Funding Programme Lost Cities

Background Funding Programme "Lost Cities. Perception of and living with abandoned cities in the cultures of the world"

The enormous process of urbanization, which has defined world history for thousands of years in different economic situations and with regional variations, and which is now developing a particular dynamism, has another side to it that initially appears paradoxical – namely the shrinking and entirely abandoned cities, the so-called Lost Cities. Current transformation processes in various parts of the world mean that many of these Lost Cities are emerging. Nevertheless, the phenomenon is not a new one, but has been a widespread hallmark of urban history since the emergence of urban culture in the fourth century B.C. It has therefore been perceived, reflected on and interpreted in very different ways in the cultural history of urban life. With this finding as a starting point and a goal of placing current problem situations in a greater historical context, the Gerda Henkel Foundation has established a new funding programme for the theme Lost Cities. Perception of and living with abandoned cities in the cultures of the world.

 

Announcement

The funding programme is designed to be interdisciplinary and to facilitate projects in which there are varied dimensions to the examination of abandoned cities. At the same time, there should be a focus on causal correlations, both with regard to specific individual cultures and spanning all cultures, and on specifics of place and time. Thus far, such places have emerged for very different reasons, including military destruction, natural disasters, epidemics, environmental pollution, economic collapse, financial speculation, mobility, migration, centralization, deindustrialization, or post-colonial change, to name but a few.

The aim of the programme is to describe the tangible cultures of interpretation, knowledge and perception within these different contexts. Lost Cities are part of a distinct culture of memory, for example, which serves for the negotiation of identities, the preservation of knowledge cultures, the formulation of criticism of progress, or the construction of mythical or sacral topographies as part of a veritable “ruin cult”. On this basis, the focus here should not be on the question of which factors led to the city’s abandonment. Rather, it is the abandoned cities themselves that are of particular interest, as well as the different forms of their interpretation, instrumentalization and coding in various cultures and time frames.

The Foundation's Board of Trustees decides on the applications on the basis of recommendation by an Advisory Committee. As expert reviewer contributes: Prof. Dr. Martin Zimmermann, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich. 

Application

Prerequisites

Eligible to apply are post-doctoral researchers based in a university and working in the area of the humanities and the social sciences. Funding can be provided for projects with a thematic focus being addressed by a group of researchers. The Foundation uses the term “group of researchers” to mean associations of at least two researchers actively involved in the project work which is to be funded by means of scholarships from the Foundation and who are carrying out research into the same issues. Applications can only be made for PhD or research scholarships. Applications for a research scholarship by the applicant (project leader) are also possible. A maximum total of three scholarships per group of researchers can be applied for, as well as funds for travel and materials. A fundamental prerequisite for a grant is that project staff conduct their own research, which is published under their name. Other contributors who are not financed by scholarships can also be involved in the project. Scholarship applications made by individual researchers outside of the group are not accepted. The funding programme also provides for the project partners to participate in a public “workshop discussion on Lost Cities” organised by the Foundation.

The Foundation generally accepts applications for research projects made by universities, other research institutes or comparable institutions as well as by one or several Postdocs or scholars with Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification.

The grants for research projects involve, depending on the type of project, the assumption of costs for personnel, travel, materials and/or other costs.

The maximum duration is 36 months.

The applicants must be actively involved in the research work of the project.

Project staff on research projects may only be financed by PhD or research grants. A fundamental prerequisite for a grant is that project staff conduct their own research, which is published under their name. The simultaneous receipt of salary or retirement pension and a research scholarship is not possible. The period of support for Foundation stipend holders working on Ph.D. or research projects can be extended by up to 12 months if the holder becomes a parent during the period covered by the stipend and has an entitlement to maternity or parental leave. Individual arrangements must be discussed with the Foundation’s administrative office.

As part of a research project, the costs incurred of visiting (foreign) scholars can also be financed.

Application Documents

The necessary application documents can be uploaded in the electronic application form.

Proposals will only be accepted in German or English language and should include:

  • description of the research proposal (max. 8 pages)
    • plus bibliography if necessary (in addition to the max. 8-10 pages)
    • documents printed on one side only, at least font size 11 and line spacing 1.5
    • please choose a readable font, e.g. Arial 11 pt. or Times New Roman 12 pt. (We kindly ask you to keep to the formal requirements on how to compile application documents)
  • work plan and time schedule, travel itinerary (if needed)
  • detailed cost calculation
    • specific funds being applied for must be precisely defined
    • no college or tuition fees
    • no overhead costs
  • curriculum vitae and list of publications of the applicant(s)
  • if needed, curriculum vitae and list of publications of the proposed project participant(s)

  • if needed, academic certificates of the project participant(s) (Masters, PhD, professorship, etc.; please do not send Bachelor certificates)

If also a scholarship for the applicant is planned:

  • academic certificates of the applicant (Masters, PhD, professorship, etc.; please do not send Bachelor certificates)

Please do not additionally send the documents by email or postal mail.

Payment

Application for scholarships as part of a research project

Project staff on research projects may only be financed by PhD or research grants. A fundamental prerequisite for a grant is that project staff conduct their own research, which is published under their name. The period of support for Foundation stipend holders working on Ph.D. or research projects can be extended by up to 12 months if the holder becomes a parent during the period covered by the stipend and has an entitlement to maternity or parental leave. Individual arrangements must be discussed with the Foundation’s administrative office. The following rates apply:

Applicable to new permits from 1 January 2024.

PhD scholarships

Monthly scholarship award: 1,920 euros

Foundation stipend holders working on Ph.D. or research projects with children, will receive a monthly family grant in addition to their scholarship. The family grant is awarded on presentation of the child’s birth certificate and disbursed for children who have not yet turned 18.  

•    for one child: EUR 480
•    each further child: EUR 120

Monthly endowment for scholarships abroad: 480 euros
Travel aid: as required
Material aid: as required

Research Scholarships for Postdocs

Monthly scholarship award: 2,760 euros

Foundation stipend holders working on Ph.D. or research projects with children, will receive a monthly family grant in addition to their scholarship. The family grant is awarded on presentation of the child’s birth certificate and disbursed for children who have not yet turned 18.

•    for one child: EUR 480
•    each further child: EUR 120

Monthly endowment for scholarships abroad: 690 euros
Travel aid: as required
Material aid: as required

Research Scholarships after Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification

Monthly scholarship award: 3,720 euros

The higher grant rate is approved after successful conclusion of the professorial examinations (habilitation) process and/or alternatively at the earliest after positive interim evaluation for a junior professorship. For applicants from academic systems that do not envisage habilitations, the Foundation recognizes holding a tenured position as an associate professor or as a full professor or distinguished professor (in the US system) or as a senior lecturer or as a reader/professor (in the Commonwealth system) as an equivalent of passing junior professorial examinations. The administration of the Foundation can in individual cases assess other national qualification levels.

Foundation stipend holders working on Ph.D. or research projects with children, will receive a monthly family grant in addition to their scholarship. The family grant is awarded on presentation of the child’s birth certificate and disbursed for children who have not yet turned 18.

•   for one child: EUR 480
•   each further child: EUR 120

Monthly endowment for scholarships abroad: 930 euros
Travel aid: as required
Material aid: as required

Contracts for work may be awarded for smaller research activities. The Foundation specifies no rates in this regard.

Deadlines

The next application deadline is 29 May 2024.

Form

Electronic Application Form for the Foundation:

1. Please complete the application form in full.

2. The application form can be saved at any time. Using your own personal link, you can return to and edit the form for a period of ten days. However, after this period (10 Days), your data will be deleted from the server.

3. Once you have completed the form, you will receive a short summary, which needs to be confirmed in order to be sent to the Foundation electronically.

4. During the transmission process your data will be sent to the Foundation in electronic form. Confirmation of receipt will be sent to the e-mail address provided in the application.

Please follow these rules when uploading your application files:

  • All documents need to be uploaded as pdf-files.
  • Please do not upload protected PDF documents.
  • A single file may not exceed a file size of 6 MB each.
  • You cannot upload more than one document per upload field.
  • The application can only be sent, if all necessary documents are included.

Please note the following additional information:

  • Your data will be stored by the Gerda Henkel Foundation for the purpose of processing your application and will not be passed on to third parties.
  • The Gerda Henkel Foundation will be happy to provide you with information about the data that we have stored on your person at any time. If so required, personal data can be changed or deleted.
  • This form may only be used to make an application to the Gerda Henkel Foundation. The Foundation reserves the right to delete application data without prior notification, if necessary.

 

Publishing Aid

Publishing aid is currently only awarded to especially successful projects already being supported by the Foundation. Please include the following documents:

  • A two-page summary of the academic merit and innovativeness of the monograph/collection
  • A cost calculation by the publishing house
  • The manuscript on which the calculations have been made (digital).

A copy of the (preliminary) PhD certificate should be included in proposals submitted for the publication of PhD theses supported by the Gerda Henkel Foundation.

Applications can be submitted at any time.

    List of sponsored projects

    2022

    Dr. Danielle Heberle Viegas (Munich, Germany) / Prof. Dr. Patrícia Isabel Lontro Marder Vieira (Coimbra, Portugal) / Prof. Dr. Antoine Acker (Geneva, Switzerland)
    Resilient forest cities: Utopia and Development in the Brazilian Amazon (20th and 21st Centuries)

    PD Dr. Manuel Schramm (Leipzig, Germany) / Prof. Dr. Simon Runkel (Jena, Germany)
    Johanngeorgenstadt als verschwindende Stadt. Eine historische und geographische Mikrologie des Verlusts

    Prof. Dr. Oksana Zaporozhets / Dr. Lela Rekhviashvili (Leipzig, Germany)
    Cities ‘becoming lost’: the ruptures of grand narratives of modernity

     

    2021 

    Prof. Dr. Caitlin Frances Bruce (Pittsburgh, USA) / Prof. Dr. Ricardo Klein Caballero (Valencia, Spain) / Dr. Curry Chandler (Pittsburgh, USA)
    Lost and Found: Transnational Cultural Practices as Infrastructure for Memory, Reinvention, and Discovery in Transitioning Cities

    Dr. Bálint Kovács (Halle, Germany) / Professor Dr. Elke Hartmann (Berlin, Germany)
    Lost-but-found: Armenian Capital Ani at Contested Crossroads

     

    2020

    Prof. Dr. Joseph Heathcott (New York, USA)

    Life in the Rust Archipelago: Natural and Human Ecologies after Capital Flight

    Dr. Natalia Moragas / Dr. Alessandra Pecci (Barcelona, Spanien)
    Living in the ruins of the city of Teotihuacan (MexicoLiving in the ruins of the city of Teotihuacan (Mexico)

    Dr. Khodadad Rezakhani (Princeton, USA)
    A City of Many Cities: Ctesiphon, Baghdad, and the Memory of an Abandoned Past in Late Antique and Early Islamic Iraq

     

    2019

    Dr. Stephanie Döpper (Frankfurt am Main, Germany) / PD Dr. Thomas Schmidt-Lux (Leipzig, Germany) / Dr. Birgit Mershen (Bochum, Germany)
    Die verlassenen Lehmziegelsiedlungen des Zentraloman: Zwischen Verklärung und Vernachlässigung

    Prof. Dr. Daniel Monterescu (Budapest, Hungary)
    Cities Lost and Found: The Social Life of Ruins in Israel/Palestine, 1882 to the Present

    Prof. Dr. Henny Piezonka (Kiel, Germany) / Dr. Sampildonov Chuluun (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia) / Prof. Dr. Martin Oczipka (Dresden, Germany) / Dr. Birte Ahrens (Kiel, Germany)
    Abandoned cities in the steppe: Roles and perception of Early Modern religious and military centres in Nomadic Mongolia

    Prof. Dr. Karen Radner / Dr. Jamie Novotny (München, Germany)
    Living Among Ruins: The Experience of Urban Abandonment in Babylonia

    Dr. Julian Schreyer (Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany) / Dr. Felix Henke (München, Germany)
    Spuren von Städten. Formen des Umgangs mit deurbanisierten Räumen der frühen Kaiserzeit

    Prof. Dr. Magdalena Waligorska (Bremen, Germany)
    Mapping the Archipelago of Lost Towns: Post-Holocaust Urban Lacunae in the Polish-Belarusian-Ukrainian Borderlands

    Important note on submitting applications

    Please take a look at the information provided in this section and under General References. We would of course be happy to assist you should you have any further questions.

    Contact Person Funding Programme Lost Cities

    Dr Birte Ruhardt
    Head of Executive Board’s Office
    ruhardt@gerda-henkel-stiftung.de

    General Information for Applicants and Beneficiaries

    Frequently asked questions

    General questions regarding the application

    Can I apply for a research project also if I have not received my PhD yet?
    No. Applications for research projects can be made by universities, other research institutes or comparable institutions as well as by one or several Postdocs or scholars with Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification. It is necessary to provide a (preliminary) PhD certificate.

    Can I apply with one and the same research project for support from several of the Foundation’s programmes?
    A simultaneous application with different research projects is in principle possible as long as no scholarship is earmarked for the applicant him/herself.

    What shall I do if I’m not sure whether my subject is eligible for funding from the Foundation?
    Please send us a short project summary by email (info@gerda-henkel-stiftung.de). We will be in touch within a few days to let you know whether you can apply.

    Are foreign academics allowed to apply for funding programmes?
    The funding activities concentrate basically on German and foreign academics in the fields of historical humanities. Candidates can apply regardless of their nationality and place of work.

    In which languages does the Foundation correspond?
    German and English.

    Should application documents and references be submitted in English or German?
    The Foundation accepts both, although German is preferred where possible.

    Are there formal requirements on how the application documents should be compiled?
    The project description should not be longer than 8 pages. Documents should have at least font size 11 and line spacing 1.5. Please read carefully all instructions in the section general references.

    Are there any substantial requirements for the structure or form of the description of the research project?
    No, there are no substantive requirements. Applicants for a research scholarship should make sure that in addition to the content presentation, information on the method, the state of research, the sources and research relevance are included in the description, especially if the transcript of the study is in the foreground.

    Should the proposal include a detailed list of publications or is it enough to note the cited references in footnotes? Is an additional list of publications with for the project relevant references necessary?
    It is sufficient to note the references of the proposal in footnotes. A list of publications with for the project relevant references can but must not be submitted.

    What should my working plan and schedule include?
    They should include detailed information about the work stages planned for the period of funding, including research trips and their planned duration.

    Can I apply for financing for my own post instead of a research grant?
    No. The Foundation is not providing funding for posts at research institutions.

    Can project staff be funded via posts?
    No. Project staff can only be financed by doctoral or research grants. A fundamental precondition for a grant is that project staff conduct their own research, which is published under their name.

    Do I have to include the scholarships for the staff members in the cost calculation of the research project or do they have to apply separately for a PhD or research scholarship?
    Please budget the scholarships as part of the research project funding. The staff members do not have to apply separately for a PhD or research scholarship.

    What do you require for travel and material expenses claims?
    We require a list of costs with each individual expense in as much detail as possible. Please have a look at the information provided under http://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/calculation_travel-material-expenses.

    Does the Foundation pay for childcare during the period for which a stipend is awarded?
    Foundation stipend holders working on Ph.D. or research projects receive a family grant on presentation of the child’s/children’s birth certificate(s). The grant is paid for children who have not yet turned 18.

    What is the Foundation’s policy is a stipend holder becomes a parent during the period for which a stipend is awarded?
    The period of support for Foundation stipend holders working on Ph.D. or research projects can be extended by up to 12 months if the holder becomes a parent during the period covered by the stipend and has an entitlement to maternity or parental leave. Individual arrangements must be discussed with the Foundation’s administrative office.

    Does the Foundation cover overhead costs?
    No, the Foundation does not cover overhead costs.

    Can anyone request funding for printing?
    Publishing aid can only be claimed for projects which are already receiving funding from the Gerda Henkel Foundation. However, not all projects will be awarded funding for printing as the current budget for publishing aid is extremely limited.

    Does the Foundation sponsor individual journeys to participate in scientific conferences?
    At present travel expenses are only paid for larger research projects or PhD and research scholarships. Funding applications for independent trips to participate in conferences/congresses are in principle not considered.

    Can I change anything in my electronic application form after having sent it to the Foundation?
    No, that is not possible. Please inform us about any differing information when sending us your application documents or fill out a new application form and let us know you have sent a new form in a short note or email.

    Does the Foundation provide reasons for refusing applications?
    The Academic Committee’s deliberations are confidential so the Foundation does not provide detailed reasons for refusals.

    General questions regarding the applications for scholarships

    Can I continue to work during the time of my scholarship?
    No, the simultaneous receipt of salary and a scholarship is not possible.

    Can I continue to draw a retirement pension during the time of my scholarship?
    No, the simultaneous receipt of a retirement pension and a scholarship is not possible.

    In which case can I apply for an overseas bonus?
    Should a recipient of a scholarship leave the country of her/his principal residence and spend more than four weeks abroad for research purposes, the Foundation shall grant a flat-rate overseas bonus. This should be seen as an extension to the scholarship, intended to cover the extra costs of food and accommodation. The Foundation shall not cover any accommodation costs for that period if an overseas bonus has been granted.

    Can I apply for funding of college or tuition fees?
    No, the Foundation does not cover college or tuition fees.

    If I am given a doctoral grant, do I have to start my doctorate immediately?
    Doctorates must be started within twelve months of the grant being agreed.

    Questions regarding letters of recommendation

    Can I apply for a research scholarship when I have not yet finished my PhD?
    No. Applications for research scholarships can only be made by Postdocs or scholars with Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification.

    Do the criteria also apply to the special programme "Security, Society and the State" and the two funding programmes "Democracy" and "Lost Cities"?
    No, the criteria only apply to applications for a general research scholarship.

    What is  the definition for "Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification"?
    The higher grant rate is approved after successful conclusion of the professorial examinations (habilitation) process and/or alternatively at the earliest after positive interim evaluation for a junior professorship. For applicants from academic systems that do not envisage habilitations, the Foundation recognizes holding a tenured position as an associate professor or as a full professor or distinguished professor (in the US system) or as a senior lecturer or as a reader/professor (in the Commonwealth system) as an equivalent of passing junior professorial examinations. The administration of the Foundation can in individual cases assess other national qualification levels.

    Questions regarding grants in general

    What should I do once I have received the letter of approval?
    Please let us know by postmail whether you accept the grant and the terms of appropriation. If you do accept, please also supply your current bank details and include when you wish payments to start. Please note that all credit transfers and standing orders are being switched over to the pan-European SEPA system. Instead of a bank sort code and account number, the Foundation requires the IBAN and BIC details. You will find the corresponding information on your account statement and possibly on your bank card.

    What are my obligations if I accept the funding?
    You must inform the Foundation of any changes which have a bearing on the payment of the grant or the amount paid. Teaching positions and other employment must be agreed with the Foundation if they exceed an average of 5 hours a week.

    Can I work during the grant period?
    Yes, as long as the employment does not exceed an average of five hours a week.

    How should references be made to the Foundation in my work?
    We ask that the Foundation be mentioned in any publications that arise from the funded project. The Foundation should also be included in the imprint of any publications for which publishing aid was supplied. For other media, such as conference posters or flyers, please use the logo available on our website. Please also mention the Foundation at events and in any contact with journalists (e.g. via your university’s press office), including in any press releases.

    Can the grant or parts thereof be used for other purposes?
    No. The grant is only to be used for the purposes detailed in the letter of approval.

    Can grants be transferred to overseas accounts?
    Yes. Please supply your SWIFT/BIC code and IBAN. We would however prefer to make transfers to a German account.

    Do I have to take out insurance if I am awarded a grant or does the Foundation cover those costs?
    As grant recipients are not technically employed by the Foundation, national insurance contributions are not paid. The Foundation recommends that all grant recipients take out medical insurance. No additional funding is available for these costs.

    Invoices

    What kind of information about my bank account do I have to submit?
    Please note that all credit transfers and standing orders are being switched over to the pan-European SEPA system. Instead of a bank sort code and account number, the Foundation requires the IBAN and BIC details. You will find the corresponding information on your account statement and possibly on your bank card. Please send us these details or submit them with your next invoice.

    Do original receipts have to be sent?
    Generally yes. Should third parties need the originals for billing purposes (e.g. university offices), please submit copies and ensure that the originals are held for at least ten years in case they need to be checked.

    Will my family’s costs be reimbursed for research trips?
    No. These must be covered by the grant recipient.

    General questions

    What is the phone number for Henkel AG & Co. KgaA in Düsseldorf?
    +49 (0)211 7970