Call for Proposals: Doctoral Thesis Award in Memory of Carlo Borzaga – The Role of Cooperatives in Supporting Pathways to Peace
17 Apr 2026
The ICA Committee on Cooperative Research (CCR) is pleased to share the call for proposals for the Doctoral Thesis Award in Memory of Professor Carlo Borzaga, dedicated to the theme "The role of cooperatives in supporting pathways to peace."
The Award is promoted by the Venice Foundation for Peace Research and EURICSE (European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises), under the patronage of the University of Trento, in collaboration with the ICA Committee on Cooperative Research (CCR), the EMES International Research Network, and CIRIEC International.
Launched within the framework of the 2025 United Nations International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025) — "Cooperatives Build a Better World" — the Award honours Professor Borzaga's legacy by recognising research that explores the contribution of cooperatives and social economy organisations to building more just, democratic, and peaceful societies. Critical and interdisciplinary analyses proposing new ways of conceptualising cooperatives as vehicles for peace and conflict resolution are particularly encouraged.
Award
Prize: EUR 2,500 (gross)
Application deadline: 30 June 2026, midnight CEST
Winner(s) announcement: No earlier than 1 November 2026
Publication opportunity: Awardees will be invited to publish an extract of their thesis in the Journal of Entrepreneurial and Organizational Diversity (JEOD), indexed in Scopus and published by EURICSE.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
Hold a doctoral degree from an Italian or foreign university
Doctoral thesis written in English
Thesis examining, using scientific methods, the role of cooperatives and social economy organisations in promoting peace, democracy, equality, and solidarity
Thesis defended between 1 January 2023 and 30 June 2026
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted by the deadline to euricse@euricse.eu in PDF format, including:
Abstract in English (minimum 3,000 – maximum 5,000 words), with the thesis table of contents and complete bibliography
Full text of the doctoral thesis
Doctoral degree certificate (or, if not yet available, a declaration of successful completion of the defence)
Letter of motivation, explaining the thesis's consistency with the Award objectives and how the findings will be operationalised in real-world contexts
Supervisor's (or co-supervisor's) support letter
Curriculum vitae et studiorum
Selection Criteria
Submissions will be assessed by a Selection Panel of scholars and experts in the humanities, social sciences, economics, law, and international studies, based on:
Consistency with the objectives of the Award
Methodological rigour and clarity of presentation
Scientific relevance and social impact of the results achieved
Innovativeness and originality of the research approach
Full Call for Proposals
Complete details — including context, objectives, and a tribute to Professor Carlo Borzaga (1948–2024) — are available in the attached Call for Proposals document.
The CCR warmly invites doctoral researchers, supervisors, and academic networks to share this opportunity widely within their communities.
