With the PhD scholarship program “Beyond Borders”, the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS looks to study borders and their societal demarcation. At the same time, the program fosters interdisciplinary exchange in the humanities and social sciences. The “Border in Focus” seminars bring program fellows together with international journalists and help insure that the public is informed about academic topics.
Borders are an established feature of our everyday lives. Political, social, virtual, intellectual and cultural borders are the subject of often contentious debate – both in the international context of migration, national security, education or trade as well as within individual societies. Geographical boundaries separate states, regions and cities; informal societal boundaries, by contrast, define values and norms of social interaction. Borders – as social constructs – have cultural and historical roots and are often the result of international treaties or political negotiations. In an increasingly globalized age characterized by rising mobility and a constant circulation of goods and ideas, borders are crossed with mounting frequency. At the same time, we are also confronted with an increasing number of newly defined borders within and between societies. As a consequence, political, economic and cultural change is especially apparent at borders.
In a program running until 2023, the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS provided scholarship funding to a total of 51 international PhD candidates. The calls for applications focused on the following topics: “Borders, Democracy and Security” (2020), “Borders, Migration and Knowledge”(2022) and “Borders, Contestation and Conflict” (2023). Further information can be found here.
Contact Person: Rostyslava Babinets, Project Manager, babinets@zeit-stiftung.de
