomes applications for fellowships for a period of up to six months starting 1 October 2025.
The Centre for Empire Studies. (Post)colonial Histories and Global Entanglements (CES) is an interdisciplinary centre for postcolonial empire studies. The CES is located at the Department of History at the University of Münster. Its aim is to analyze empires and imperiality as historical phenomena, thus contributing to international research, helping to make current political debates less emotional and more fact-based, and enhancing social self-awareness. The Centre’s research will concentrate on three focus areas:
1. Imperial and Post-Imperial Societies and Cultures
2. Trans-Imperiality
3. Mobility and Global Interdependence
Early career researchers (doctoral candidates, postdocs or non-German equivalents without tenure) from the humanities and social sciences whose research projects are linked closely to the objectives of the CES (specifically, to at least one of its three focus areas) are invited to apply. The CES focuses on the disciplines of history, English studies, American studies, Sinology and Romance studies, though applications from other disciplines in the humanities and social sciences are also welcome. To learn more about the Centre and its research perspectives, please visit our website at: https://www.uni-muenster.de/Geschichte/en/histsem/ces/Centre_for_Empire_Studies.html
At the CES in Münster, we offer you an inspiring research atmosphere with a special focus on interdisciplinary and cross-epochal exchange. Both German and English are working languages at the CES.
During your fellowship, you will actively participate in the Centre’s events and have the opportunity to present and discuss your research project with the other fellows and members of the Centre. A Fellow Workshop is also planned for this purpose, which you will help to organize. However, the focus of the fellowship is to grant you enough time to concentrate on your research topic. A workplace will be made available to you.
Fellowships are awarded for a maximum of six months. The fellowship starts on 1 October 2025; it is not possible to start later. During your fellowship, you must be exempt from teaching and administrative duties at your home university with your salary being discontinued so that you can concentrate on your research topic. Regular presence in Münster is required. Please note that this means that, for example, extended archival visits to other locations are not possible during the fellowship. The fellowships will be paid out as an individually calculated stipend; it is not possible to cover the cost of a teaching replacement at your home university. The fellowship consists of a basic stipend (€1,800 per month for doctoral candidates, €2,500 for postdoctoral researchers) and a family allowance (€100 per month for your spouse/registered partner, €400 per month for the first child under the age of 18 and €100 for each additional child under the age of 18 up to a maximum cap of €800 per month).
We encourage applications from highly qualified or otherwise outstanding early career researchers (doctoral candidates, postdocs or non-German equivalents without tenure) who are conducting research relevant to the main focus areas of CES. The application must include the following:
• a letter of motivation (1-2 pages) including how many months of fellowship funding you are applying for
• a project proposal (approx. 1,500 words) outlining your research project and explaining its connection to the CES research program and to at least one of the Centre’s three focus areas. It should also describe the project’s relevance and contribution to current academic debates and state the planned aims of the fellowship. Please also explain how you envisage your activities at the CES and how you intend to organize your time there.
• curriculum vitae (max. 5 pages)
• university transcripts
• for candidates who have already completed their doctorate, the doctoral certificate or the provisional certificate issued following the defense
• a list of publications, if applicable
Please send all documents digitally in a single PDF file to ces@uni-muenster.de by 31 March 2025. Fellows will be selected by the CES General Assembly on the recommendation of the Executive Board.
For more information on the Centre, please visit our website https://www.uni-muenster.de/Geschichte/en/histsem/ces/Centre_for_Empire_Studies.html or contact us at ces@uni- muenster.de.