Inscribing Plurality Fellow (m/w/d)

Do you identify as Muslim or Jewish; reside in or near Berlin, Germany; have a talent for writing; and aspire to write about your experiences? Then the Inscribing Plurality Fellowship might be a great fit for you!

What is our goal?

Inscribing Plurality seeks to support Jewish and Muslim voices in public-facing writing concerning democracy and pluralism in today’s Europe. It aims to create the skills and networks for aspiring journalists/writers to engage in public discussions.

What does it entail?

Inscribing Plurality Fellows will unite for a three-day Writing and Publishing Bootcamp in Berlin in September 2022. This Bootcamp will focus on:

• Community building;

• Training by leading journalists who write for publications including The New York Times, Die Zeit, Deutsche Welle, The Washington Post, and Tablet Magazine.

• Mentorship by established authors;

• And networking with esteemed literary agents and publishers in Berlin.

Over three days, Fellows will learn how to insert their unique voices, through writing, into public conversations about German and European society. Fellows will also receive ongoing support and mentorship in writing/publication.

Who are we looking for?

• We wish to engage young aspiring writers who identify as Muslim or Jewish, aged 18-27.

• We look for passion for journalism and writing, welcoming any experience you may or may not have (yet).

• Our fellows share an interest in issues of democracy, pluralism, diversity and inclusion.

• They reside in or near Berlin.

• Our working language is English. Fellows, therefore, need to have a working command of English but can write in English, German or both.

• Inscribing Plurality Fellowship commit to participating in a three-day writing bootcamp (Friday-Sunday) in Autumn 2022 (dates to be confirmed), as well as ongoing network activities.

Who is behind this project?

Elisabeth Becker Topkara, the project’s founder was awarded the Landecker Democracy Fellowship by Humanity in Action. Elisabeth – a Jewish New Yorker and part of a Jewish-Muslim family – is a public sociologist who has written for a variety of publications, including but not limited to The Washington Post, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Tablet Magazine. She is a Freigeist Fellow at the Max-Weber-Institute of Sociology, University of Heidelberg and author of Mosques in the Metropolis: Incivility, Caste and Contention in Europe. Elisabeth is currently working on a book manuscript entitled Passages: The Moving Lives of Jewish Berlin. She is thrilled to share her passion, expertise and network with the incoming Inscribing Plurality Fellows.

How do you apply?

If you fit these requirements and have an interest in joining this writing journey together with other young Jews and Muslims, please send the following documents to: elisabeth.becker-topkara@mwi.uni-heidelberg.de by June 1, 2022:

• Your CV,

• One-page (Times New Roman, single-spaced, 1-inch margins) description in English of why you believe you are an Inscribing Plurality Fellow,

• If available, a writing sample (in English or German),

• And the name and contact information for a referee we could get in touch with.

We look forward to receiving your applications!