Karl Kaser Prize for Historical Anthropology in Southeastern Europe

The Karl-Kaser-Visiting-Fellowship is aimed at early career researchers from the fields of history, social and cultural anthropology, ethnology, cultural studies and sociology. It aims at facilitating the transitory phase between the time following a PhD and the next academic career step. Applicants must have completed their PhD at a university in Southeastern Europe. The Junior Visiting Fellow will spend a semester in Graz to conduct and present research and collaborate with other researchers. The decision will be announced by mid January 2025.

During the academic year 2025/2026, the Center for the Study of Balkan Societies and Cultures (CSBSC), in cooperation with the Research Unit for Southeast European History and Anthropology, Department of History, University of Graz, will host a Junior Visiting Fellow who will spend a semester in Graz to conduct and present research and collaborate with other researchers.

The Karl-Kaser-Visiting-Fellowship is aimed at early career researchers from the fields of history, social and cultural anthropology, ethnology, cultural studies and sociology, who:

• follow a historical-anthropological approach in their research on Southeastern Europe;
• have recently (since 2022) completed their doctorate at a Southeast European university;
• wish to pursue transdisciplinary research paths with a focus on historical anthropology in their future career.

The Karl-Kaser-Visiting-Fellowship is particularly intended to facilitate the transitory phase between the time following a PhD and the next academic career step. The fellowship includes 5,000 EUR for a four-month stay in Graz and a lump-sum of 500 EUR for research-related travel in the summer semester 2025 or in the winter semester 2025/2026. The Visiting fellow will also be provided with a workplace at the Research Unit of Southeast European History and Anthropology, have access to the intranet and library resources of the University of Graz and enjoy full participation in the activities of the Research Unit for Southeast European History and Anthropology and the Center for Southeast European Studies for a period of one semester (4 months, either March–June or October–January). During the stay, the Visiting fellow can also use the advisory services of the Research Management Service Center of the University of Graz for her/his project development.

The UNESCO World Heritage City of Graz offers an inspiring urban environment, while the University of Graz is an excellent place for exchange and networking with a large variety of academics from different disciplines and backgrounds, especially due to its rich research tradition with regard to Southeastern Europe.

The Visiting fellow is expected to hold a lecture and write a blog post on a topic of her/his choice related to Southeastern Europe. Visiting fellows are also encouraged to contribute to seminars, lectures and other teaching and research activities related to Southeastern Europe in Graz. The fellowship can only be taken up once the doctorate has been defended.

Please submit with your CV a two-page research proposal and a work plan, an official confirmation that the PhD thesis has been defended successfully and the names of two referees in either German or English to suedost(at)uni-graz.at.