Lost Cities: Perception of and Life with Abandoned Cities in the Cultures of the World
Forecasted
The Gerda Henkel Foundation funds interdisciplinary research on how abandoned cities are culturally perceived, remembered, and represented across different societies and historical eras.
Funder: Gerda Henkel Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027 (full application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to three scholarships per group; PhD: €1,920/month, postdoc: €2,760/month, senior: €3,720/month; plus travel and materials; max. 36 months
Summary: Funds interdisciplinary research groups examining how abandoned cities are perceived, interpreted, and represented across cultures and historical periods.
Key Information: For research groups only (minimum two scholars); individual applications not eligible.
Description
This programme supports interdisciplinary research on the cultural significance, perception, and representation of abandoned cities—so-called "Lost Cities"—across different cultures and historical periods. The focus is on how these cities are interpreted, remembered, and woven into cultural memory, identity, and critique, rather than on the causes of their abandonment. Projects may address myth-making, negotiation of knowledge, and the role of lost cities in shaping societal values, using approaches that bridge disciplines and regions.
