Deadline: 02-Dec-2025
The Summer Institute for the Study of East Central and Southeastern Europe (SISECSE) is a two-week residential workshop that offers scholars of Eastern Europe time and space to dedicate to their research and writing in a collaborative and interdisciplinary setting.
In 2026, the institute will focus on “Autonomy, Institutions, and Transnational Networks,” examining how social institutions such as the church, state, military, press, and academy have influenced creative and intellectual freedom across East, Central, and Southeastern Europe.
Participants will explore how these freedoms have been constrained or supported, what lessons can be drawn from the region regarding institutional autonomy, and how transnational networks have sustained intellectual and creative activity amid shifting political contexts, including recent changes in the United States.
The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), in partnership with the Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS), will convene leading scholars from Eastern Europe and North America for a two-week residency in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, from June 3 to June 19, 2026.
The institute provides a unique opportunity for scholars to engage in immersive discussions while pursuing their independent research projects. Participants may also undertake local fieldwork, including archival or collections research, interviews, site surveys, or other forms of data collection, though such activities are optional.
The program offers a stipend for travel to and from Bulgaria and covers accommodation and per diem expenses for the residency. Participating scholars are expected to be in residence for the full duration and take part in all planned events, including at least one weekend group trip. Discussions will be held over several meals and in one seminar session, focusing on interdisciplinary exchange and academic collaboration.
Eligibility extends to scholars with a PhD degree or its equivalent in publications and professional experience, with research focused on East Central and Southeastern Europe, including countries such as Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.
Applicants must have an affiliation with an institution in North America or the eligible European regions. There are no citizenship restrictions, and applications must be submitted in English.
Applications must include an application form, an essay describing the research project, optional supporting materials, a bibliography, a list of publications, and a statement of interest explaining how participation will advance the applicant’s work.
Evaluation will be based on the significance and contribution of the topic, the quality and clarity of the proposal, the potential impact of planned activities, the feasibility of the project, and the applicant’s record of accomplishment and commitment to the field.
All materials must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration System by 9:00 PM Eastern Time on December 2, 2025.
For more information, visit Sofia.