ISRF First Book Grant
Notify Faculty of Intention to Apply by: 1 October 2024
Funder Deadline: 1 November 2024
The Independent Social Research Foundation wishes to support recent PhD graduates in their effort to turn their PhD thesis into a publishable book.
Researchers may apply from across the social sciences and the humanities. The ISRF is looking for innovative and groundbreaking research that will develop new methodological approaches and break with existing explanatory frameworks. Projects ranging across the breadth of the social scientific disciplines and interdisciplinary research fields are welcome, and relevant applications from scholars working within the humanities are also encouraged.
Eligibility - Scholars from within Europe are eligible to apply. Candidates must have been awarded their PhD and should be within three years of PhD award at the time of application (career breaks, such as periods of medical leave, parental leave, or caring commitments, will be taken into account), and should not already hold a permanent position within academia. The awards are intended as providing a stipend to allow applicants full or partial support for the conversion of their PhD thesis into a book and relief from non-academic work (including domestic care) for a period of up to one year.
A final publication contract need not be in place at the time of application. However, applicants should have developed a specific publication plan, and describe any of their preliminary inquiries to publishers.
Award Duration and Value - Up to 12 months. The award period must begin no later than the end of December 2025 and awardees would be expected – by the end of the award period – to have produced a manuscript for submission to publishers. Award values will depend on individual circumstances.
Applicants seeking an affiliation in the UK must apply in GBP (£), up to the limit of £35,000, of which no more than £28,750 may be allocated to the cost-of-living stipend. Research expenses may be requested to cover necessary additional fieldwork trips, transcription, copy-editing, illustration costs etc. Reasonable childcare or other domestic costs may be considered.
How to Apply - Applicants must submit a complete application form, including: an anonymised Project Proposal form (2200 words total); an anonymised Bibliography, limited to two sides of A4 (uploaded as an additional attachment); an anonymised Budget; a link to their final PhD thesis in an online repository (if available); a list of relevant publications and academic activities; and contact details for a referee.
Please notify research@law.ox.ac.uk if you are planning to apply by 1 October 2024 - note that this is mandatory and note that where applicants wish to be bought out from existing employment (either wholly or in part) they must confirm that their institution is aware of their application and provide the funder with relevant contact details.
Applicants are expected to submit their complete application electronically via the online application system, in English. Completed applications must arrive – via the online application system – no later than 5pm GMT, 1 November 2024. A candidate may submit only one application.