Current Topic
In search of a common cause - In 2026, eight remarkable individuals from the fields of science, media, business, and culture will come together at the Thomas Mann House in Los Angeles to address issues related to the annual topic: In Search of a Common Cause.
What roles do government, business, and civil society play in fostering solidarity between seemingly opposing identities, groups, and geopolitical alliances? How does solidarity operate when people appear to be at odds not only over some specific issues, but also the very fundamentals of what constitutes the common good as well? Finally, what could concepts of solidarity and common cause look like in the 21st century?
Previous Annual Topics
2025 Topic: Across Boundaries
In 2025, fourteen remarkable individuals from the fields of science, media, business, and culture will come together at the Thomas Mann House in Los Angeles to address issues related to the annual topic “Across Boundaries.” Due to the fires in Los Angeles and the subsequent months-long closure of the Thomas Mann House, some fellowships must be made up for in the next year.
2024 Topic: Democracy and Vulnerability
How vulnerable is democracy? How can democracy learn to overcome weak points and what responsibility does it bear to the most vulnerable in society? In 2024, thirteen Thomas Mann Fellows discuss the topic of "Democracy and Vulnerability."
2023 Topic: The Political Mandate of the Arts
The freedom of art is one of the commandments of every democracy. But what role does art play when democracies comes under pressure? In 2023 twelve Fellows deal with the the topic, "The Political Mandate of the Arts"