Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL), Leipzig

The Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography in Leipzig, Germany, invites applications for its

Journalist in Residence Fellowship (f/m/d)

in the framework of the KonKoop research network (Cooperation and Conflict in Eastern Europe: The Consequences of the Reconfiguration of Political, Economic, and Social Spaces since the End of the Cold War). This project is based at the Cartography and Visual Communication (KVK) department of IfL, where the KonKoop project focuses on researching and producing maps and visualisations related to peace and conflict in Eastern Europe. IfL coordinates the Multi-Perspective Visualisation Laboratory for Peace and Conflict Cartography (VisLab) which supports KonKoop researchers in applying cartographic methods to visualise their case studies and research findings. To further the VisLab discussions on outreach and transfer, we are interested in hosting a journalist in residence who has experience or interests in working with cartographic material, visual storytelling and/or mapping methods. Prospective fellows are welcome to apply for a one-month stay between January and March 2026 at the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL) in Leipzig. The fellowship scheme is administered by the IfL and financed by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space within the KonKoop network.

Background

The IfL conducts basic research on the regional geography of Germany and Europe and communicates its research findings to a wider public. The Cartography and Visual Communication department explores the production and use of geospatial representations. The department supports scientific networks and teams in finding suitable visualisations for their research findings and develops new forms of representations that reflect contemporary media, methods and technical possibilities. In particular, the department takes up critical cartography methods both in map analysis and mapmaking approaches.

The KonKoop research network comprises six academic institutions from across Germany and is associated with numerous partners worldwide. The network examines various conflict constellations and cooperation dynamics in Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus. IfL is participating in KonKoop through its Multi-perspective Visualisation Laboratory for Peace and Conflict Cartography (VisLab). The VisLab supports the competencies of the KonKoop network in analysing, using and producing maps and geovisualisations that address conflicts in Eastern Europe. Different outputs of KonKoop (maps, visualisations, mapping tools) will be combined to assemble the Visualising Conflict/Peace Atlas as the digital output of the project. For further detail see here project KonKoop and Multi-perspective laboratory for peace and conflict cartography – KonKoop.

The fellowship scheme

The fellowship scheme has been set up to support the exchange between academic and non-academic communities and to stimulate knowledge production and transfer focusing on the cartography of peace and conflict. This fellowship call invites applications from journalists who employ cartographic methods or who are interested in developing critical or artistic mapping projects. As a fellow, you will conduct research during this period on a topic of your choice related to societal and political effects of conflict maps, use of maps in journalistic media, innovative mapping and digital methods in media, representing multiple perspectives on peace and conflict, and so on. The activity plan should be envisioned in connection with the production of the Visualising Conflict/Peace Atlas, as well as producing your own journalistic output, preferably in formats related to visual journalism and cartographic storytelling. There are no regional or disciplinary restrictions. The fellowship duration is one month.

• The fellows receive a monthly stipend of €1,050 and additional €750 to cover travel costs.
• The guest stay should take place until the end of March 2026.
• The fellows will have their own working desk and access to the institutional library, the geographical archive and other facilities. They will also receive support from senior researchers and technical staff experienced in the field of mapmaking and visualisation.
• The fellowships are explicitly output-oriented, i.e., they should be developed with a precise goal in mind: atlas entries, joint publications, project applications, workshops, outreach products, exhibitions etc.

Application

Please send your application as a single PDF document with the subject: "KonKoop Research Fellow 2025” to personal(at)leibniz-ifl.de. The application documents must include an up-to-date curriculum vitae (one or two pages, including the most relevant publications or cartographic, art and design projects) and a letter of motivation, not exceeding 1,000 words, which clarifies your activity plan.

The IfL advocates professional equality for all genders. We value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic or social origin, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation. Severely disabled applicants are given preference in case of equal suitability.

We kindly ask you to refrain from sending a photo as part of the application. Information on how we protect your data can be found on our website.

Application deadline: 15 December 2025

The results will be announced by the end of December 2025.

Contact and questions