Remote Fellowship for Ukrainians abroad and displaced scholars
Call for Applications
The project “Documenting Russia’s War Against Ukraine” (LivArch) project invites applications for short-term remote fellowships supporting Ukrainian scholars currently living outside Ukraine. We particularly encourage the many researchers who have refocused their work to scholarly or activist engagement addressing the new realities emerging from the war. This fellowship is intended to recognise and support such ongoing intellectual and creative efforts.
There is no specific thematic restriction, but we particularly encourage applications that engage with the broader questions explored within the framework of the project „Documenting Russia’s War Against Ukraine“ (LivArch).
As a grant recipient, you will pursue your research project remotely, with the option to arrange a short stay (of up to one week) in Marburg to engage in close exchange with colleagues working in fields such as Digital History, Digital Humanities, and Computer Science at the Herder Institute. The Herder Institute takes pride in providing a forum for international academic exchange and networking among researchers.
About the Project – LivArch Framework
„Documenting Russia’s War Against Ukraine“ (LivArch) is a collaborative project involving the Herder Institute, the IEG Mainz, the Centre for Urban History in Lviv, the C2DH – Luxembourg, the Darmstadt University, the Marburg Centre for Digital Culture and Infrastructure and the Justus Liebig University Giessen. It supports the development of methods and theories for capturing, storing, and enriching the diverse sources of Ukraine’s war documentation. It addresses complex ethical questions concerning their responsible representation, publication, reuse, and long-term archiving. The focus is on empowering initiatives and individuals who create and curate such sources.
Fellowship Aims
We invite up to two scholars whose work focuses on Ukraine. Applications from scholars documenting Russia’s war against Ukraine or on the methodologies and epistemologies of living archives are particularly encouraged. We aim to provide access to the wider LivArch community and its partners to situate the fellows' research in a larger context and foster the community building with academics, researchers and activists based in or from Ukraine. LivArch aims to encompass a multidisciplinary scope of knowledge. Therefore, we welcome applications from research with a historical, cultural studies or social science framework to data activism as long as they build or use digital collections. Both early-career researchers and advanced scholars are eligible.
As a remote fellow, you will be expected to engage with the research team at the Herder Institute and contribute to the project’s outcomes, for example, by writing a blog post, a report, or submitting an article for a special thematic issue. You will also have the chance to collaborate with East Central Europe history specialists and present your research. Proficiency in either English or German is required.
Research Stay Details
Duration: 1-3 months
Period: from May 2026
Location: remote and, if desired, at the Herder Institute in Marburg
Scholarship: € 1,500 per month to cover your accommodation, travel, health insurance, and materials.
Up to 500€ for travel and accommodation for a short-term stay at the Herder Institute in Marburg, if desired.
Application Procedure
Application Deadline: 31 Jan, 2026
To apply, please submit the following materials in English as a PDF to the LivArch Project Coordinator, Tabitha Redepenning ()
Please also indicate whether the project has already begun or is part of a larger ongoing research effort, and highlight any opportunities for collaboration with other researchers.
Selection
The applications are reviewed by the Living Archives board members. Fellowships are awarded by the Herder Institute based on these reviews. Reasons for the decision to accept or reject applications are not communicated to applicants. In addition, we must inform you that there is no legal claim to a fellowship.
The Herder Institute promotes professional equality between women and men and is committed to reconciling work and family life. In line with this, women are particularly encouraged to apply.
We have a strong appreciation for diversity and welcome applications from qualified people with different backgrounds.
Conditions
The purpose of the fellowship program is to support your stay at the Herder Institute in Marburg for academic purposes, and therefore, it also covers your travel expenses.
A fellowship does not constitute an employer-employee relationship of any kind. The payment is not a wage in terms of § 14 SGB IV (Sozialgesetzbuch, German social security law). Therefore, fellowships are not subject to Social Security. Fellows are self-employed in line with § 18 EStG (Einkommensteuergesetz, German income tax law). For this reason, we cannot cover any social security expenses. According to § 3 No. 44 EStG, fellowships are exempt from tax and are normally not subject to the tax progression clause in accordance with § 32 b EStG. Nevertheless, we recommend that you take out the necessary insurance (health, social security) at your own expense.
When you accept the fellowship, you automatically agree to the conditions that you will not take up any other work for the duration of the fellowship, that you will focus all your efforts on the research project and that you will inform us immediately if you recognise that your project cannot be completed in the way you planned.
As part of the fellowship program, you will be expected to propose a deliverable that presents your results and your experiences. This may constitute a report, blog post, poster, or other form of multimedia presentation approximately 4 weeks after your stay at the Herder Institute. The deliverable will be agreed upon once your proposal has been accepted. You may be asked to give a presentation on your research project at an internal or public event at the Herder Institute.
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