ifa Research Award on International Cultural Relations

Award to recognise outstanding research contributions by junior researchers in Germany who work on topics relating to international cultural relations.

Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa – Institute for Foreign Relations) is a publicly funded institution for the promotion of the peaceful coexistence of cultures. The institute is supported by the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, the state of Baden-Württemberg and its capital Stuttgart. It works with partners worldwide to promote freedom in the arts, research and civil society through international collaboration and networking.

The ifa Research Award on International Cultural Relations is aimed towards young academics who explore the significance and effectiveness of soft power, international cultural relations and Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy.

The award is offered for outstanding doctoral or Master’s thesis that explore oft power, international cultural relations and Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy and their significance and effectiveness. To be considered for the award, the work must advance the concepts of soft power, international cultural relations and Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy. It should also have practical relevance or offers applicability to cultural policy, to institutions or intercultural practice.

Suitable topics include:

• The significance of soft power.
• Principles of German and European Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy, international cultural relations and foreign arts and language policy.
• Significance of civil society for democracy and international relations.
• Intercultural dialogue.
• Culture and conflict prevention, peace research.
• Cultural exchange and cultural cooperation.
• Cultural heritage and protection of cultural assets.
• Science diplomacy, international academic and university cooperation.
• Cultural diplomacy, public diplomacy, nation branding.
• Security and international cultural relations.