Max Planck Dissertation Writing-Up Fellowships 2027 (MPI for Social Anthropology, Law & Anthropology)

The Law & Anthropology Department of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle (Saale), Germany, is offering Dissertation Writing-up Fellowships for 2027. The fellowships enable doctoral candidates in the final stage of their programme to spend up to four months at the Institute, using its resources and intellectual environment to finalise their dissertations.

The Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology is one of the leading centres for research in social anthropology. The Law & Anthropology Department is an interdisciplinary forum where anthropologists and legal scholars engage with one another and conduct cutting-edge, policy-relevant research linked to the increasingly plural legal context of Europe and beyond.

Fellowships are awarded for a maximum period of four months. Writing-up fellowships can begin either in spring (1 March to 30 June) or in autumn (1 September to 31 December) 2027. Fellows are hosted in person at the Institute in Halle (Saale).

• Open to doctoral candidates enrolled in a PhD programme (at any institution) who are in the final, writing-up stage of their dissertation.
• The research topic must be of immediate relevance to the work of the Law & Anthropology Department.
• For this call, priority will be given to applicants working towards PhDs in anthropology.
• The applicant must be advanced enough to finalise the doctoral manuscript within the funded period. There is no nationality restriction, so eligible candidates from India and elsewhere may apply.

The Max Planck Society provides successful candidates with a monthly living stipend that is not taxable and is free of social security obligations, together with full access to the Institute's research resources and academic community. The exact stipend amount is not published in the call.

The fellow is expected to participate in the academic life of the Department, including presenting the doctoral research in the Department's seminar series. A clear understanding of the fellow's plans must be reached in advance with the Department.

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Writing sample (a chapter of the PhD dissertation)
• A 1 to 2 page summary of the PhD work
• Photocopies of university degrees and transcripts
• A letter of recommendation confirming the applicant is advanced enough to finalise the manuscript within the funded period, sent directly to the Department at mncakova@eth.mpg.de

Submit your application materials electronically by 15 September 2026 through the online application form on the Institute's recruitment portal. Direct any questions about the application to Carolin Klevenow (Human Resources Management) at klevenow@eth.mpg.de.