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
Latest research news . . .
National Crime and Justice Laboratory academic lead: call for applications
British Academy Additional Needs funding
Funding bodies and other related organisations
Criminal Cases Review Commission
Legal Education Research Network
National Centre for Research Methods
Science and Technology Select Committee
Sociolegal Model-Making Project
UK Administrative Justice Institute
Women and Leadership International
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.
AHRC
AHRC responsive mode: Catalyst Award: round two open for applications
These awards support researchers without prior experience of leading a significant research project to accelerate their trajectory as independent researchers, to unlock their potential and build leadership and convenor experience. See website for details. Closing date: 30 January 2024.
AHRC DFG (German Research Foundation) research grants: open for applications
Applications are open for this joint AHRC-DFG funding to conduct arts and humanities research projects with German partners. See website for details.
AHRC Prosper Portal for early career researchers
The newly launched Prosper Portal offers free resources to help develop early careers in research, alongside the AHRC guidance for training and developing early career researchers. Prosper is a project to support early career researchers, funded by Research England. See website for details.
UKRI open access policy updated
UKRI has published updated information to support funded research organisations and researchers to meet its new open access policy. See website for details.
British Academy
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.
British Academy & JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Overseas Researchers: open for applications
This programme, hosted by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, provides opportunities for early career postdoctoral researchers based in the UK to conduct cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. The programme aims to help researchers advance their own research while contributing to the progress of research in Japan and the UK. See website for details. Closing date: 13 December 2023.
British Academy funding call: International Writing Workshops
The British Academy is inviting proposals for Writing Workshops in Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam and/or Least Developed Countries. These workshops should aim to develop the skills of early career researchers, including supporting and promoting the uptake of their research in journals and publications. See website for details. Closing date: 6 December 2023.
British Academy Additional Needs Funding: open for applications
Applications are invited for this new funding pot to support any additional needs that applicants and award holders may require. This is a rolling fund with no closing date. See website for details.
British Library
Social welfare portal
Please visit the social welfare portal, test the service, and
ESRC
National Crime and Justice Laboratory academic lead: call for applications
Applications are invited for this 12-month opportunity for a senior academic to provide leadership and strategic guidance to the National Crime and Justice Laboratory at the Home Office. See website for details. Closing date: 11 January 2024.
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.
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.
New JRF Project: Talking about homes: the foundation for a decent life
This project is based aroun a new framing strategy and recommendations to help to tell a new story about homes. 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: 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:
Court statistics
View the latest court statistics: published quarterly.
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 launches 'Changing lives for the better' programme
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.
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
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.
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 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.