[Gerda Henkel Foundation](https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en)

June 3, 2026

PhD scholarships: €1,920/month | Postdoc: €2,760/month | Senior postdoc: €3,720/month | Max. 3 scholarships/group, up to 36 months, plus travel/materials

Supports research groups examining the historical conflicts, ideals, and threats related to democracy from antiquity to the present.

--- ## Description This grant, provided by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, funds historically-oriented research projects that investigate the history of conflict over the foundations of social order, with a special focus on democracy as utopia, experience, and threat. The programme encourages multiperspectival studies that address value systems, justice, and social ideals across different eras, considering the viewpoints of both proponents and critics of democratic principles. Projects should explore how societies have conceptualized and contested ideas of participation, justice, hierarchy, and the "right order" in politics and society, expanding beyond traditional themes to reflect the complex and sometimes conflicting understandings of democracy throughout history. --- ## Due Dates - Next application deadline: June 3, 2026 --- ## Funding Amount - **PhD Scholarships:** €1,920 per month - **Postdoctoral Scholarships:** €2,760 per month - **Senior Postdoctoral (after habilitation or equivalent):** €3,720 per month - **Family Allowance:** €480/month for one child, €120/month for each additional child (children under 18) - **Abroad Supplement:** €480–€930/month depending on career stage - **Travel and Material Aid:** As required - **Group Funding:** Maximum of three scholarships per research group, plus funds for travel and equipment - **Duration:** Up to 36 months --- ## Eligibility - Open to postdoctoral researchers in the humanities and social sciences with links to a university. - Applications must be submitted by research groups (minimum two scholars actively participating); individual grant applications are not permitted. - Only postdoctoral or research scholarships are available; project leaders must be actively involved in the research. - Each group may apply for up to three scholarships plus travel and equipment funds. - All project staff funded must produce their own research output, to be published under their names. - Simultaneous receipt of a salary or pension and a research scholarship is not allowed. --- ## Application Process - Applications are accepted in German or English. - All documents must be uploaded as PDFs via the Foundation's electronic application form (do not send by email or post). - Required documents: - Research proposal (max. 8 pages) plus bibliography - Work plan and time schedule - Detailed cost calculation (no tuition, college fees, or overheads) - CV and publication list for all applicants and participants - Academic certificates (Masters, PhD, professorship, etc.) for all funded participants - The application form can be edited for up to 10 days after creation; after submission, no changes are possible. - Applications are reviewed by the Board of Trustees based on recommendations from an advisory committee. --- ## Additional Information - Publishing aid for monographs or edited volumes is available only for especially successful projects already supported by the Foundation. - Open Access publication costs may be funded for supported projects (not for individual articles). - The Foundation does not specify fixed rates for small research contracts outside the main scholarship scheme. --- ## External Links - [Funding Programme Democracy (Programme Page)](https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/funding-programme-democracy?page_id=57) - [Call for Applications for Subsection 1](https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/democracy?page_id=57#110476) - [Electronic Application Form](https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/democracy?page_id=57#99717) - [General References and Guidelines](https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/en/general-references?page_id=31) --- ## Contact Information | Name | Role | Email | Phone | |--------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|------------------------------| | Su-Ellen Wang, M.A.| Project Manager, General Research Grants | [wang@gerda-henkel-stiftung.de](mailto:wang@gerda-henkel-stiftung.de) | +49 (0)211 93 65 24 - 0 | | General Inquiries | | [info@gerda-henkel-stiftung.de](mailto:info@gerda-henkel-stiftung.de) | | | Contact Page | | [Contact Form](https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/contact) | |

Funding Programme Democracy – Subsection 1: Democracy as Utopia, Experience and Threat

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