South African Institute opens applications for ninth writing fellowship  

This year’s fellowship will focus on the theme of Global Blackness, examining the diversity of Black experiences, intellectual traditions, and theories across different regions and time periods.

JIAS is now accepting applications from scholars, creative practitioners, and thought leaders who wish to contribute to this area of study.

According to Global South Opportunities, the fellowship invites applications from established individuals in the academic and creative fields.

Applicants must present a clear motivation and project proposal for their writing or creative work during the residency.

JIAS welcomes proposals that involve interdisciplinary, exploratory, or collective projects, particularly those that emphasize Johannesburg as an ideal location for these endeavours.

This means that JIAS is open to project ideas that combine different fields of study, explore new ideas, or involve multiple people working together.

They especially encourage projects that can benefit from being based in Johannesburg.

Selected fellows will receive several benefits during their time at JIAS. These include:

The program offers fellows an immersive environment for experimental research and creative production, allowing them to focus entirely on their projects without the usual academic responsibilities like teaching and administrative tasks.

To be eligible, applicants with a PhD must provide proof of published work or research projects. Creative practitioners without a PhD should have a solid record of exhibitions, projects, or cross-disciplinary work.

JIAS prefers candidates from Global South regions and is especially interested in women or gender-diverse individuals of colour.

Interested applicants must submit the following documents as PDFs to [email protected] with the subject line: 2025 Writing Fellowship Application Your Full Name:

The deadline for applications is January 4, 2025, at midnight SAST. Long-listed applicants will be interviewed virtually in early February 2025.