The German Research Foundation (DFG) has recently announced the results of the Excellence Strategy competition for the second funding phase, starting in January 2026. We are pleased to share that the Cluster of Excellence “Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS) has been selected for continued funding.

This renewal affirms the outstanding academic quality and societal relevance of the Cluster’s work. Since its establishment in 2019, SCRIPTS has investigated the internal and external challenges faced by liberal democracies from a global and interdisciplinary perspective. The renewed support will allow us to continue and deepen this research over the coming years.

The second funding phase will be guided by the overarching question of democratic resilience. We will explore why democracies come under pressure and how they adapt and endure in the face of those pressures. This focus will enable us to contribute to major scholarly debates and to inform public discourse on one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

We thank all Cluster members for their dedication and engagement that was crucial for SCRIPTS’ success. We are also grateful to our partner institutions, collaborators, and broader community for their continued support.

Preparations for the new phase, SCRIPTS 2.0, are already underway. More information about future activities will be published here in the coming weeks.