About this position
- Princeton University is pleased to announce the call for applications to
- the Fung Global Fellows Program at the Princeton Institute for
- International and Regional Studies (PIIRS). The program will select
- early-career scholars from around the world to be in residence at
- Princeton for an academic year (10 months) and to engage in research
- and discussion around a common theme. The fellowships will be awarded
- to those employed outside the United States who have a faculty
- appointment or a professional research appointment, and they will be
- expected to return to their positions at the conclusion of the
- fellowship. Lastly, they must have demonstrated outstanding scholarly
- achievement and unusual intellectual promise. Early-career scholars
- will be appointed at the rank of Visiting Research Scholar. Democratic
- governance faces mounting pressure around the world. The rise of
- populist movements, declining trust in institutions, polarization,
- disinformation, and democratic backsliding (including in democracies
- once considered as consolidated) have prompted renewed debate about
- whether democracy's ascendance in the late 20th century was more
- fragile than assumed. At the same time, democracies have proven
- resilient in unexpected ways through grassroots mobilization,
- institutional safeguards, judicial independence, and civic renewal,
- raising the question of what, precisely, allows some democratic
- systems to weather crisis while others erode or collapse. During the
- 2027-28 academic year, the program theme will be "Democracy in
- Crisis?" We invite applications from scholars who study the challenges
- confronting democratic governance and/or the sources of democratic
- resilience. Projects might explore the drivers and dynamics of
- populism; the erosion of democratic norms and institutions; the role
- of media, technology, and disinformation in shaping political life;
- the relationship between economic inequality and democratic
- legitimacy; or the strategies through which citizens, civil society,
- and institutions have defended or renewed democratic practice. We are
- equally interested in work that interrogates the conceptual and
- normative foundations of democracy itself, what it means, who it
- serves, and how it has been imagined and contested across different
- political and cultural traditions. Applicants may address any region
- of the world and can bring contemporary and/or historical perspectives
- to bear. We welcome scholars from across the humanities and social
- sciences and hope to bring together a cohort whose comparative and
- interdisciplinary conversations will deepen our understanding of
- democracy's vulnerabilities and its capacity for renewal. Applicants
- must apply online at https://apply.interfolio.com/191685. Applications
- are due on November 16, 2026 (11:59 p.m. EST). To be eligible,
- applicants must have received their Ph.D. (or equivalent) generally
- after September 1, 2017. Candidates who are currently enrolled in a
- Ph.D. program or employed as postdocs are not eligible to apply.
- Fellowships will be awarded on the strength of a candidate's proposed
- research project, the relationship of that project to the program's
- theme, the candidate's scholarly record, and their ability to
- contribute to the intellectual life of the program. For more
- information, see: https://funggfp.princeton.edu/applications. The
- following items must be submitted by the applicant, in English, by
- November 16, 2026: Cover letter (1.5 pages maximum) Curriculum Vitae
- (including publications) Research proposal (maximum of 3 pages, single
- spaced) One writing sample (article or book chapter, maximum of 50
- pages) The names and email addresses for three referees, who will be
- contacted automatically by the online application system with an
- invitation to upload their letter of recommendation to the system by
- the application deadline. (Please note: all letters of reference
- should be submitted by your referees before the November 16, 2026
- deadline.) Should an offer be made, successful candidates who hold
- faculty appointments or professional research appointments will be
- required to submit an official letter from their current employer
- affirming that they would be permitted to accept the offer and to
- spend the academic year at Princeton University. The work location for
- these positions is in-person, on campus at Princeton University. The
- work location for these positions is in-person, on campus at Princeton
- University. These positions are not eligible for sponsorship of an
- H-1B visa requiring consular processing; other visa sponsorships may
- be available, as appropriate. Princeton University is an Equal
- Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive
- consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color,
- religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression,
- national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any
- other characteristic protected by law.
How to apply
- Read the full advert on the source site — it carries the authoritative terms.
- Prepare your SOP, CV, transcripts and referees before the deadline.
- Apply through the university's own portal. Never pay a fee to a third party.