The ISRF’s First Book Grant Competition is open for applications from recent PhD graduates who want to produce a publishable work.
Adam Smith
Ever considered turning your PhD thesis into a book? Here’s the perfect opportunity.
The Independent Social Research Foundation (ISRF) has a funding competition to help recent postdoctoral graduates turn their research into a publishable work.
The ISRF is offering First Book Grants of up to €41,500 or £35,000. This funding includes a cost-of-living stipend of up to €34,000 or £28,750 and up to €7,500 or £6,250 to cover reasonable research expenses such as additional fieldwork, transcription, copy-editing and illustration.
Applications are now open for innovative projects spanning the social sciences and humanities, in line with the ISRF’s mission to find new solutions to some of the world’s most pressing social issues.
It’s the second iteration of this grant competition. It was successfully piloted in 2022, when the following five projects received funding:
Drawing on a decade working as a “general practitioner in a Romani ghetto in the outskirts of Madrid”, Beatriz Aragón examined the relationship between racism and healthcare inequalities.
Sandra Araújo’s research into spying on muslims in Mozambique used archive material to illuminate Portugal’s counterinsurgency operation during the war of independence in the 1960s and 1970s.
Focusing on the experiences of Roma migrant workers in the UK, Ashli Mullen’s work explored “the links between welfare chauvinism, economic exploitation, and deportability”.
Anna Molas Closas investigated the social and economic conditions driving the women donating eggs in exchange for money in Spain, the favoured destination for European fertility patients.
Between 1890 and 1965 thousands of minors were sent to Beligan reform schools with the aim of “transforming ‘problematic’ youngsters into obedient citizens” – Laura Nys told their untold stories.
To be considered for a grant, you must have been awarded a PhD within the last three years. There is flexibility around the three-year period, and career breaks, such as periods of medical leave, parental leave, or caring commitments, will be taken into account as part of the application process. You must also identify a potential host institution in Europe or the UK.
Applicants in the UK should use pounds sterling when putting together their proposal, while those elsewhere in Europe, including non-Eurozone countries, should use euros. The idea is to provide relief from non-academic work for a period of up to a year, so reasonable childcare or other domestic costs may also be considered as expenses.
This opportunity is not aimed at those who already hold a permanent position within academia, and the ISRF offers separate funding for early and mid-career researchers.
Applications are open until 5pm GMT on 1 November. Full details of funding eligibility can be found by following this link, and ISRF Academic Editor Lars Cornelissen is available to answer any queries not covered by the frequently asked questions.
Keep an eye on the ISRF website and subscribe to the newsletter for details of all upcoming funding opportunities, including a further Flexible Grants for Small Groups competition scheduled for later in 2024.
