Still of the British Academy sign on the building

A manifesto for the humanities and social sciences

A manifesto for the Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts

The British Academy's manifesto sets out three ways the next government can utilise the vast potential of the humanities and social sciences. From artificial intelligence to climate change, our disciplines provide crucial insights to address today’s complex challenges and shape a better future for everyone.

We are the British Academy

Discover the British Academy – the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. Our autumn events programme showcases the pioneering thinkers, leading lights, and inspiring humanities and social sciences research changing our world for the better.

British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding

The British Academy Book Prize, worth £25,000, is awarded annually for a non-fiction book that promotes global cultural understanding.

Journal of the British Academy relaunched

The Journal of the British Academy has been relaunched to improve access to its diverse range of world-class SHAPE research. The Journal has expanded its scope, spotlighting interdisciplinary research from across the British Academy, including from British Academy Fellows, its funded research programmes, and academic events and activities.

British Academy SHAPE Observatory

Bringing independence, authority and objectivity, the SHAPE Observatory monitors the health and development of the humanities and social sciences

The COVID Decade

Historic and Geographic Patterns of Health Inequalities

Evidence report

In November 2021, the British Academy, in partnership with the Academy of Medical Sciences, convened a roundtable on geographic and historic patterns of health inequalities in the UK. The roundtable followed a request from the UK government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) in June 2021 to explore the geographic factors associated with historically poorer public health outcomes over the last 200 years.

The COVID Decade: understanding the long-term societal impacts of COVID-19

Evidence report

The British Academy was asked by the Government Office for Science to produce an independent review on the long-term societal impacts of COVID-19. This report outlines the evidence across a range of areas, building upon a series of expert reviews, engagement, synthesis and analysis across the SHAPE research community. It shows that COVID-19 has generated a series of social, economic and cultural effects which will have long-term impacts.

Shaping the COVID decade: addressing the long-term societal impacts of COVID-19

Policy report

The British Academy has undertaken the substantial task of beginning to answer the longer-term question about what the societal impacts of COVID-19 will be and how we address them. This report sets out an interrelated set of nine areas of long-term impact, seven strategic policy goals and five key principles of a facilitative policy environment for 2030. We aim here to provide decision-makers with a sense of how to start to respond to these longer-term impacts based on the current evidence, and how to shape the COVID decade.

Global Challenges Research Fund policy briefings

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) is a £1.5 billion fund that supports researchers seeking to address challenges faced by developing countries and forms part of the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). The GCRF addresses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The British Academy runs programmes through the GCRF that are challenge-led and interdisciplinary.

Support the British Academy

Support us

As a charity, we rely on donations and gifts from individuals and organisations to invest in researchers and projects across the UK and overseas, engage the public with fresh thinking and debates, and bring together scholars, government, business and civil society to influence policy for the benefit of everyone.

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