Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) School of Social Science Fellowship Program 2026–2027

If you are a scholar eager to immerse yourself in advanced research in the social sciences and related disciplines, the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), School of Social Science, invites applications for its prestigious 2026–2027 Residential Fellowship Program in Princeton, New Jersey. The fellowship brings together around 20 exceptional scholars each year to pursue independent projects while engaging in stimulating seminars, intellectual exchange, and interdisciplinary collaboration. For the 2026–2027 academic year, the designated theme is “Emerging Forces in Political Economy.” Here are the details.

🎓 Fellowship Summary

• Location: Princeton, New Jersey, USA

• Host Institution: Institute for Advanced Study, School of Social Science

• Level: Postdoctoral and senior-level scholars (PhD or equivalent required)

• Target Group: Junior and senior scholars in the social sciences and related fields (open internationally)

• Fields of Research: Social sciences, political economy, interdisciplinary social research, and related disciplines

• Value and Coverage:

  • Up to 50% of base salary (maximum stipend $80,000, with possible higher support depending on institutional leave support)

  • Modest research fund (up to $800 for non-travel expenses)

  • Relocation allowance and optional supplemental childcare support

  • Subsidized housing and health care available

• Duration: Full academic year (September 2026 – May 2027)

• Application Deadline: October 15, 2025

• Start Date: September 2026

• Eligible to Apply: Scholars worldwide, across social sciences and related fields, holding a PhD (or equivalent such as JD or MD) by October 15, 2025

📚 Fellowship Overview

Each year, about 20 fellows (called Members) join the School of Social Science at IAS. Approximately half engage with the annual theme, while the rest pursue independent projects across various social science disciplines. Members benefit from:

• A dedicated office space and access to world-class research resources.

• Participation in the weekly all-School seminar, where fellows present and discuss their work.

• Involvement in a bi-monthly Theme Seminar (if selected for the annual theme group).

• Access to libraries, academic networks, subsidized dining, and campus housing.

The IAS emphasizes a residential, collaborative research environment, requiring fellows to reside in Princeton and fully participate in the intellectual community.

🧭 Project Themes: Emerging Forces in Political Economy (2026–2027)

The 2026–2027 theme, “Emerging Forces in Political Economy,” addresses the global shifts shaping economic and political coordination in an era of rapid transformation. Key areas of focus include:

1. Decline of Market-Centric Economies

   • Examining the retreat of market-based coordination as protectionism, state industrial policy, and corporate concentration expand.

   • Investigating how global challenges such as climate change demand new forms of mobilization and coordination beyond traditional markets.

2. Corporate Power and Non-Market Coordination

   • How globe-spanning firms (e.g., Apple, BYD) consolidate activities through vertical and horizontal integration.

   • The role of private capital (venture capital, private equity) replacing public markets in financial governance.

   • Implications of long-term state planning, exemplified by China’s industrial development model.

3. Political and Democratic Implications

   • Can corporatization create new openings for democratic participation?

   • Risks of concentrated corporate and state power undermining democratic institutions and global governance.

   • Conditions for cooperation between diverse systems of resource mobilization across different political regimes.

The seminar will be led by Benjamin Braun, Assistant Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science and Visiting Professor at the IAS School of Social Science (2026–2028).

🎁 Fellowship Benefits

• Stipend of up to $80,000 (50% of base salary, with possible higher support).

• Subsidized campus housing ($1,200–$2,305/month depending on size).

• Health insurance support and childcare subsidy for eligible fellows.

• Relocation allowance and modest research fund ($800).

• Rich intellectual community with seminars, conferences, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent, e.g., JD, MD) by October 15, 2025.

• Open to scholars of all nationalities and disciplines within the social sciences and humanities.

• Both junior and senior scholars are welcome.

• Residential participation in Princeton for the full academic year (September–May) is mandatory.

• Applicants may apply whether or not their project aligns with the annual theme.

📝 Application Procedure

All applications must be submitted online via the IAS portal. Required materials include:

1. Completed online application form

2. Research proposal (up to 4 pages; bibliography up to 2 pages separately)

3. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

4. Writing sample (up to 50 pages, preferably single-authored, in English)

Note: Reference letters are not required or accepted.

📆 Key Dates:

• Application Deadline: October 15, 2025

• Notification of Results: Mid-January 2026 (alternates notified by February)

• Fellowship Period: September 2026 – May 2027

ℹ️ Additional Information

• Fellows are expected to reside in Princeton and fully participate in seminars.

• Teaching or holding other employment during the fellowship is not allowed.

• Applications are welcome from scholars unaffiliated with universities, as well as those based internationally.

• Priority is given to new applicants (though past Members may reapply).

🔗 Apply Now

🔗 Official Website

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