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Many congratulations to Professor Andrew Hadfield (English Literature) and Professor Ben Highmore (Media, Journalism and Cultural Studies), who have been elected as Fellows of the British Academy.  

Founded in 1902, the British Academy is the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. It is a Fellowship of over 1400 of the leading minds in these subjects from the UK and overseas. Current Fellows include the classicist Professor Dame Mary Beard, the historian Professor Sir Simon Schama and philosopher Professor Baroness Onora O’Neill, while previous Fellows include Dame Frances Yates, Sir Winston Churchill, Seamus Heaney and Beatrice Webb. The Academy is also a funding body for research, nationally and internationally, and a forum for debate and engagement. 

This year a total of 84 Fellows – 52 UK Fellows, 29 Corresponding Fellows and 3 Honorary Fellows – have been elected to the Fellowship. 

Ben said, "The British Academy has played an important role in supporting the social sciences and the humanities in the UK, and at a time when these areas are under increasing threat through funding cuts and pernicious culture wars, its task is even more urgent. I’m delighted to have been invited to participate in its work as an elected fellow."

Andrew added, "I suspect that few people have a greater enthusiasm for The British Academy than I do, as it saved my career nearly thirty-five years ago when I thought it was all over. I am delighted to be elected as a fellow to work for an organisation that has the power to make such a difference to people’s lives, and which labours so hard to remind people that the humanities and social sciences are ignored at our peril."

Professor Adam Tickell, Vice Chancellor, said in an email to all staff "Fellowship of the national academies is voted on by peer members and is an exceptional recognition of academic distinction. I’d like to give my public congratulations to them both and am sure that everyone in the University will feel the same." 

Professor Kate O'Riordan, Dean of the School of Media, Arts and Humanities said "It is brilliant to see Andrew and Ben recognised for their contribution to their subject areas, at a personal level, for the School as a whole, and at such a crucial time for these subject areas nationally."  
 
The new President of the British Academy, Professor Julia Black FBA, said “The need for SHAPE subjects has never been greater. As Britain recovers from the pandemic and seeks to build back better, the insights from our diverse disciplines will be vital to ensure the health, wellbeing and prosperity of the UK and will continue to provide the cultural and societal enrichment that has sustained us over the last eighteen months. Our new Fellows embody the value of their subjects and I congratulate them warmly for their achievement.”

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