The School Meals Service has delivered more than 54 billion meals to schoolchildren since its creation in 1906. What do experts think needs to happen to ensure the service helps more children thrive? 🧵

Applications are still open for the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants. These grants help to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. Apply now: https://bit.ly/4t0MDRl

One aim of the Society on BlueSky is to highlight organisations and opportunities that support historians and the humanities. One to promote is @britishacademy.bsky.social's UK-wide Early Career Researcher Network bit.ly/4f2H3tF which offers training, funding, peer support and events #Skystorians

British Academy President, Susan J Smith, reflects on the financial pressures facing UK universities, noting that key decisions, which may seem sound in isolation, are rarely ‘joined up in the way that we really need’. Read more here:

Big ideas start with small grants. British Academy & Leverhulme Trust scheme awardee Antonino Di Raimo highlights how a strong, well-developed idea and the time to do it justice are key to success in a winning proposal. Read more @resprofnews.bsky.social

“The loss of place in ecological grief comes down to a sense of losing one’s life possibilities.” New British Academy-funded research led by @pfvelasco.bsky.social finds grief from environmental destruction is tied to questions of justice, rights and identity. @heraldscotland.bsky.social

What do UK School Meals tell us about childhood, inequality and the future? This was the topic of a recent seminar at the Academy. It discussed research from The UK School Meals Service: Past, Present and Future?, an ESRC-funded project.

Are you interested in applying for European Research Council grants? Join us on 1 June at the British Academy for the ERC Reading Day – a fantastic opportunity to read past proposals and understand what made them successful. Find out more and register: https://bit.ly/42DFsD5

Join the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia or online on May 12 for a lecture with Dame Linda Colley FBA. “Rome and America: Edward Gibbon and the American Revolution” explores how Gibbon’s ideas and history-writing were influenced by the Revolutionary War.

The Welsh Government's call for evidence on the future of tertiary education has renewed an important conversation. We're pleased this was launched ahead of the Senedd elections and that the Welsh Government is listening to the sector at such a crucial time for Welsh higher education and research. 🧵

How do groups make good decisions? 🤔 A new study by Fellow of the British Academy @clist.bsky.social explores under what conditions collective judgments are better than individual ones. From juries to AI agents, the study explores what conditions impact reliable group decisions. Read more @lmu.de.

Are you a researcher looking for funding to cover expenses arising from a defined research project? Apply the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants (supported by DSIT, @leverhulme.ac.uk and @wellcometrust.bsky.social). Learn more: https://bit.ly/4t0MDRl

From ‘market value’ to levelling up, the manosphere is shaped by a financial mindset. In @theconversation.com British Academy-funded research by Robert Lawson takes a closer look at the transactional language underpinning this world, and the negative effects it has on both men and women.

We're thrilled to announce that award-winning author, broadcaster and academic Gary Younge will Chair the upcoming British Academy Book Prize 2027. A former judge and Hon FBA, he returns to guide a distinguished panel celebrating the very best non-fiction shaping how we understand today's world.

Heading to the Cambridge Literary Festival this week? Don’t miss two brilliant British Academy Book Prize shortlisted authors, live in conversation 👇

How can comic books help communities rethink energy? ⚡ In a new article for the Journal of the British Academy, researchers explore how comic book workshops can be used to help communities imagine more sustainable futures. Read it for free on Open Access 👇 https://bit.ly/4c5utbk

What are the possible democratic policy responses to growing perceptions of insecurity in Latin America?

What can ancient Greek pottery tell us about death, memory, and domestic life? Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum 5 brings together 93 beautifully decorated lekythoi from the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, dating from the late Archaic period to around 400 BC. Explore the full volume: https://bit.ly/3Q1ATQb

How did medieval chess create a space where players engaged as equals, regardless of skin colour? In British Academy-funded research, Dr Krisztina Ilko examines a 1283 chess manual to show how the game could model a “just world”. One in which intellect, rather than religion or race, mattered most.

The British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants is now open for applications, supported by DSIT, @leverhulme.ac.uk and @wellcometrust.bsky.social. Apply now: https://bit.ly/4t0MDRl

Across history, witchcraft has been understood in many different ways. 🧙 In this Journal of the British Academy conversation, leading academics explore the cultural history of witchcraft and how its meanings have shifted over time. Read if for free on Open Access 👇 https://bit.ly/4sjcuTv

"It's about collective growth, mutual respect and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to global challenges." The British Academy ECR Network supports Early Career Researchers to connect, learn, and grow.

"The issue is the system, not the subject.” Professor Charles Forsdick FBA on higher education funding cuts hitting language courses hardest and the wider risks to skills, research and opportunity in Times Higher Education: bit.ly/4tFzJbD

What is the role of the University in a world of “AI everywhere”? New in the Journal, @katyhayward.bsky.social argues why universities matter more than ever in a world shaped by AI, as spaces for cultivating critical thinking and intellectual independence. Read more: https://bit.ly/3O5VsKq

What can sub-national data reveal about low fertility? Low Fertilities in the Past and Present shows how compositional demography can uncover diverse behaviours, inequalities and long-term patterns across communities. Read for free on open access 👉 https://bit.ly/4sIUD9H

Monika’s story shows the reality of being an ECR and the hope the British Academy ECR Network can bring. She says: “Being an ECR can feel isolating but for me, this network brings hope.” Join a #ForECRs Opportunity Session to connect, share experiences, and find support. https://bit.ly/4dHUX3I

"Long-form OA cannot rely on unfunded mandates or publication fees that many institutions cannot afford." Prof Lindsey Farmer FBA reflects on new British Academy commissioned research on green open access for THE: https://bit.ly/4t1EcWh

What role do the humanities and social sciences play in a world shaped by the climate crisis, AI and global uncertainty? The latest issue of the Journal of the British Academy brings together leading researchers to tackle these topics head on. Read for free 👉 https://bit.ly/47ydLyF

Academic works should be made available to everyone who wants to read them through open access (OA).

What is the public purpose of the #University in an age of #AI everywhere? I had a go at answering this whopper of a question in the latest issue of the Journal of the British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social #democracy #discernment doi.org/10.5871/jba/...

Prof. George Holmes at the @universityofleeds.bsky.social will be working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for the next 12 months on their landscape recovery policy. Read about the new Innovation Fellowships cohort on our latest news story: bit.ly/4uVSuJg

Need to escape from the news? Here are a few things we’ve got coming up at the @britishacademy.bsky.social which might help. This panel in London/online will look at how art, performance and creativity can deepen our understanding of disability www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/events/the-a...

Did you know Scotland stood at the centre of one of the medieval world’s most significant literary forms? The Making of the Scottish Dream-Vision by Dr Kylie Murray is the first full study of its cross-genre role and cultural impact. Read it free (open access): https://bit.ly/4t5H7N0

Dr Stuart Henderson at @ulsteruni.bsky.social will be working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for the next 12 months on their landscape recovery policy. Read about the new Innovation Fellowships cohort on our latest news story: https://bit.ly/4uVSuJg

Dr Alessandro Silvestri at @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social will begin working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on their landscape recovery policy as part of the Innovation Fellowships 2026. Read about the new cohort on our latest news story: https://bit.ly/4uVSuJg

Over the next 12 months, Prof. Jennifer Dodsworth at @ox.ac.uk will begin working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on their key landscape recovery policy area. Read about the new cohort of Innovation Fellowships on our latest news story: https://bit.ly/4uVSuJg

Is it becoming harder to mediate between conflicting beliefs in public life? Professor Sari Hanafi FBA's talk explores the gap between what we value and how we debate. Watch now as he asks how we can renew our public sphere for more open dialogue:

Climate adaptation policy should be grounded in real-world needs. Dr Katie Jenkins, @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social, will work with the Climate, Society and International team at GO-Science over the next 12 months. Read about the new cohort of Innovation Fellowships: https://bit.ly/4lMg8na

Jürgen Habermas FBA believed in critical dialogue, reasoned debate and the possibility of a better future. Following his recent passing, British Academy President Professor Susan Smith reflects on why his ideas matter now more than ever. Read the full article in The Conversation.

The British Academy ECR Network supports Early Career Researchers to connect, learn and grow. Charlotte says: “As a result of being part of this network, I’ve had opportunities and experiences that otherwise I would not have had.” Join an Opportunity Session to learn more. https://bit.ly/4dHUX3I

We understand that housing is one of the biggest costs in our lives. How can clean energy policy can help solve real problems? For the next 12 months, Dr Stephen Hall will begin working with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on their sustainability policy areas.

For the next 12 months, Dr Jacob Ainscough will begin working with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on their public participation strategy & sustainability policy areas. The Innovation Fellowships is putting researchers at the heart of Government.

Congratulations to the presenters who designed our 'Best Presenter' award winning poster: ‘Strengthening Networking and Partnerships for Sustainable Research Collaboration’. See all winning posters and poster submissions on our website: https://bit.ly/4ll3QSw

How does competition shape democracy and when might it threaten it? A new Proceedings volume reframes the role of competition in democratic theory, exploring the many forms competition can take, and how it operates across political life. 📖 Find out more: https://bit.ly/4sUrAQ9

How is AI reshaping art history? The new Proceedings volume Artificial Intelligence and Art History explores machine-vision methods, their challenges to humanistic inquiry, and the ethical questions shaping this evolving field. Find out more: https://bit.ly/472kuAA

A huge congratulations to British Academy Fellow Lyndal Roper on winning the @holbergprize.bsky.social. She is a leading scholar of early modern European history, her work has shaped the understanding of witch persecutions, the German Peasants’ War, and the life of Martin Luther. bit.ly/3P5pUEZ

We have responded to the green paper on the review of the BBC's charter. We believe decisions about the future of UK Public Service Media must be balanced, evidence-led and reflect the changing dynamics of the media landscape. Read our response: https://bit.ly/3PEyPNz

New recipients of our Early Career Researcher Network Seed Fund Programme have been announced. The scheme helps outstanding early-career researchers build their research portfolios and take a key step toward future funding opportunities. Learn more about the awarded projects: https://bit.ly/46StqZm

In case you missed it: our SHAPE Conference brought together some of the leading experts from across the humanities and social sciences for timely and thought-provoking conversations. Here are some of the highlights 🧵

We would like thank the presenters who designed our 'Most Original' award winning poster – ‘Enabling Equitable Research Partnerships in Transdisciplinary Research: The Value of Arts-based methodologies’. See all winning posters and poster submissions on our website: https://bit.ly/4ll3QSw