Open Society Fellowship for Economic Propositions 2019

Open Society Foundations invite applicants from around the world to apply to The Open Society Fellowship. The fellowship was founded to support individuals seeking innovative and unconventional approaches to fundamental open society challenges. The fellowship funds work that will enrich public understanding of those challenges and stimulate far-reaching and probing conversations within the Open Society Foundations and in the world.

Open Society fellows produce work outputs of their own choosing, such as a book, journalistic or academic articles, art projects, a series of convenings, etc. In addition, fellowship cohorts may develop a joint work product of some sort. Fellowship staff will assist cohorts in brainstorming possible outputs if needed.

Fellowship Proposition

Applicants are required to address the following proposition:

New and radical forms of ownership, governance, entrepreneurship, and financialization are needed to fight pervasive economic inequality.

This proposition is intended as a provocation—to stimulate productive controversy and debate—and does not necessarily represent the views of the Open Society Foundations. Applicants are invited to dispute, substantiate, or otherwise engage with the proposition in their submissions. Though the proposition deals with economic issues, those without an economics or business background are welcome to apply, provided they have a relevant project in mind.

Once chosen, fellows will work on projects of their own design and passion. At the same time, they are expected to take advantage of the intellectual and logistical resources of the Open Society Foundations and contribute meaningfully to the Foundations’ thinking. Fellows will also have opportunities to collaborate with one another as a cohort. It is hoped that the fellowship will not only nurture theoretical debate but also bring about policy change and reform.

Eligibility Criteria

• Ideal fellows are specialists who can see beyond the parochialisms of their field and possess the tenacity to complete a project of exceptional merit. 
• Proposals will be accepted from anywhere in the world, although demonstrable proficiency in spoken and written English is required. 
• Applicants should possess and demonstrate a deep understanding of the major themes embedded within the proposition above and be willing to work in a cohort of fellows with diverse occupational, geographic, and ideological profiles. 
• Successful applicants should be eager to exploit the many resources offered by the Open Society Foundations and be prepared to engage constructively with their global network.

Ineligibility Criteria

• The fellowship does not fund enrollment for degree or nondegree study at academic institutions, including dissertation research.
• This is a fellowship for individuals only; proposals from organizations or individuals acting on behalf of organizations will not be accepted.

Benefits

1. Fellows will receive a stipend of $80,000 or $100,000, depending on work experience, seniority, and current income. The stipend does not necessarily equal the applicant’s current salary.
2. In addition to the stipend, fellows will receive a project budget. That budget may include expenses such as travel (including airfare and hotel), visa costs, part-time research assistance, conference fees and health insurance. Fellowship expenses should not include operational or programmatic costs, such as employees and physical infrastructure. The purpose of the fellowship is to support individual fellows; therefore, the program will cover mainly individual expenses.
3. The fellowship does not fund enrollment for degree or non-degree study at academic institutions, including dissertation research.
4. Please note that under federal tax rules applicable to U.S. private foundations, the Open Society Foundations cannot support lobbying activities so projects that include lobbying activities will not be funded.

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