Summer Institute for the Study of East Central and Southeastern Europe
Two-week Residency in Bulgaria for Scholars of East Central and Southeastern Europe
In partnership with the Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS), ACLS enables scholars to undertake research, writing, and local fieldwork in Bulgaria and engage in interdisciplinary discussions during the Summer Institute for the Study of East Central and Southeastern Europe (SISECSE). In 2023, ACLS and CAS convened leading scholars from Eastern Europe and North America for a two-week residency, hosted by the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG), in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, and looks forward to holding SISECSE again in 2024 and 2025.
With international travel restricted during the pandemic, many scholars had to delay their research. SISECSE provides participating scholars with two weeks to dedicate to their own research and writing in a collaborative and interdisciplinary setting. Participants are also able to undertake local fieldwork, including archival research, work in museum collections, interviews, site surveys, and other forms of data collection. In addition to conducting their own research, scholars have the opportunity to participate in small group writing workshops, as well as a series of immersive discussions on a broad topic of shared academic interest.
The program covers travel, accommodation, and per diem expenses. Participants are expected to be in residence and attend all planned events for the duration of the institute. Scholars also may be provided with opportunities to travel locally during this time.
SISECSE brings together scholars working in any field or discipline in the humanities or interpretive social sciences pursuing postdoctoral or advanced research in East Central and Southeastern Europe, including Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.
Scholars should apply with their own research proposals through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System. Information on how to apply to attend the 2024 Summer Institute is available on the competition page.
About the Center for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS)
The Centre for Advanced Study in Sofia is an independent institution with strong international and interdisciplinary orientation, promoting freedom of research and scholarly excellence in the humanities and the social sciences. Since its establishment in 2000, CAS has been attracting young talents and outstanding senior scholars by offering institutional conditions conducive to free pursuit of knowledge and dialogue in the framework of individual research fellowships or collaborative multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural enquiries. In partnership with other Institutes for Advanced Study, universities, scholarly and cultural associations, it works to re-establish the tradition of intellectual communities and to facilitate open critical debate and exchange of ideas on national and trans-national levels.
This program is made possible thanks to a generous donation by Carl and Betty Pforzheimer.
