Apply for the Heinz Heinen Fellowship 2027–2028 at the University of Bonn in Germany, an international research opportunity for doctoral researchers, postdoctoral scholars, senior academics and alternative knowledge producers interested in the history of slavery and strong asymmetrical dependencies.

Organised by the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS), the fellowship provides dedicated time for independent research, academic collaboration and engagement with an international research community. Fellows receive a monthly stipend based on their professional category, a return-travel allowance and additional accommodation support for eligible participants living outside Bonn and its surrounding area.

For the 2027–2028 academic year, the programme seeks proposals focused on historical research before 1900, preferably using a comparative perspective.

Application deadline: 10 January 2027, at 23:59 Central European Time (CET).

The Heinz Heinen Fellowship is part of the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies, a research centre at the University of Bonn funded through Germany’s Excellence Strategy.

The centre investigates different forms of slavery and strong asymmetrical dependencies across historical periods and cultural contexts. These may include slavery, coerced labour, debt bondage, unequal power relationships and other systems in which individuals or groups experience significant restrictions on their freedom.

The fellowship brings together researchers and professionals from different disciplines to develop new perspectives on these subjects.

Fellows can pursue their own research, participate in seminars and academic events, exchange ideas with other scholars, and explore opportunities to publish their findings through the centre’s research networks.

The Heinz Heinen Fellowship provides a stipend and specific additional allowances, but applicants should not assume that every expense will be covered.

Important: The official call does not state that visa expenses, health insurance and all personal costs are universally covered. Applicants should ask the programme about these expenses before accepting an offer.

The stipend and accommodation allowance can provide substantial support, but the total amount needed will depend on the fellow’s category, length of stay, housing arrangements and personal circumstances.

The 2027–2028 call focuses on historical research on slavery and strong asymmetrical dependencies before 1900.

Applicants should propose a project that contributes to the field of Slavery and Dependency Studies. The university particularly welcomes comparative research, preferably at the micro-level within a specific region or culture.

Proposals should also explain how the project will contribute to one or two of the centre’s five research areas:

• Transitions and Transformations of Strong Asymmetrical Dependencies: How systems of dependency emerge, change and develop over time.
• Economies of Strong Asymmetrical Dependencies: The economic structures and relationships associated with slavery and dependency.
• Power, Violence and Trauma: The effects of unequal power relationships, violence and historical trauma.
• Cultural Heritage, Transitional Justice and Memory Cultures: How societies preserve, interpret and respond to histories of dependency and slavery.
• Alternative Archives and Life Writing: Different sources and methods for documenting the experiences of people affected by dependency.

Applicants should clearly connect their proposed research to the centre’s work rather than submitting a general research proposal unrelated to these themes.

There is no single degree requirement that applies to every fellowship category.

The fellowship is not a general scholarship for undergraduate or master’s students. Applicants should choose the category that matches their current academic or professional status.

Applications must be submitted in English as one combined PDF file. The exact documents depend on the fellowship category.

The official call specifies the following materials as applicable:

• Personal statement or letter of motivation explaining the proposed research.
• Concise CV of no more than two pages.
• Publication list or relevant work samples.
• Degree certificates and other academic documentation, where required.
• Two letters of recommendation for categories where they are required.
• Category-specific research documents, such as the doctoral dissertation structure, current completion status and detailed work plan for doctoral applicants.

Personal-statement limits differ by category:

• Doctoral Fellows: Maximum 9,000 characters, excluding spaces.
• Other categories: Maximum 6,000 characters, excluding spaces.

Letters of recommendation must be sent directly by the referees to the official application email address. Applicants should consult the call document for the precise requirements applying to their category.

The Heinz Heinen Fellowship 2027–2028 is a valuable opportunity for doctoral researchers nearing completion, postdoctoral scholars, senior academics and eligible knowledge producers whose work examines historical slavery and strong asymmetrical dependencies before 1900.

Its monthly stipend ranges from €1,700 to €3,600 for the categories with specified rates, with additional travel and accommodation support for eligible fellows. Applicants should verify category-specific requirements and confirm any uncovered expenses before accepting an award.

The deadline is 10 January 2027 at 23:59 CET. Prepare the application in English, follow the relevant category’s document requirements, and send the complete PDF to the official application address.

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