Anthropology Research Bulletin

John Fell Fund - EOIs for Trinity Term 2026

Please note that we are now past the internal deadline for costing assistance requests for the John Fell Fund - TT26. 

Hazem Ben-Gacem Tunisian Collaboration and Research Grants

This award, of up to £5,000 each, is open to DPhils and academics working in the fields of humanities or social sciences at the University of Oxford, with the aim of supporting field research in Tunisia and collaborative projects with Tunisian scholars. All application materials should be sent by email to tunisia-oxford@sant.ox.ac.uk.

Mid-Career Researcher Incentives Scheme - Round 3

The Mid-Career Researcher (MCR) Incentives Pilot Scheme, launched by the Social Sciences Division, will support MCRs in securing large research grants, defined as grants valued at £400,000 or more FEC and lasting three years or longer. Applicants looking to apply through SAME should be between 5 and 15 years post PhD. Please note that the department is not able to offer teaching buyout as part of this scheme.

Please note that we are now past the internal deadline for Expressions of Interest to this scheme. 

Funding opportunities for Policy Engagement

The University of Oxford offers dedicated funding for policy engagement, supporting policy-relevant projects, project components, partnerships, and events. Colleagues can also access information on external funding opportunities for policy-facing work.

Please contact research@anthro.ox.ac.uk if you are interested in applying to any of these calls.

To discuss any of these options further, contact the Policy Engagement Team at researchandpublicpolicy@admin.ox.ac.uk.

SDG Impact Fund

Are you looking to deliver an impactful Knowledge Exchange project in collaboration with non-academic partners? Is your work aligned with one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, either domestically or internationally? If yes, then this annual call, funded by Oxford’s ESRC Impact Acceleration Account, could be for you!

Projects of all scales and types - with starting dates after June 2026 – are welcome to apply for up to £15k to support either new KE activity or follow-on activity. Do take a look at all the call-related information on the call page to check for eligibility and process of application.

For general questions about the scheme or application process, to discuss eligibility and project ideas, and for signposting to further sources of support, please contact esrciaa@socsci.ox.ac.uk. Please contact research@anthro.ox.ac.uk as soon as possible if you are interested in applying to this call and no later than Monday, 23rd March 2026.

Note: UKRI is currently reviewing its funding portfolio to transition to a new investment framework. Some competitive funding calls (mostly applicant led, responsive mode) have been paused. We expect to hear more from the UKRI on progress of this review in the spring. The funding pause involves BBSRC, MRC and EPSRC.

Links for more information: ​More information about UKRI review of investment approach, pause in funding calls and an open letter from Ian Chapman (UKRI)

Pre-announcement: ESRC React Awards (pilot)

React awards enable time-critical research to support policymakers and practitioners delivering frontline public services in the UK. Researchers must work with public sector partners to respond to emerging and urgent evidence needs and deliver impactful outputs within six months. Awards between £50-100k are expected to be made, and the scheme is expected to open in April, and published guidelines may be changed or updated then. 

Pre-announcement: ESRC Connect Awards (pilot)

Connect awards foster connections between researchers to scope, seed and grow emerging research fields and new areas of inquiry. The opportunity provides a space for early collaboration on ideas within and beyond the social sciences that are novel, exploratory and high-risk, helping to build the foundations for future strategically important research and innovation. Awards between £50-100k are expected to be made, and the scheme is expected to open in April, and published guidelines may be changed or updated then. 

Pre-announcement: UKRI Translation: Proof of Concept

The UKRI Proof of Concept funding opportunity aims to support and accelerate the development of new or improved technologies, products, processes, and services arising from research activities at eligible UK research organisations. The scheme is expected to open on 4th March 2026, and published guidelines may be changed or updated then. Eligibility of projects may be restricted, please do go through the linked page carefully for details. Please contact research@anthro.ox.ac.uk by the 10th of March if you plan to apply. Please note that the number of applicants that can be supported may be capped. 

UKRI Translation: AHRC Proof of Concept

UKRI Translation: AHRC Proof of Concept supports arts and humanities activity that translate previously funded AHRC/UKRI projects into real world economic, societal, cultural or policy impact. This opportunity was previously known as AHRC responsive mode: follow-on funding for impact and engagement. Open call – no closing date.

Pre-Announcement: British Election Study 2027-2032

Apply for the opportunity to run the British Election Study between 2027 and 2037, and the funding for the 2029 UK general election in Great Britain and surveys aligned to local elections. The call is not yet open, and details on eligibility and requirements on the linked page may change – please contact research@anthro.ox.ac.uk if you plan to apply.

International Placement Scheme 2026

Apply to undertake a funded placement at an international cultural institution by 19th March 2026 at 4:00pm. You must be either a PhD student currently funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) or the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for specific opportunities, or an early career researcher based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding 
Placements are available at the following institutions: 

• United States: Harry Ransom Center, Huntington Library, Library of Congress, 
• Smithsonian Institution, Yale Centre for British Art 
• Japan: National Institutes for the Humanities (NIHU) 
• China: Shanghai Theatre Academy 

View the international placement scheme details from UKRI website.

Metascience research grants round 2

Apply for funding to undertake cutting-edge Metascience research into more effective ways of conducting and supporting research and development (R&D), including the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), how to optimise research institutions and the challenges of measuring research excellence.

This call is now open; details are available on eligibility and requirements on the linked page – please contact research@anthro.ox.ac.uk by 15th March 2026.

ESRC responsive mode: research grants round two

This opportunity funds researcher-driven basic, applied, and strategic research from any disciplines and on any topics in ESRC’s remit. This includes standard research projects, methodological development, large-scale surveys or other infrastructures. The full economic cost of your project can range from £350,000 to £1 million. The duration of the award is up to five years. Open call – no closing date.

ESRC responsive mode: secondary data analysis round two

Individuals and research teams can apply for funding to support high-impact, policy-and-practitioner-relevant research through deeper exploitation of existing data resources from any disciplines and on any topics in ESRC’s remit. The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £300,000. Open call – no closing date.

ESRC responsive mode: UKRI-SBE lead agency opportunity round two

The UKRI-SBE lead agency funding opportunity allows UK and US-based researchers to submit a collaborative proposal that will go through a single review process. Grants are funded through existing funding programmes at the relevant lead agency. Open call – no closing date.

Daphne Jackson Fellowship

These fellowships are for those looking to return to a research career after a break. You must be eligible for UKRI funding. Open call - no closing date. 

AHRC responsive mode: Curiosity Award

Flexible awards to fund fundamental research that leads to new research agendas, networking activity and idea generation, which enables the development of further research opportunities and new research agendas. Please contact research@anthro.ox.ac.uk if you plan to apply. Open call - no closing date. 

British Academy International Fellowships 2026

Please note that we are now past internal deadlines to support applications to this scheme. 

Royal Society Newton International Fellowships 2026

Please note that we are now past internal deadlines to support applications to this scheme. 

Join the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network

The University of Oxford is now a consortium partner of the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network (BA ECRN) – South East branch. The BA ECRN is a network to help, support, develop and empower early career colleagues undertaking Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (SHAPE) research in the UK. Any colleague with up to 10 years of research experience in SHAPE disciplines since obtaining their PhD (or equivalent) and who is based in the South East region can sign up to the network.

Membership provides access to:

• Transdisciplinary and inter-institutional networking that could lead to new research collaborations
• Seed funding for research projects (up to £5K)
• Up to £300 for development outside of BA ECRN activity or conferences
• Travel funds to attend BA ECRN events

None at the moment. 

FYSSEN Foundation - Postdoctoral Study Grants

The FYSSEN Foundation has opened its call for Postdoctoral Study Grants, supporting research on cognitive mechanisms underlying animal and human behaviour. Eligible fields include ethology, psychology, neurobiology, social anthropology, and human palaeontology or archaeology. Grants of up to €45,000 per year fund a first postdoctoral position of 12 or 24 months. Applications are currently open and close on March 31, 2026.

Please note that departmental restrictions apply to this scheme, and a candidate's ability to join the department on this scheme may be subject to visa restrictions and bench fees. Do get in touch with research@anthro.ox.ac.uk by 10th March if you are interested in this scheme. 

Fireside Writing Chats: Crafting Worlds Through Ethnography and Nonfiction

All Souls College, Oxford. Occasional Thursdays, 5-6.30pm, facilitated by Professor Alpa Shah and Dr Maxim Bolt

These gatherings offer an intimate look at the craft behind ethnography and other nonfiction books rooted in deep, sustained research. Some of the most thoughtful voices share their work and reflect on why and how they write, exploring the blurred lines between scholarship, art, and public engagement. The conversations bring together a vibrant, supportive community of anthropologists and kindred writers dedicated to writing that engages the world — and helps imagine a more just and liveable one. 

• 4th June 2026 (Room tbc). Bart van Es discussing his “The Cut Out Girl: A Story of War and Family, Lost and Found”

Full details of visiting fellowships  

Looking for AI support for your research project? Did you know the AI and ML Competency Centre provides technical guidance, training, and hands-on demonstrations for projects from across the University? Read here how the team have been supporting innovative research across Oxford. Whether academics are exploring AI for the first time or looking to build more advanced applications, the Centre is here to provide the tools, knowledge and confidence to take ideas forward. If you have a project that could benefit from the Centre’s expertise, get in touch through the expression of interest form.

The Academic Writing Community is a drop in writing group for SSD DPhils and Early Career Researchers which meets weekly during term time, follow the link here for more details.

The Bodleian Libraries is delighted to launch SHOx (Short-form Hosting at Oxford), a new hosting service supporting Oxford’s community of scholars in publishing short-form research titles such as journals, working paper collections, and conference proceedings. Developed in partnership with the Public Knowledge Project (PKP), SHOx offers an intuitive, open-source publishing workflow through Open Journal Systems (OJS), ensuring full control over editorial processes and peer review. As a diamond open access platform, SHOx enables free publishing and reading for all, enhancing visibility, accessibility, and impact of Oxford research. Staff and student-led titles are invited to join this growing community for scholarly publishing at Oxford.