Overview
The Leibniz Research Alliance “Value of the Past” has announced a call for applications for up to seven Leibniz Fellowships “Value of the Past” 2026. These fellowships offer early- and mid-career scholars the opportunity to conduct one-month research stays at participating Leibniz institutes and research museums in Germany.
The programme is designed to support academic work that explores how societies construct, negotiate, and assign value to the past. It is strongly interdisciplinary, bringing together perspectives from history, social sciences, cultural studies, education, and science and technology studies.
Academic Significance
The interdisciplinary Leibniz Research Alliance Value of the Past examines the values that societies attach to the past. It focusses on processes of value creation as well as competing values in disputes over the past. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the relevance of the past for societies and the changeable historicity of values, the alliance analyses past and current practices of assessing, rethinking, raising, decreasing and harnessing the value of the past. The alliance postulates that particularly in times of political upheavals and crises, processes of negotiating the value of the past play a crucial role. The research network brings together a total of 21 Leibniz Institutes and numerous other partners, spanning the fields of cultural studies, social sciences, engineering and environmental sciences.
The scholarship offers the opportunity to work as a fellow at one of the participating Leibniz Institutes. The aim is to support research projects that fall within the network’s field of research. Further details on the topics addressed by the network can be found here.
The fellowships are intended to promote academic research that fit into the alliance’s research profile. Fellowship holders can, for example, use the stipend to research in the field of the alliance’s research areas, to develop a research project in cooperation with the host institution, to conduct archival research, or to write an article or chapter of a book. The project should be presented at a colloquium and/or other event of the Leibniz Research Alliance or its participating Leibniz institutes. It is also expected that fellowship holders contribute to the blog »Value of the Past«.
Research Focus and Thematic Areas
The fellowship is embedded in the broader research agenda of the Leibniz Research Alliance, which examines the social, political, and cultural value of the past. It focuses on how historical meaning is produced, contested, and transformed across time.
Key research themes include:
Regimes of Evidence
Spatiotemporal Paradigms
The Past as a Public Resource
Within these themes, seven collaborative research groups explore:
Documentary Evidence
Digital Heuristics and Digital History
Participation and Appropriation
Dynamic Constructions of Space and Time
Human–Nature Relations in the Anthropocene
Contested Values of the Past
Valorization and Commodification
The alliance investigates how value is assigned to history in contexts of political change, social transformation, and crisis, highlighting the role of memory and interpretation in shaping contemporary societies.
Fellowship Objectives
The fellowship supports research activities that align with the alliance’s academic profile. Fellows may use the grant to:
Develop or advance research projects in collaboration with host institutes
Conduct archival or field research
Write academic articles or book chapters
Prepare grant proposals or research applications
In addition, fellows are expected to:
Present their work in colloquia or academic events
Contribute to the “Value of the Past” research blog
This ensures both scholarly output and active participation in the research network.
Participating Institutions
The programme brings together 21 Leibniz institutes and research museums, spanning humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. These include major German research institutions such as:
Deutsches Museum
Institut für Zeitgeschichte München–Berlin
Leibniz-Institut für Europäische Geschichte Mainz
Leibniz-Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung Potsdam
Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
These institutions provide office space, research infrastructure, and academic engagement opportunities for fellows.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
Hold a PhD
Demonstrate an outstanding academic record
Be in the postdoctoral or equivalent research phase
Applications from scholars in international crisis regions will receive special consideration, reflecting the programme’s commitment to academic inclusivity and global collaboration.
Fellowship Benefits
Selected fellows will receive:
A monthly stipend of €3,000
Financial support intended to cover:
Travel costs
Accommodation
Insurance
Host institutions may also provide:
Office space
Access to archives, libraries, and research facilities
The fellowship is designed as a short but intensive research opportunity within a highly interdisciplinary academic environment.
Application Requirements
Applications may be submitted in English or German and must include a single PDF file containing:
Letter of interest, including preferred host institute
Curriculum vitae with publication list (including five key publications)
Research proposal (maximum 1,500 words)
Letter of recommendation
Submission Details
Applications must be sent via email to:
Jakob Schlieper
Leibniz Research Alliance “Value of the Past”
Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History, Potsdam
Email: jakob.schlieper@zzf-potsdam.de
Further information is available through the alliance website or via contact with Dr. Achim Saupe (saupe@zzf-potsdam.de).
Key Dates
Application Deadline: 30 May 2026
Selection Results: Mid-July 2026
Fellowship Start Deadline: December 2027
Further information on the fellowships and a list of participating institutions can be found in the full call for applications on H-Soz-Kult. Any questions regarding the fellowship programme can also be directed to Dr Achim Saupe (saupe@zzf-potsdam.de).