The Modern Humanities Research Association

The Modern Humanities Research Association is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1064670).

The Modern Humanities Research Association is a charity registered in England and Wales that encourages and promotes advanced study and research in the modern humanities, especially modern European languages and literature, including English, and also cinema. It makes Conference Grants to support up to ten colloquia each year. It also provides post-doctoral support through Research Fellowships and Research Scholarships, and its annual giving was £245,621.

Priority Areas

The Association encourages and promotes advanced study and research in modern humanities, especially modern and medieval European languages, literatures and cultures, including English and the Slavonic languages, as well as cinema. It supports conferences and colloquia that disseminate research and lead to new scholarly publication, while providing opportunities for postgraduates and early-career academics. Its schemes support established scholarly projects through postdoctoral research assistance and early-career scholars revising doctoral work for publication. Conference grants go to organisers, while research support is provided through projects and universities. The Association values academic calibre, scholarly value, intellectual rigour, research dissemination and early-career development.

Themes

• Modern humanities
• European languages and literature
• Cinema
• Conference support
• Postdoctoral research

Geographic Focus

The United Kingdom; the Republic of Ireland.

Conference Grant Fund organisers submit the application form by email to the Conference Grants Officer before the closing time. Research Fellowship applications are made by project directors or lead investigators, who email a full description of the project and planned Research Fellow role.

Deadlines:

• Conference Grant Fund applications close in late April.
• Research Fellowship applications close in late February.

Application windows:

• Conference Grant Fund: Single application round; deadline in April
• Research Fellowships: Applications are open; closing date in February
• Research Scholarships in the Modern European Languages: Applications are open; deadline in April

Who can apply:

• Conference Grant Fund: Applications will only be accepted from conference organisers, who will normally hold an established permanent academic position at a university in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. Postgraduate students are not eligible to apply.
• Research Fellowships: Applicants will be directors of established research projects in the Modern Humanities and will normally hold a permanent academic position at a university in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland.

What to send:

• Conference Grant Fund: Application form.
• Research Fellowships: Two independent referees' references, sent directly to the Research Grants Officer before the closing date.
• Research Scholarships in the Modern European Languages
  • Application form, including a publication plan of no more than two sides of A4, 11pt.
  • List of higher educational qualifications, including grade and awarding institution; if not yet graduated, the date of formal confirmation of the PhD award following satisfactory completion of any post-viva revisions.
  • A reference from the applicant's supervisor and the Examiners’ Report.
  • A statement from the Head of the Department/School setting out the benefits the department can offer the candidate.
  • All documentation, including the reference, must be in English.

Applying again: Research Fellowships: Applications will be considered from projects which have previously held a Fellowship. Applications are also welcomed from those who have previously applied unsuccessfully, provided the conditions for eligibility continue to be met.

What the charity says:

• The Conference Grant Fund favours strongly focused conferences that lead to new publications and offer opportunities for postgraduates and early-career academics.
• A coherent refereed publication deriving from a supported conference will normally be a prerequisite for success.
• Conference applicants are expected to plan the event in advance and seek initial funding from their institution.
• Research Fellowship decisions consider the scholarly value, scope and intellectual rigour of the project, its contribution to future scholarship, editorial methods where relevant, references, and the proposed Fellow’s contribution and training.
• The Research Scholarship committee considers scholarly value, the quality of supporting references and the department’s commitment to the applicant’s career development.