The Public Humanities Fellowship brings together leading practitioners working at the forefront of public humanities in the UK.
Convened by the Chair of Public Humanities at the School of Advanced Study, it is designed as a collaborative space for senior practitioners to exchange ideas, develop new work, and build partnerships that strengthen public humanities practice and visibility.
Fellows will be invited to work with us to advance the public humanities agenda within the UK and around the globe. supporting the School’s mission to advance and promote the humanities.
Fellowship objectives
- Advance the value of the humanities in public life, particularly at a moment when public appetite for humanities work is strong, even as the sector faces increasing precarity across higher education, the research system, and wider culture.
- Convene and shape national conversations about public humanities in the UK, including what the field can and should mean in practice, grounded in the expertise of practitioners with demonstrated public achievement.
- Develop innovative ways of working through public humanities, including new partnerships, creative projects, and collaborative initiatives across festivals, media, and cultural organizations.
Fellowship offer
- Participation in thriving networks of senior scholars and practitioners across a range of disciplines and areas of work
- Institutional affiliation as a Public Humanities Fellow at the School of Advanced Study, UoL (3-year term)
- Access to Senate House Library (digital and in-person), including specialist institute libraries
- Access to shared office workspace with secure storage
- School email account and professional infrastructure
- Meeting space for Fellowship-related work
- Small grants may occasionally be available for individual Fellowship initiatives (subject to availability and approval)
Fellowship Expectations
The Fellowship’s priorities and initiatives are shaped collectively by Fellows, in conversation with the School, and the Fellowship is intended to remain flexible—responsive to emerging openings, public moments, and shared priorities.
During their 3-year term, Fellows are expected to actively participate in and shape the fellowship programme by attending monthly hybrid meetings; contributing to the development and delivery of new initiatives, events and partnerships; and championing Public Humanities and the work of the fellowship more broadly.
Who should apply?
We invite applications from those who have achieved significant recognition for their work with the public while engaging deeply with issues or inquiry connected to the humanities.
Such candidates might be pursuing humanities work in higher education or research organisations; as independent scholars; or in related professional sectors, including but not limited to journalism, publishing, politics, public services, secondary or further education, galleries and museums, or other interdisciplinary work with demonstrable links to the core areas of humanities research.
Successful candidates will have nationally or internationally recognised work in their professional area, in addition to a demonstrable track record of bringing this work to broader public audiences, inclusively defined.
We define the humanities as including but not limited to classics, critical arts, culture, history, languages, literature, philosophy, politics, religion, and visual arts.
Application guidelines
Applicants will be asked to complete an online application form. The following documents will be required in English:
- A 2-3 page curriculum vitae outlining relevant achievements in Public Humanities to date
- A 1-2 page statement, which should demonstrate:
- evidence of how the applicant's career has contributed to Public Humanities to date
- clear understanding of what they understand Public Humanities to mean or do
- an example of a creative Public Humanities initiative they might develop. This is a hypothetical exercise to show the applicant’s ideas and approach. It does not commit the applicant to delivering it, and the Fellowship’s programme is shaped collectively once Fellows join.
Applications must be received by 17:00 GMT on Thursday 26 November. Questions should be directed to publichumanities@sas.ac.uk.
Contact
Questions should be directed to publichumanities@sas.ac.uk.
Public Humanities Fellowship
The Public Humanities Fellowship brings together leading practitioners working at the forefront of public humanities in the UK.
Convened by the Chair of Public Humanities at the School of Advanced Study, it is designed as a collaborative space for senior practitioners to exchange ideas, develop new work, and build partnerships that strengthen public humanities practice and visibility.
Fellows will be invited to work with us to advance the public humanities agenda within the UK and around the globe. supporting the School’s mission to advance and promote the humanities.
Fellowship objectives
- Advance the value of the humanities in public life, particularly at a moment when public appetite for humanities work is strong, even as the sector faces increasing precarity across higher education, the research system, and wider culture.
- Convene and shape national conversations about public humanities in the UK, including what the field can and should mean in practice, grounded in the expertise of practitioners with demonstrated public achievement.
- Develop innovative ways of working through public humanities, including new partnerships, creative projects, and collaborative initiatives across festivals, media, and cultural organizations.
Fellowship offer
- Participation in thriving networks of senior scholars and practitioners across a range of disciplines and areas of work
- Institutional affiliation as a Public Humanities Fellow at the School of Advanced Study, UoL (3-year term)
- Access to Senate House Library (digital and in-person), including specialist institute libraries
- Access to shared office workspace with secure storage
- School email account and professional infrastructure
- Meeting space for Fellowship-related work
- Small grants may occasionally be available for individual Fellowship initiatives (subject to availability and approval)
Fellowship Expectations
The Fellowship’s priorities and initiatives are shaped collectively by Fellows, in conversation with the School, and the Fellowship is intended to remain flexible—responsive to emerging openings, public moments, and shared priorities.
During their 3-year term, Fellows are expected to actively participate in and shape the fellowship programme by attending monthly hybrid meetings; contributing to the development and delivery of new initiatives, events and partnerships; and championing Public Humanities and the work of the fellowship more broadly.
Who should apply?
We invite applications from those who have achieved significant recognition for their work with the public while engaging deeply with issues or inquiry connected to the humanities.
Such candidates might be pursuing humanities work in higher education or research organisations; as independent scholars; or in related professional sectors, including but not limited to journalism, publishing, politics, public services, secondary or further education, galleries and museums, or other interdisciplinary work with demonstrable links to the core areas of humanities research.
Successful candidates will have nationally or internationally recognised work in their professional area, in addition to a demonstrable track record of bringing this work to broader public audiences, inclusively defined.
We define the humanities as including but not limited to classics, critical arts, culture, history, languages, literature, philosophy, politics, religion, and visual arts.
Application guidelines
Applicants will be asked to complete an online application form. The following documents will be required in English:
- A 2-3 page curriculum vitae outlining relevant achievements in Public Humanities to date
- A 1-2 page statement, which should demonstrate:
- evidence of how the applicant's career has contributed to Public Humanities to date
- clear understanding of what they understand Public Humanities to mean or do
- an example of a creative Public Humanities initiative they might develop. This is a hypothetical exercise to show the applicant’s ideas and approach. It does not commit the applicant to delivering it, and the Fellowship’s programme is shaped collectively once Fellows join.
Applications must be received by 17:00 GMT on Thursday 26 November. Questions should be directed to publichumanities@sas.ac.uk.
Contact
Questions should be directed to publichumanities@sas.ac.uk.