From ISRF fellow @ceggart.bsky.social: a CFA for a special issue that approaches markets as infrastructures in order to examine how abstraction and materiality are not opposites but rather mutually sustained through social, technical, and political labour. More details below 👇
25.02.2026 12:19 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Efforts to progress on gender equality in Sierra Leone have led to the passage of laws designed to protect women and children from gendered violence. Luisa Schneider argues that such reforms can actual harm young people and fail to reflect the social realities:
24.02.2026 10:31 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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'Spaces of Anticolonialism Delhi’s Urban Governmentalities’
Stephen Legg joins the New Books Network podcast for a discussion with host Saumya Dadoo on his most recent book - the first book-length account of anticolonialism in Delhi.
‘Childhood and Social Reproduction in Palestine: They Didn’t Know We Were Seeds’
Mai Abu Moghli & Rachel Rosen's chapter uses Social Reproduction Theory as a lens to look at Israel’s mass murder of Palestinian children in Gaza.
The recent eruption of protests signal a significant challenge to Iran's ruling elite. Arash Beidollahkhani outlines the political, economic and social conditions that have led to this defiant call for change.
Yasamin Alkhansa traces how governments attempt to rewrite history through school textbooks. While focused on Iran’s theocracy, Alkhansa warns that such practices are not restricted to authoritarian governments.
#History #Iran #Education
Counterpoints: Power and Its Discontents
Inspired by the concept of the counterpoint, this Bulletin challenges dominant discourses to offer more nuanced understanding of contemporary social, political, & cultural issues.
Seeking funding to support the work of a small research group? ISRF Flexible Grants for Small Groups cover teaching relief, travel, and more for up to a year. Deadline: 5pm GMT, 13 March 2026.
#ResearchFunding #AcademicSupport #ResearchGrants #FundingOpportunities
isrf.org/competitions/fg12
The University Unruined
In this month's Director's Note, @cnewf.bsky.social explores how academic faculty has been pushed to the sidelines at universities and their push to reclaim professorial authority.
#HigherEducation #Academia #FacultyRights
ISRF Newsletter – February 2026
This edition of the ISRF newsletter features a Director's Note on recovering professorial authority. Also included is our latest competition, new Bulletin, Fellows news & blog posts.
The recent eruption of protests signal a significant challenge to Iran's ruling elite. Arash Beidollahkhani outlines the political, economic and social conditions that have led to this defiant call for change.
On School History Textbooks
In this contribution to an upcoming ISRF Bulletin, Yasamin Alkhansa traces how governments attempt to rewrite history through school textbooks, focusing on Iran's theocracy.
#Iran #WestAsia #Theocracy #SchoolHistory
isrf.org/blog/on-scho...
Iran protests have put the country’s political system on trial
Arash Beidollahkhani: The question for many Iranians appears to be not whether their political system can be repaired, but whether continuing to live under it is viable at all.
#Iran #WestAsia
theconversation.com/iran-protest...
This blog post traces the transition across the British empire from Commonwealth Realms to republics. In doing so, Manjeet Ramgotra examines how the legacies of colonialism informed the question of republicanism as countries gained independence.
08.01.2026 11:21 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
New publication: ‘Republics in the Commonwealth hiding under the Crown? A historical perspective’ by Manjeet Ramgotra
www.cpahq.org/knowledge-ce...
After many years, the border between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan were re-opened in 2016 to promote trade, cooperation and movement between the two countries. This article, co-authored by ISRF Mid-Career Fellow Nick Megoran, explores the economic and political consequences of border dematerialisation.
08.01.2026 11:20 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
New publication: ‘What Happens When Borders Reopen? Dematerialising the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan Boundary’ by Nick Megoran and Zalina Enikeeva
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Cutting through the noise
The most fundamental crisis of all – the breakdown of the biophysical conditions for modern human life – is continuing and accelerating. Milan Babic asks: how can we foster an optimism of the political will against all odds?
isrf.org/blog/cutting...
Racism never went away – it simply changed shape
Amid the rise of the far right in the UK and racist rhetoric, politicians warn of a return to old attitudes. @lcornelissen.bsky.social argues the story is more complex: racism never left public life, but changes over time.
isrf.org/blog/racism-...
Flexible Grants for Small Groups competition (FG12)
Deadline: 5pm GMT (6pm CET), Friday 13th March 2026
Offering flexible support for a period of (up to) one year for the activities of a small research group.
isrf.org/competitions...
Mid-Career Fellowship competition (MCF8)
Deadline: 5pm GMT (6pm CET), Friday 30th January 2026
Candidates should be more than 10 years post-PhD award at the time of application.
isrf.org/competitions...
January 2026 Director's Note: #AI and the Future of #HumanLearning
An ISRF research group is interested in examining the relation between machine and human learning. @cnewf.bsky.social asks how to reconcile the use of each to enhance rather than threaten human intelligence
isrf.org/blog/ai-and-...
Happy New Year! We're back and ready to take on 2026. Read this month's Director's Note from @cnewf.bsky.social on #MachineLearning and #HumanLearning. Also included is our latest competitions, Fellows news & blog posts.
mailinglist.isrf.org/p/isrf-newsl...
The ISRF expects applications for grants up to a maximum of €8,700 (or £7,500 for UK-based applicants).
For more information, visit isrf.org/competitions...
Scholars from within Europe are eligible to apply as Principal Investigator(s) to lead a small group of 2-10 scholars for up to 12 months.
07.01.2026 16:01 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Providing support for small groups of scholars, enabling one or more short periods of face-to-face joint group work such as workshops, working-in-pairs, or short academic visits.
07.01.2026 16:01 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Apply Now! Our 12th Flexible Grants for Small Groups competition aims to provide flexible support for a period of (up to) one year for the activities of a small research group. Deadline 13th March 2026.
More Info: isrf.org/competitions...
How do housing policies meant to "integrate" #Roma communities push them to the margins?
Beatriz Aragon examines infrastructural violence & #antigypsism in #Madrid's informal settlements.
#HousingJustice
isrf.org/blog/lives-o...
Podcast episode: ‘Colonial Terror: Torture and State Violence in Colonial India’ Deana Heath in conversation with New Books Network
newbooksnetwork.com/colonial-ter...
