The Annemarie Schimmel Fellowship

Annemarie Schimmel’s life and work has built bridges between East and West, between Islam and Christianity and has inspired researchers of religion around the globe. On the occasion of her 100th birthday, the Annemarie Schimmel Fellowship was established to give international PhD students and young scholars the opportunity for a stay at the International Center for Comparative Theology and Social Issues (CTSI) at Bonn University to pursue research in the field of Comparative Theology.

The Fellowship will support the CTSI’s goal of providing a space for exchange and bridge-building between various religious traditions.

A) For PhD students

What we offer

• 4-month research stay at the CTSI from April-July including working space, access to library, participation in events, and the opportunity to discuss your project with international researchers. You can use your stay to develop a full research proposal for a scholarship application or focus on a specific part of your PhD project.
• Participation in the networking activities of the Transdisciplinary Research Area Individuals, Institutions and Societies (TRA 4)
• Travel allowance depending on country of destination
• Financial support for visa and health insurance
• Housing in Bonn
• 600 Euros monthly scholarship to cover your daily expenses

How to apply

The deadline for application is 15 August each year for the Fellowship in the following year. Decisions will be made by the end of September. Please provide

• a 5-page proposal of your research idea in the area of Comparative Theology, including the concrete questions you would like to pursue during your stay in Bonn
• Your CV
• Contact details of two members of academic staff that would write a letter of recommendation upon our request

B) For Postdocs

What we offer

• 2-month research stay at the CTSI from May-June including working space, access to library, participation in events, and the opportunity to discuss your project with international researchers
• Participation in the networking activities of the Transdisciplinary Research Area Individuals, Institutions and Societies (TRA 4)
• Travel allowance depending on country of destination
• Financial support for visa and health insurance
• Housing in Bonn
• 600 Euros monthly scholarship to cover your daily expenses

How to apply

The deadline for application is 15 August each year for the Fellowship in the following year. Decisions will be made by the end of September. Please provide

• a 5-page proposal of your research idea in the area of Comparative Theology, including the concrete questions you would like to pursue during your stay in Bonn
• Your CV
• List of publications

Please send all documents combined in one PDF-file to lwiesenh@uni-bonn.de

Other Funding Options

Find out more about further funding options for your PhD here.

If you are already working on your PhD, explore further possibilities for a stay in Bonn here.

Ryszard Bobrowicz

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at KU Leuven in Belgium, where I am a part of an FWO-funded research project “Dissenting Church. Developing a critical theological understanding of contestation around normative claims in the Roman Catholic Church and beyond.”

My work combines, among others, an interest in comparative theology and jurisprudence. During my time in Bonn, I had the chance to study how different religious communities deal with conflicts, disagreement, and dissent with the colleagues at the CTSI, and expand my collaboration with colleagues in church law. The CTSI, and Bonn University more broadly, are lively research environments that provide a rich offering of events, collaboration opportunities, and meetings with guests from other research institutions.

At the same time, there was a lot of time for more focused work, and thestay in the peaceful Endenich was conducive to reflection and contemplation. I have greatly benefited from my time as an Annemarie Schimmel Fellow, during which I was not only able to develop my ongoing projects but also plan several new ones.

Vahid Sohrabifar

I am Vahid Sohrabifar, Assistant professor of philosophy of religion and head of the faculty of Religions at the University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran. My current research is about meaning in life and I had the chance to work on my project “Chasing the Wind: Pursuing the Meaning of Life in Christian-Muslim Scriptures” at CTSI in 2024. Discussing with professors, researchers, and students and exchanging ideas was very fruitful and inspiring. The center is one of the best institutes for working on theology in general and comparative theology in particular. The warm and friendly atmosphere of the center is key to building new connections and widening horizons. The fellowship was a great help to me to concentrate on my project and reach new aspects of the debate.

Mostafa Rastegar

“The Potter's Puff” is the Persian equivalent of the English phrase “Tricks
of the Trade.” It encompasses secret knowledge that remains elusive to
outsiders. In every field of study, there exist fragments of knowledge that
cannot be acquired solely through individual efforts. To gain access to
such knowledge, one must immerse themselves in a specialized institution,
engage with scholars, and actively participate in relevant events and
proceedings.

The exceptional International Center for Comparative Theology and Social
Issues (CTSI) serves as one such institution. I consider myself fortunate
to have been granted the opportunity to be part of this remarkable
community. After four months of dedicated involvement, I believe I have
acquired the elusive “Potter's Puff” of comparative theology.

Moreover, I had the privilege to experience the captivating beauty of Bonn
during its most splendid and blossoming season, accompanied by the most
delightful weather. The warmth and helpfulness of the local people added to
the charm of my stay. In one word: Unforgettable!

Lastly, I would like to encourage you to pay homage to the late Annemarie
Schimmel. Her final resting place can be easily accessed within the serene
Poppelsdorf Cemetery (Poppelsdorfer Friedhof) located in the Poppelsdorf
district of Bonn.

*Mostafa Rastegar,*

*PhD student in comparative religious studies,*

*University of Religions and Denominations,*

*Qom, Iran.*

Vanessa Breidy

I am a lawyer, member of the Beirut Bar Association, I have studied law and political sciences and currently finalizing my PhD in Islamic studies jointly at the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (Rome) and Sophia University Institute (Florence). I believe in dialogue and in the relevance of acknowledging and celebrating diversity in societies. This belief is leading me to collaborate with different organizations and work on different projects specifically in Lebanon and Italy. My academic work is concentrated specifically on Latin Scholastic and Islamic thought in the Medieval period. My PhD thesis is entitled: From Knowledge to Political Authority. The Case of al-Ġazālī and Thomas Aquinas.
In CTSI, University of Bonn, I focused my study on the concepts of fraternity and love in the
thought of Abū Ḥāmid al-Ġazālī. I received very interesting insights on my research subject
whether in the seminars I attended during my stay there or in the private meetings I had with great professors and experts in the field. I think that being an Annemarie Schimmel fellow for a couple of months at the CTSI would be very beneficial for any researcher who has reached mature ideas in his research. Effectively, it is a very good place to share ideas and experiences with researchers from different cultural and religious backgrounds.