Development

Financial support for CRASSH comes from a number of sources: the University provides core funding; the Isaac Newton Trust at Trinity College, Cambridge, has provided generous support since the Centre’s inception; private donors and foundations such as the Andrew W Mellon Foundation fund specific programmes at the Centre; and the UK Research Councils and the British Academy support programme elements. Our main fundraising goal, pursued in partnership with the Cambridge University Development Office, is the long-term endowment of the Centre to put us in the best position to initiate, facilitate and nurture humanities and social science research at the cutting edge. Specific programme funding is also sought, and our current priorities include:

Bringing the world to Cambridge

Recent developments such as the Humanitas Visiting Professorships showcase ways in which the Centre helps attract leading academics, practitioners and global leaders to Cambridge. Through a series of lectures and symposia involving graduate students, these short visits provide opportunities for engagement with outstanding figures both within and beyond the academy. At the same time, CRASSH’s Visiting Fellowship programme, which has brought over 100 visitors from 30 countries to Cambridge since it began, has been enhanced with three new funded schemes. The Charles Wallace Trust India Fellowship, the EU-funded EURIAS Fellowship and the scholars at risk fellowship scheme join the existing Visiting Fellowship programmes to create dynamic research communities which will invigorate the intellectual life of the Centre. We continue to focus on new ways of developing fellowship opportunities.

Bringing Cambridge to the world

We remain dedicated to outreach and public engagement, on local, national and international levels. Active supporters of the University’s Festival of Ideas, CRASSH stages events to engage the local community in humanities research – last year focussed on what makes people give to charity and on using new media for dissent. CRASSH reaches out globally through its Facebook site – which has attracted almost 3,000 fans – and through making available recordings of an increasing number of events online, in our Media Gallery, and via the Cambridge YouTube and iTunesU channels. Statistics from these ventures show that we are promoting the Centre’s work to a broader audience than ever before, with followers from over 30 countries worldwide, including an increasing number from Africa and Asia.

Renewing the academy

Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, 2010-11 saw the first Crausaz-Wordsworth Interdisciplinary Fellow in Philosophy at CRASSH, an award for a mid-career researcher to pursue a developing interest in philosophical study. Of high priority in straitened times is the provision of ladder posts for mid-career and early career researchers, including graduate and postdoctoral scholars.

Innovating and anticipating future developments

We look forward to our new location at 7 West Road, not least for the intellectual synergies that will ensue with new neighbours, but also for the opportunities afforded by state-of-the art facilities that will enable interaction both face-to-face and virtually. We hope that our new location will provide us with the potential to further develop all aspects of our programme.

The quest for endowment

CRASSH continues to grow and evolve, with new activities and conversations at the Centre spawning new programmes and initiatives. Endowment would enable the consolidation of existing programmes along with security to set ambitious objectives for the second decade.

For more information on how you can support the work of the Centre, please contact:

Professor Simon Goldhill
Director

Tel: +44 (0)1223 760490

Further information about CRASSH can be found in our Annual Reports.

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