News: research and funding


On this page, we report on the latest news about research and funding in the world of socio-legal studies. This can include information from the major UK funders, launches of research projects or research centres, calls for collaboration, in fact, any aspect of academic research that is of interest to socio-legal scholars.

Items will usually be retained for a period of about three months, or until any significant dates have passed.

If you would like a news item included on this page. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


Latest  research news . . .

First 100 Years: Paving the Way – new scheme to support 30 law students


Funding bodies and other related organisations

AcSS

AHRC

British Academy

British Library

Criminal Cases Review Commission

ESRC

Higher Education Academy

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Law and Society Association

Legal Education Research Network

Levehulme Trust

Ministry of Justice

National Archives

National Centre for Research Methods

Nuffield Foundation

Research methods

Restorative Justice Council

Science and Technology Select Committee

Sociolegal Model-Making Project

UK Administrative Justice Institute

UK Research and Innovation

University of Leeds

Women and Leadership International

Other


Academy of Social Sciences

The Academy of Social Sciences (AcSS) is the voice of social sciences in the UK.

The Academy is composed of over 800 individual academicians and 44 learned societies. Academicians are distinguished scholars and practitioners from academia and the public and private sectors. Most of the learned societies (including the SLSA) in the social sciences in the United Kingdom are represented within the Academy.

Please visit the AcSS website for full details.

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AHRC

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British Academy

British Academy: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Led by or Actively Involving Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities – call for applications

The aim of this call is to support ODA-eligible international research collaborations between humanities and social sciences researchers in the UK and researchers in Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam and/or Least Developed Countries on climate change adaptation and mitigation led by or actively involving indigenous peoples and local communities. Applications that are not considered ODA-eligible will not be taken forward through the assessment process.

Applications are welcome to work across the humanities and social sciences. See website for details. Call closes: 10 April 2024.

British Academy ODA Challenge-Oriented Research Grants 2024: call for applications

The aim of this call is to provide opportunities for researchers based in the UK and Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam and/or Least Developed Countries to develop and/or deepen international research collaborations on internationally focused ODA-eligible research projects on specific global challenges. The Academy does not have any pre-determined ideas regarding the exact type of project, outputs, and dissemination of the research other than that it must be policy-relevant. See website for details. Call closes: 10 April 2024.

British Academy International Fellowships 2024: call for applications 

The International Fellowships Programme provides support for outstanding early career researchers to make a first step towards developing an independent research career through gaining experience across international borders. Each award is expected to involve a specific and protected research focus with the award holder undertaking high quality, original research. See website for details. Closing date: 13 March 2024.

Horizon Europe Pump Priming Collaboration between UK and EU Partners 2024: call for applications

The British Academy with the support of the Royal Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Royal Academy of Engineering are inviting proposals from UK and EU/Associated Countries-based researchers to pump prime collaborations to support the effective uptake of the opportunities provided by the UK’s association to Horizon Europe. Proposals are welcome in all disciplines – engineering, natural sciences, medical and health sciences, humanities, and social sciences.  See website for details. Closing date: 21 February 2024.

British Academy: Innovation Fellowships Scheme Route B: Policy-led 2023-24: open for applications

The Innovation Fellowships scheme is a dual-route scheme designed to enable researchers in the humanities and social sciences to partner with organisations and businesses in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors in order to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. See website for details. Closing date: 28 February 2024.

British Academy Additional Needs funding

The British Academy has set aside specific funding to support additional needs that applicants and award holders may require. This funding would be in addition to the amount already requested for research expenses. See website for details.

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British Library

Social welfare portal

Please visit the social welfare portal, test the service, and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. your feedback. You can also read a blog post about the portal.

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ESRC

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Higher Education Academy

The Higher Education Academy (HEA) provides services to the higher education sector for individual learning and teaching professionals, senior managers in institutions and for subject and discipline groups. Please visit website for further information.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) is an endowed charity that funds a large, UK-wide research and development programme. It seeks to understand the root causes of social problems, to identify ways of overcoming then and to show how social needs can be met in practice.

Please visit the website for more information.

Artificial Intelligence for Public Good: new Joseph Rowntree Foundation project 

Following on from last year’s Social Justice in a Digital Age work, the JRF is launching a new project on the potential for AI to generate public good. See website for details.


Law and Society Association 

The Law and Society Association was set up in the USA in 1964 to support its members in developing theoretical and empirical understandings of law. See the website for full details.


Legal Education Research Network

For information on the Legal Education Research Network (LERN) please see website.


Leverhulme Trust

Leverhulme Trust newsletter

The Trust publishes a newsletter three times per year. 

Leverhulme Trust Major Research Fellowships: open for applications

Applications are invited from well-established, distinguished researchers in the humanities and social sciences to complete a piece of original research. See website for details. Closing date: 10 May 2024.

Leverhulme Research Centres funding: call for applications

In its 2024 call, the Board of the Leverhulme Trust is seeking applications strongly led by the arts, humanities and social sciences. Funding of up tp £10 million for up to 10 years is available. See website for details. Closing date: 7 June 2024.

Leverhulme Trust: Reseach Project Grants

Research Project Grants – outline applications are welcome at any time.


Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice: Areas of research interest

The Ministry of Justice has recently published its Areas of Research Interest. This document can be found here. It highlights the Ministry of Justice’s strategic evidence gaps with a focus on long-term and cross-cutting gaps in understanding. The aim is also to engage with the external community to expand and deepen the department’s underpinning evidence base. The Chief Social Researchers at the Ministry of Justice are keen to hear from researchers working on any of the strategic evidence gaps outlined in the Areas of Research Interest. Please do get in touch and describe in a few sentences what you are doing. The email address is: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Court statistics

View the latest court statistics: published quarterly.

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 National Centre for Research Methods

The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) is a network of research groups, each conducting research and training in social science research methods. It is co-ordinated from a hub in the University of Southampton and nodes across UK universities. NCRM provides a focal point for research, training and capacity-building activities. These activities are aimed at promoting a step change in the quality and range of methodological skills and techniques used by the UK social science community, and providing support for, and dissemination of, methodological innovation and excellence within the UK.

The NCRM provides regular email bulletins. To register, please visit the subscriptions page. The centre also runs regular training events.


Nuffield Foundation

The Nuffield Foundation is a charitable trust established in 1943 by William Morris, Lord Nuffield, the founder of Morris Motors. Lord Nuffield wanted to contribute to improvements in society, including the expansion of education and the alleviation of disadvantage. He called this the ‘advancement of social well-being’, and emphasised the importance of education, training and research in achieving that goal. Today, the foundation works to improve social well-being by funding research and innovation in education and social policy. the foundation is also increasing the proliferation and quality of research and professional skills – both in science and social sciences – through its capacity-building programmes. See website for further details.

Nuffield Foundation: Research, Development and Analysis Fund – call for applications

These grants are awarded to projects that inform the design and operation of social policy and practice across the Foundations' three core areas of Education, Welfare and Justice. See website for further details. Closing date for outline applications: 11 March 2024.

Nuffield Foundation: Invitation to tender for a young people participation pathway feasibility pilot evaluation

The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory is inviting tenders for a process evaluation of a feasibility pilot delivering a new Young People Participation Pathway enabling 12–18 year olds in public law care proceedings to participate through regular discussions with the judge. See website for details. Closing date: 22 March 2024.

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Research Cluster in Law, Justice and Society, Oxford

A new Research Cluster in Law, Justice and Society has been launched at Wolfson College, in collaboration with the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society (FLJS). The research cluster will join several other research clusters created under the guidance of college President, Professor Hermione Lee, which draw on the outstanding scholarly strengths and interests within the college to foster innovative approaches to interdisciplinary research.

Please see flyer for further details or visit the cluster website.

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Restorative Justice Council

Access to and experiences of restorative justice for BAME young people

The Restorative Justice Council is embarking on a research project to gain a better understanding of the access to and experiences of restorative justice for BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) young people who have offended. In addition to a lack of research in relation to BAME young people and criminal justice, there is also a perception among some practitioners that there are problems in effectively engaging and delivering restorative interventions with this group. The aim of the research is to develop practical solutions for the restorative field and recommendations for change to future policy development.

For more information please contact the RJC’s senior research officer This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


Sociolegal Model-Making Project

The Sociolegal Model Making Project explores the risks and rewards of using design-based strategies, and model-making in particular, to enhance socio-legal research – that is, research that interprets law as a social phenomenon.

Please see website for details.

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UK Research and Innovation

Operating across the whole of the UK with a combined budget of more than £6 billion, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)  brings together the seven Research Councils, Innovate UK and Research England. Research England will work closely with its partner organisations in the devolved administrations.

UKRI pre-announcement: Future Leaders Fellowships

This funding supports ambitious research and innovation by early career researchers or innovators across UK Research and Innovation's remit. See website for details. The scheme opens on 29 February and applications close on 18 June 2024

UKRI Funding Finder

This UKRI webpage provides a comprehensive list of all UK Research Councils' funding schemes currently open.

UKRI to improve support for research students through new deal

UKRI has published plans to improve support for students studying towards doctorates and other research degrees, through a new deal for postgraduate research. See website for full story.

UKRI Open Access Policy Update 

UKRI has published updated information to support funded research organisations and researchers to meet its new open access policy. See website for details.


Other

First 100 Years: Paving the Way – new scheme to support 30 law students

This 10th anniversary scheme aims to support 30 law students across three years of study. See announcement for details.