Name of the event: Research Grant of the Ruhr University and the Boris Nemtsov Foundation - Russia: (Un)explored
Location: Bochum, Germany
Working language: English
Application deadline: May 26, 2023
The Ruhr University in Bochum and the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom invite researchers to take part in the scholarship program "Russia: (Un)explored".
The project is aimed at a comprehensive study of modern Russia in the face of growing isolation and opacity. Applications can be submitted by scientists with various academic backgrounds - sociologists, political scientists, economists, historians, specialists in cultural studies and human rights. The authors of the best papers will receive scholarships and the opportunity to complete their papers at the Ruhr University in Bochum (Germany); the final versions of the works will be published in the collection.
Russia: (Un)explored is one of the pilot projects of IDEAS FOR RUSSIA, a research initiative established by the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom in partnership with the Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University and the Prague Institute of International Relations.
Research Focus
The project aims to develop new approaches to the study of the current dynamics in Russia and the actions of the Russian government in the international arena.
Growing isolation, regime cover-up efforts, and restrictions on field research in the country create obstacles to meaningful scientific analysis. These conditions require the use of proxies and creative analysis of available data.
The goal of the project is to create methodological foundations for further study of Russia. Applications may cover a variety of topics that contribute to this goal, including:
Availability and reliability of statistical data and other indicators on the state of the Russian economy, trade and demographics reliability of public opinion polls and other sociometric data
Opportunities and limitations of using data leaks for research purposes
Epistemic measurement processes of constructing "trust" and "truth" in authoritarian regimes
Practices of data production and fabrication in the Russian media and the judiciary
Research strategies for collecting ethnographic data in closed regimes
Strategies for indirectly using data to study social processes in Russia and other topics related to the general focus project research.
Submitting Applications All applications must be sent by email, along with a CV and a short cover letter, to ideasforrussia@nemtsovfund.org.
Each essay is a summary of a scientific article on a chosen topic in English in a volume of no more than 5000 words. Texts must demonstrate high academic standards and include well-formed citations and bibliography. Applicants agree to the processing of the application and all accompanying documents by the organizers and experts involved in the selection process. The deadline for submitting articles and abstracts is May 26, 2023.
Researchers can consult on possible topics for their papers by emailing ideasforrussia@nemtsovfund.org.
Applicants will be informed of the jury's decision no later than June 25, 2023.
Types of Scholarships and Application Procedure Applicants must indicate their desire to participate in the short-term fellowship program in person or remotely in their cover letters. In addition, applicants must provide a letter of recommendation written by their supervisor, examiner, or someone who knows them well in an academic and research context. The scholarships are aimed at helping candidates complete their articles and include them in the project's public record (collection).
The number of scholarships available for full-time participation in the project is limited to three. Scholarship recipients will have to complete their papers and take part in several mandatory public and internal events organized by the Nemtsov Foundation and its partners. Fellows will receive mentoring support and access to university resources, including the library.
The scholarship is 2300 euros per month, the maximum duration is 90 days (three months). The terms of the scholarship require the researcher to be at the Ruhr University Bochum from the beginning of October to the end of December 2023. The scholarship does not cover living expenses. Upon request, the University will provide accommodation for approximately 600 euros per month.
The number of available scholarships in the remote work format is limited to three. The amount of such a scholarship is 1000 euros per month, the duration is 120 days (September - December 2023). The remote work format requires active participation in online sessions with mentors and other fellows, as well as regular submission of updated versions of their articles. All participants will have access to mentoring support and other resources provided by the research project. The organizers will offer to take part in various public and private events related to the topic of the research project.
Selection criteria
Submission of applications is open to all scientists studying Russian issues. There are no restrictions regarding the age of researchers or their academic degree.
However, organizers will not consider applications submitted by researchers who remain formally affiliated with Russian universities whose rectors have signed a letter in support of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Selection process
The organizers of the competition will appoint a professional jury. The jury will include sociologists specializing in issues related to Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as other experts. Decisions regarding works, as well as decisions on scholarships, will be made by June 15, 2023. Applicants will be notified of the selection results no later than June 25, 2023.