The Hannah Arendt Fellowships offer outstanding international scholars the opportunity to pursue independent research for up to six months in Lower Saxony (Germany) during the summer semester 2027 (April–September). The programme is a funding initiative of zukunft.niedersachsen, a joint programme of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation, and is coordinated by the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities.
Up to ten fellows participate in a decentralised residency model, hosted at universities and non-university research institutions throughout Lower Saxony. Fellows collaborate closely with a local academic partner (tandem partner) and are fully embedded in the host institution’s scholarly environment. The programme allows researchers to focus entirely on their projects, free from teaching obligations, while accessing a broad network of institutions and contributing to innovative, future-oriented research in the Humanities, Cultural Studies, and Social Sciences. Each cohort is framed by an annual theme that encourages shared inquiry and cross-disciplinary perspectives. Selection is made by an independent international committee of experts.
Please consult our FAQ, list of eligible hosts, and application form before applying!
Fellowship Features:
- Up to six-month research residency at a host institution in Lower Saxony
- Competitive scholarship based on a “no gain, no loss” principle or compensatory payment to the home institution
- Travel and accommodation allowances
- Family support, if applicable
- Integration into the host institution with tailored academic and networking support
- Joint cohort activities and exchange formats for fellows and tandem partners
Annual Theme 2027 “Humans and AI: Perspectives from the Humanities and Social Sciences”
The 2027 Hannah Arendt Fellowships invite international scholars to interrogate how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving – and being driven by – profound socio-cultural transformations. How does AI, understood as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon rather than merely a technical tool, reconfigure the relationship between human agency, forms of subjectivity, societal structures, and the public sphere?
We welcome inquiries that bridge abstract reflection and the lived experience of technological change, examining how AI is conceptually framed, historically situated, and contested within our common world. Fellowship projects may explore these aspects through a broad range of methodologies, from empirical to theoretical work, including contributions to the philosophy of science. Some central questions concern the role of academia, (collective) authorship, and the critical analysis of sources, examined through both historical and contemporary perspectives.
As a research horizon, ‘Humans and AI’ may encompass various subtopics, including:
- Human agency, action, and responsibility, including the negotiation of autonomy, decision-making, and accountability.
- Social, cultural, and political dynamics, examining power relations, processes of alienation, trends of totalisation, and the shaping of the public sphere.
- Justice and legitimacy, reflecting on equality, trust, normative frameworks, and the societal implications of AI-driven change.
- Knowledge, authorship, and creativity, addressing the shifting nature of originality and invention, as well as the fundamental epistemological challenges regarding the provenance, integrity, and knowledge in the age of AI.
Who Can Apply:
Applications are open to postdoctoral and established international scholars in the Humanities, Cultural Studies, and Social Sciences. Two pathways are possible: 1) applicants invited by a local researcher at a host institution in Lower Saxony, or 2) applicants who independently establish a tandem partnership with a host institution. In all cases, projects and activities should be developed collaboratively with the tandem partner and confirmed through a signed letter of intent (see application form) when applying.
Required Documents (please submit as a single PDF):
- Signed application & letter of intent (between the applicant, tandem partner, and host; see application form)
- Curriculum vitae and list of key publications
- Fellowship project proposal (in English, max. 3 pages / 1,500 words, excluding bibliography)
- Optional: letter(s) of recommendation
Submission & Contact:
We look forward to receiving your application by 1 June 2026 to: ha-fellowships@adwgoe.de.
For inquiries about the fellowship programme or the application process, please contact:
Anna Derksen (Academic Project Manager)
Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities
+49 (0)551 39-37042
anna.derksen@adwgoe.de
https://adw-goe.de
