Cambridge Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

Cambridge Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities
Name	Cambridge Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities
Established	2011
Location	Cambridge, England
Affiliation	University of Cambridge
Director	Sir David Cannadine

Cambridge Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities is an interdisciplinary research hub within the University of Cambridge that supports scholarship across the humanities and social sciences. It connects scholars based in faculties such as Faculty of History, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge and departments including Department of Sociology, University of Cambridge, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge to foster collaborative inquiry. The centre organises programmes, fellowships and public events that have engaged figures from institutions like British Academy, Arts and Humanities Research Council and Leverhulme Trust.

History

Founded in 2011, the centre emerged from initiatives at King's College, Cambridge, St John's College, Cambridge and Trinity College, Cambridge to create a cross-faculty platform similar to models at Institute for Advanced Study and Humanities Research Centre. Early leadership drew on scholars associated with Wolfson College, Cambridge and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and pursued partnerships with funders such as Wellcome Trust and European Research Council. Over the 2010s the centre expanded amid collaborations with units like Cambridge Judge Business School, Scott Polar Research Institute and University of Cambridge Museums. Its development intersected with initiatives linked to Research Councils UK and national projects involving National Trust and British Library.

Mission and Research Areas

The centre's mission emphasises interdisciplinary enquiry connecting traditions represented by Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages, University of Cambridge and Faculty of English, University of Cambridge. Research themes span work on topics engaged by scholars at School of Biological Sciences, University of Cambridge in bioethics, historians working on Imperialism and Industrial Revolution-era studies, political scientists studying European Union integration, and legal scholars addressing matters familiar to International Criminal Court. Projects frequently involve comparative scholarship with partners such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, Princeton University, Yale University and Stanford University.

Organisation and Governance

Governance draws on representation from colleges including Queens' College, Cambridge and Pembroke College, Cambridge and academic departments such as Department of Geography, University of Cambridge and Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge. The advisory board has included members with affiliations to institutions like British Academy, Economist Intelligence Unit and European Humanities Research Centre. Funding streams incorporate grants from bodies like Arts and Humanities Research Council, Wellcome Trust and philanthropic support from foundations like Tate Foundation and Gates Cambridge Trust. Executive leadership liaises with university offices such as Cambridge Assessment and central administration at University of Cambridge.

Programmes and Events

Programmes include visiting fellowships that attract scholars connected to Columbia University, Princeton University, University of Chicago and research clusters on subjects similar to those in projects at National Endowment for the Humanities and Getty Foundation. The event calendar features lecture series with speakers drawn from European Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and policy debates involving representatives of House of Commons committees. Signature events have been co-hosted with organisations such as Royal Society, Royal Historical Society and Cambridge Festival, and with cultural partners including Royal Opera House and British Museum.

Collaborations and Partnerships

Collaborative networks extend to museums and archives like British Library, National Archives (United Kingdom), Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge and Scott Polar Research Institute. International research partnerships have involved centres at Max Planck Society, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Deutsches Institut für Internationale Politik and Australian Research Council-funded projects. Joint work with NGOs and think tanks—such as Chatham House, International Crisis Group, RAND Corporation and Open Society Foundations—has linked scholarship to policy contexts and public engagement. Partnerships with publishers such as Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press and Routledge support dissemination.

Facilities and Resources

Physical resources include seminar rooms, a dedicated events space and office accommodation integrated with university facilities like Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge and libraries such as Cambridge University Library. The centre provides research support services interfacing with Cambridge Digital Humanities Network, high-performance computing nodes linked to National e-Infrastructure for Research and archival access facilitated through Bodleian Library exchanges. Specialist collections collaborations have drawn on holdings at Fitzwilliam Museum, Jesus College Library, Cambridge and international repositories such as Smithsonian Institution.

Notable Projects and Impact

Notable projects span comparative studies in fields represented by scholars at Department of History, University of Cambridge, cultural heritage initiatives with UNESCO, and digital humanities projects analogous to work at Oxford Internet Institute. Impact includes contributions to reports cited by bodies like House of Lords inquiries and consultations for organisations such as World Health Organization and International Monetary Fund. The centre's fellows and alumni have held appointments at British Academy, secured grants from European Research Council and published with presses including Cambridge University Press and Princeton University Press, influencing debates in arenas connected to G20 discussions and international cultural policy.

Category:Research institutes in the United Kingdom