Budapest Open Society Fellowship 2026-27: Exploring Resilience & Resistance in Illiberal Times
Budapest Open Society Fellowship (2026-27)
Apply by September 20, 2025, for the Budapest Open Society Fellowship (2026-27) at CEU. Focus on Modalities of Resilience and Resistance ,Open to scholars & artists globally. Senior, junior & artist stipends offered.
The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS CEU), the Democracy Institute (DI), and the Blinken OSA Archivum at Central European University (CEU), Budapest, invite applications for the Budapest Open Society Fellowship for the academic year 2026-2027. This is the fourth joint call under the theme:
What This Fellowship Focuses On
In recent years, there has been a global rise of illiberal governments. These regimes often use new forms of populism, religious fundamentalism, neoliberal ideologies, biopolitics, or a mix thereof to erode democratic norms, subvert truth, and disrupt the institutions that sustain open societies.
This fellowship seeks proposals that:
– Analyze how illiberal regimes operate, propagate, and consolidate power.
– Investigate how concepts like verification, falsification, truth, and epistemic integrity are challenged.
– Explore how academic institutions, civil society, artists, and social movements resist these trends locally and transnationally.
– Bring multidisciplinary perspectives: humanities, social sciences, cultural studies, law, etc.
Eligibility Requirements
– Senior Fellows: PhD awarded before 2018.
– Junior Fellows: PhD awarded in 2018 or later.
– Artists in Residence: Must hold a relevant university degree and demonstrable artistic portfolio.
– Applicants must have publications in internationally recognised outlets (for scholars), or an equivalent strong track record (for artists).
– All nationalities are encouraged.
– English fluency is required as working language.
– Restrictions: Former full-time CEU students / employees are usually ineligible for a period after the end of their contract/studies.
Benefits
– Stipends Senior Fellows: €2,600/month (net)
– Junior Fellows: €1,500/month (net)
– Artists in Residence: €2,000/month (net)
– Housing provided at the Raoul Wallenberg Guesthouse; fellows cover utilities.
– Travel & Healthcare: Fellows are responsible for their own travel and health care arrangements.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Deadline: 20 September 2025, 23:59 CET
– Check the official Call PDF or CEU Democracy Institute website for full application guidelines, required documents and format.
This fellowship provides a unique chance to:
– Engage deeply with current challenges in democracy, authoritarianism, epistemic trust, and societal resistance.
– Join a vibrant, international academic community in Budapest.
– Access archival resources via Blinken OSA, plus mentorship and public‐programming at CEU.
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