01 Nov 07

Wilhelm Furtwangler, one of the conservative music composers in the Weimar Republic who will be the subject of postdoctoral research

Oxford Humanities and Social Sciences have scooped a quarter of the 2007 British Academy post-doctoral Fellowships, more than any other university. Grants totalling £1.7m will launch the careers of 11 young academics and support their research for the next three years.

The new Fellows, eight of whom are in the Humanities, have all recently completed their doctorates and are drawn both from within Oxford and from other universities in the UK and abroad. Their research interests reflect the diversity of the Humanities at Oxford: from radical religion in 17th century England to the music of the Weimar Republic and from Christian thought in Late Antique Iran to the philosophy of higher order vagueness.

The Humanities Division Research team provides dedicated support for postdoctoral and other research applications. This includes advice to the applicants and special training events. Applicants for postdoctoral fellowships are also mentored by senior academics. This support will be further developed over the next year with the creation of a dedicated website for research applications, including guidance notes and case studies. There is also on induction day for the new Fellows providing information about living and researching in Oxford.

Dr Eleni Kechagia, one of the 2006 post-doctoral Fellows and based in the Classics Faculty said: ‘I was drawn to Oxford by the excellent opportunities available to Humanities researchers. I have found that the world class Faculties provide opportunities to work with the best researchers and also an environment that offers continuing support in developing the best research prospects.'

Professor Sally Shuttleworth, Head of the Humanities Division said: ‘These awards are a testimony to the high quality of graduate students drawn to Oxford and to the academics and Faculties who nurture them. Postdoctoral research in the Humanities has expanded dramatically in the last five years, but more importantly has been the improvement in the quality of research opportunities. This has also been a great success for the Divisional Research Team whose work enables us to take full advantage of Oxford’s academic excellence.’