Oxford social scientists elected to Fellowship of British Academy
They are among eight academics from the University of Oxford – spanning subjects from Comparative Law to Ancient History – to have been honoured in the Academy’s announcement.
Founded in 1902, the British Academy is the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. It is a Fellowship consisting of over 1,800 world-leading scholars from the UK and overseas.
We are delighted to congratulate the following researchers from the Social Sciences Division on their election:
Professor Alexander Betts (credit: John Cairns) |
Professor Alexander Betts, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Engagement, Sport and Community; Professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs (Oxford Department of International Development); and Fellow, Brasenose College, Oxford. Reflecting on the announcement, Professor Betts said: 'I am deeply honoured to be elected a Fellow of the British Academy. Many congratulations to all the new fellows for 2025, particularly my Oxford colleagues from across the Social Sciences and Humanities Divisions. The British Academy's work is especially vital at a time when we need to celebrate and promote the social sciences and humanities, and to ensure that their insights inform public debate.' |
Professor Stefan Dercon |
Professor Stefan Dercon CMG, Professor of Economic Policy (Blavatnik School of Government and Department of Economics); Director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies; and Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford. Professor Dercon commented: 'I am honoured to be elected a Fellow of the British Academy. It is a privilege to join a community committed to rigorous scholarship as a foundation for better policy in the UK and globally.' Read more about Professor Dercon's election on the Blavatnik School of Government's page. |
Professor Lionel Smith (credit: Valerie-Jo Struck) |
Professor Lionel David Smith, Professor of Comparative Law (Faculty of Law) and Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford. Professor Smith said of his election to the Fellowship: 'At Oxford and other universities, I have been most fortunate in benefiting from an excellent education, in having outstanding students, and in working with brilliant and generous colleagues. All these things are essential to being a successful scholar.' Read more about Professor Smith's election on the Faculty of Law’s page. |
This year, 58 new Fellows have been elected from 25 universities across the United Kingdom, alongside 30 International Fellows from universities in the United States, Ireland, South Africa, Singapore, China, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Cyprus. Four Honorary Fellows have also been elected in recognition of their exceptional achievements in music, art, journalism and librarianship, including Richard Ovenden, OBE, Bodley's Librarian and the Helen Hamlyn Director of University Libraries. He said:
'I have always regarded the British Academy as the pinnacle of excellence in the humanities and social sciences. To receive the Honorary Fellowship means an immense amount, as it recognises the importance of libraries, archives, and the preservation of knowledge as a vital underpinning of scholarship. I hold this Fellowship for all librarians and archivists.'
Professor Susan J. Smith PBA, new President of the British Academy, said:
'One of my first acts as the incoming President of the British Academy is to welcome this year’s newly elected Fellows. What a line-up! With specialisms ranging from the neuroscience of memory to the power of music and the structural causes of poverty, they represent the very best of the humanities and social sciences. They bring years of experience, evidence-based arguments and innovative thinking to the profound challenges of our age: managing the economy, enabling democracy, and securing the quality of human life.
'This year, we have increased the number of new Fellows by nearly ten percent to cover some spaces between disciplines. Champions of research excellence, every new Fellow enlarges our capacity to interpret the past, understand the present, and shape resilient, sustainable futures. It is a privilege to extend my warmest congratulations to them all.'
