Mecila

Postdoctoral Fellows

3 Fellowships for Postdoctoral Researchers

Mecila (Maria Sibylla Merian International Centre for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences Conviviality-Inequality in Latin America) is a joint project of the following German and Latin American research institutions: Freie Universität Berlin (coordination); Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Berlin); Universität zu Köln (Cologne); Universidade de São Paulo and Centro Brasileiro de Análise e Planejamento (São Paulo); Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales (Universidad Nacional de La Plata/Conicet, La Plata); and El Colegio de México (Mexico City).

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and established in São Paulo in April 2017, Mecila cordially invites postdoctoral scholars from any discipline to apply for its Postdoctoral Fellowships.  Successful applicants are expected to participate in a plural international research network that focuses on the co-constitution of conviviality and inequality from interdisciplinary perspectives. Accordingly, the Centre addresses the processes of negotiation, legitimation, transformation, and representation of existing hierarchies as they take place in everyday interactions and within institutions. The Centre encourages proposals focused on theoretical and/or empirical research focused on the Conviviality-Inequality nexus. A general outline of the Centre’s research programme is available on our website.

Mecila will award 3 Postdoctoral  Fellowships to excellent early-career scholars who have obtained their doctoral degree in the humanities or social sciences. The duration of each Fellowship is 18 months (from 15 January 2027 to 15 July 2028). Fellows are expected to commit full-time to their proposed research activities at the Centre. A release from the home institution is necessary. For the duration of the Fellowship, fellows will normally receive a monthly allowance, depending on individual circumstances and taking other forms of income before and during the fellowship into account.

Requirements

  • A PhD degree in the humanities or social sciences.
  • A track record of training, research, and /or publications in Mecila’s subject
  • Excellent command of the English language and of the Portuguese or Spanish language by the time the Fellowship begins.
  • Ability to and interest in actively engaging in and creating an intellectual community in a diverse international and interdisciplinary research environment.
  • An ambitious and innovative research project of relevance to Mecila that will enhance the applicant’s career

Responsibilities

  • Develop an independent research project within the field of conviviality-inequality, making a contribution to the Centre’s Research Areas and to its development of applications for third-party funding.
  • Participate actively in the Centre’s research and research management activities and engage in interdisciplinary
  • Present and discuss scientific research results within and outside the
  • Contribute at least one paper to Mecila’s Working Paper
  • Contribute at least one outreach activity (interview, blog entry, video, public lecture, policy briefing, )

Application

Applicants must fill in the Application Form linked below and send the following documents in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, using the link provided on the Form, in a single pdf-attachment no later than 12 July 2026.

 

  • Motivation letter (max. 500 words)
  • Research outline describing current research and envisioned contribution to the Centre (max. 1.500 words)
  • Abstract (max. 150 words)
  • Keywords (max. 5)
  • Work plan detailing how the proposed project will be realized during the stay at the Centre
  • Curriculum Vitae, including a list of publications
  • Two recent writing samples: journal article (published or forthcoming), book chapter, or thesis chapter

 

To access the Application Form, please use the following link or QR-code:

https://uni.koeln/ZFBB3

Selection criteria

Applications from prospective Postdoctoral Fellows will be submitted to a peer-review process. The primary selection criterion is the applicant’s potential to yield original and excellent research results through a Mecila Postdoctoral Fellowship. The academic merit of the project will be assessed in terms of its originality, the importance of the scientific questions addressed, and its relevance to Mecila. An appropriate methodology and a feasible timeframe will also be part of the assessment. Final decisions will be taken by Mecila’s Executive Board, in close consultation with its Advisory Board, aiming at disciplinary and gender balance as well as intersectional equity and an adequate regional representation. We strongly encourage applications from scholars with diverse backgrounds and social experiences. We aim to inform the applicants of the selection results by the end of September 2026.

For further inquiries regarding the Fellowship or the application process, please refer to our FAQ available at Mecila’s website. In case of further questions, please contact Mecila’s Coordination Office in São Paulo via e-mail (mecila@cebrap.org.br).

By applying to this Fellowship, you consent that we use the information you provide for the Fellowship process.