MECAM Call for Applications – 3 Long-Term Residential Fellowships (9/2026-3/2029)

For Postdoctoral and Advanced Scholars – “Imagining Futures: Dealing with Disparity”

The Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) invites applications for three long-term residential fellowships for postdoctoral and advanced researchers in the humanities and social sciences for the period from September 2026 to March 2029. Under the overall theme “Imagining Futures: Dealing with Disparity” MECAM is dedicated to a research agenda framed by five interrelated ‘Interdisciplinary Research Fields’ (IRFs): Aesthetics & Cultural Practice, Inequality & Mobility, Memory & Justice, Resources & Sustainability, and Identities & Beliefs. Applications should be related to the main theme and at least one of the IRFs. This call for applications is open to researchers from all countries, including Tunisia.

Deadline: 13.10.2025; 12.30h CEST (afternoon).

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The Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM), based in Tunis, promotes interdisciplinary, interregional, and intergenerational research. As a centre for Advanced Study, it is dedicated to free academic exchange in the humanities and social sciences on the processes and issues that divide and connect the Maghreb, the Middle East and Europe historically and in our time – e.g., beliefs, cultural practices, distribution of resources, migration, rule of law, socio-economic conflicts, or (transitional) justice.

With this call for applications, MECAM invites postdoc and advanced scholars in the social sciences and humanities to apply for long-term fellowships with their own research projects that relate to one or more of MECAM’s Interdisciplinary Research Fields (IRFs) under the guiding theme of “Imagining Futures: Dealing with Disparities”:

Aesthetics & Cultural Practice examines how aesthetic forms and cultural practices influence the process by which models and imaginations of the future are expressed and (re-)negotiated. It also investigates the ways in which disparities, political and societal transformations influence aesthetic and cultural practices;

Inequality & Mobility has a focus on social and economic inequalities, the resulting sense of insecurity, and their role in the (re-)negotiation of visions and models of the future. The IRF specifically explores how distinct forms of disparity (incl. concrete policy decisions) drive or restrain mobility and how in turn, mobility can exacerbate or mitigate inequality;

Memory & Justice discusses legacies of the past, including their legal, political and cultural perceptions and frames in relation to different assessments of the present and to models and (re-)negotiations of the future. Research sheds light on the ways in which differential access to political power shapes questions of accountability, fact-finding, amnesty, judicial reforms, human rights claims and the legitimate sources of law in post-conflict societies and beyond;

Resources & Sustainability investigates how societies in general and political decision-makers in particular deal with burgeoning socio-economic disparities and growing environmental problems. This IRF studies which economic models might ensure a politically, socially and ecologically sustainable future. Especially rentier and extractivist economic models in the Maghreb/Middle East are addressed here as these models generate particular forms of disparities and thus also interesting visions of the future;

Identities & Beliefs examines co-existing, sometimes competing identities and belief systems which are partly impacted by political power dynamics. Disparities are felt, perceived and articulated very differently from the vantage point of diverse identities and beliefs, resulting in pluralistic ways of (re-)negotiating imaginations and models of the future. Possible research foci are on different identities (religious, ethnic, national(ist), local(ist)), diverse political ideologies, and belief systems.

ELIGIBILITY & MOTIVATION

Applications are welcome from postdoc and advanced researchers of all fields in the social sciences and humanities if

  • You are interested in discussing your research in the framework of MECAM’s main theme “Imagining futures: Dealing with disparity” with colleagues from the Maghreb, the Middle East, Europe, and other regions of the world.
  • You want to engage in collaborative work, in debate and exchange with other researches working on topics related to the five IRFs.
  • You are interested in revisiting your research from a different vantage point.
  • You want to become part of a network of interdisciplinary, intergenerational, and transregional exchange and debate on disparity and the competing models for the future that co- exist in the societies of the contemporary Maghreb, Europe, and other parts of the world.
  • This call for applications is open to researchers of all ages and genders from all countries, including Tunisia.
  • Independent scholars and researchers without a current institutional affiliation are eligible to apply
  • Please note that current PhD candidates (doctoral students) are not eligible to apply. The call is open to postdoctoral and advanced researchers only.

OUR OFFER

FELLOWSHIP

Three post-doctoral and advanced researchers will be invited as MECAM long-term Fellows on the basis of an evaluation of the quality and originality of their research proposal. Projects should address one or more of the themes sketched out in the IRFs. Fellows are expected to take up residency for up to two years and seven months in Tunis, from 1 September 2026 to 31 March 2029. During the period of their residency, Fellows of MECAM will have the opportunities to work on their self-chosen individual research projects and for exchange in and outside MECAM, with their co-fellows, with colleagues from Tunisia, and those from MECAM’s networks. Fellows are expected to participate in on-site seminars and colloquia, to work regularly at MECAM. They will be invited to take responsibility in shaping formats that support collaborative work and are expected to participate in the academic life of MECAM. While developing their own research, fellows present their research to their co-fellows and may explore individual or collective forms of cooperation with colleagues from Tunisian Universities. Moreover, fellows are invited to contribute a monograph and/or edit a collective volume preferably in MECAM’s Book Series, and to co-organize each year an in-person workshop within the framework of MECAM’s fellow seminar (“MECAM Spectrum”) in collaboration with MECAM’s Principal Investigators working on IRFs and/or external experts. Furthermore, fellows should be interested  to take responsibility for the academic development of MECAM within its research fields or regarding the guiding theme in consultation with the two MECAM directors. MECAM Fellowships are residency fellowships at MECAM in Tunis. Research projects that include field research outside of Tunis or in other locations in Tunisia or the Maghreb, are to be designed in such a way that the field research takes place during the time when there are no fellow cohorts present at MECAM (September-April). Successful applicants will become ‘MECAM fellows’ with all relevant rights and obligations: Travel and relocation costs will be compensated according to a “no gain/no loss” principle. Furthermore, proven research costs can be reimbursed up to a total amount of 2000 EUR for the three years. A monthly stipend will be awarded for the duration of the fellowship according to the “no gain/no loss” principle.

NETWORK

Fellows will become part of the MECAM network, which will is built up by subsequent groups of fellows, and by the scholars of the institutions that are involved in the institutional framework. MECAM and its partner institutions offer networking and publication opportunities via specific networks, formats and support.

EXCHANGE AND DEBATE

The primary aim of MECAM is to create a high-quality and flexible setting for peer-to-peer exchange and debate between researchers from different countries, disciplines, and in different phases of their academic career: The fellowship combines virtual and in-person forms of exchange and debate, and facilitates collaboration and engagement with scholars at MECAM partner institutions, students, and the wider public. The MECAM directors and coordination office in Tunis support fellows during their stay. A key part of academic life is the biannual Event Week (“MECAM Spectrum”) in mid-November and mid-April, which is mainly coordinated and organized by the fellows. During this week, they present their work and invite external guests. MECAM’s partner institutions also offer opportunities for publication and academic exchange.

FLEXIBILITY

MECAM fellows can pursue their individual research projects in the form they choose, be it an academic article, an essay, a policy paper, a book, a report, etc. Projects can have particular components of field or archive research (in Tunis, and/or a neighbouring state in the Maghreb if the duration does not conflict in principle with the obligation for residence).

SUPPORT

MECAM provides its fellows with shared office workspaces at its premises, which they are expected to use primarily. It also offers publication facilities for open-access and peer-reviewed formats of publication through the infrastructures of MECAM and its partners. Logistical support with travel, accommodation, and field research in Tunisia is provided. Furthermore, the exchange between fellows is facilitated through a secure digital workspace (TrafoHub) and other digital tools.

YOUR APPLICATION

MECAM assigns its partner institution, Forum Transregionale Studien in Berlin, with the processing of personal application data.

Therefore, we kindly ask you to submit your application in English or French via the secure online application platform of the Forum Transregionale Studien by 13 October 2025, 12.30h CEST.: 

Apply here:  application.trafo-berlin.de

Applications by email will not be considered.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact MECAM’s science communication coordinator, Diana Abbani: diab@trafo-berlin.de

As part of your application, you will be asked to prepare and upload:

  • Curriculum vitae including publications (2-3 pages),
  • A detailed explanation of how your research proposal is connected to the Maghreb region and aligns with MECAM’s guiding theme “Imagining Futures – Dealing with Disparity” and at least one of its IRFs (1-2 pages), including a clear statement of how you intend to engage with MECAM during your fellowship, highlighting its significance for your academic career development, and what specific goals you aim to accomplish during your fellowship,
  • Research proposal: Short abstract of your project (max. 1000 words),
  • Names and contact details of two referees (university faculty members or practitioners in a field relevant to the applicant’s project; no letters of recommendation required),
  • One recent writing sample: journal article (published or forthcoming), book or thesis chapter.

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK – WHAT IS MECAM?

The “Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb” (MECAM) was founded as an international centre for interdisciplinary research and academic exchange. It is located at the Université de Tunis/Tunisia. MECAM is a joint endeavour of a consortium of renowned Tunisian and German research institutions: It is coordinated by the Philipps-Universität Marburg and the Université de Tunis and supported by the Universität Leipzig, the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg/Germany, the Forum Transregionale Studien in Berlin/Germany and the University of Sfax/Tunisia.

MECAM’s partner institutions:

  • Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg: Philipps-Universität Marburg is a German University with around 25,000 students, and a research focus on Area Studies, which is reflected for instance in the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS). The CNMS is involved in MECAM, alongside other interdisciplinary institutions and departments, including the Centre for Conflict Studies, the Department of History and Cultural Studies, the Institutes of Media Studies and Romance Philology, and the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
  • Université de Tunis, Tunis: The Université de Tunis was founded in 1960, with some 20,000 students today, is one of the largest universities in Tunisia, with a wide-ranging research and teaching portfolio with an outstanding reputation for research excellence across the region
  • Universität Leipzig, Leipzig: The Universität Leipzig is a German university with around 30.000 students. Within the MECAM institutional structure the University is represented by the Institute of Geography, the Institute for Oriental Studies, and the Small Enterprise Training Program (SEPT). The Institute of Geography’s regional focus is the Mediterranean region.
  • German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA), Hamburg: is an independent research institute based in Hamburg, Germany, which conducts research on politics, economics, and society in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East as well as on global issues. Within MECAM, the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies (IMES) is particularly involved.
  • Forum Transregionale Studien, Berlin: Forum Transregionale Studien, Berlin, is a research organization that promotes the internationalization of research in the humanities and social sciences. It enables collaboration among researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds and awards fellowships to researchers from all over the world, for example within the framework of Europe in the Middle East – The Middle East in Europe (EUME), one of the research programs at the Forum.
  • Université de Sfax, Sfax: is located in Tunisia’s second largest city and important economic centre in the south of the country. It is attended by 35,000 students.

The Federal Ministry Research, Technology and Space of Germany supports and funds the establishment of the  international  centre  for  research  in  the  Humanities  and  Social  Sciences. The Université de Tunis provides the infrastructure for the installation of MECAM in Tunis, including the premises and complementary resources, within the Higher Institute of Digital Engineering (HIDE).
For further information on MECAM, please visit: www.mecam.tn

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