Founded in 2001 and now looking toward its third decade, CRASSH came into being as a way to create interdisciplinary dialogue across the University’s many faculties and departments in the arts, social sciences and humanities, as well as to build bridges with scientific subjects. It has now grown into one of the largest humanities institutes in the world and is a major presence in academic life in the UK. It serves at once to draw together disciplinary perspectives in Cambridge and to disseminate new ideas to audiences across Europe and beyond. 

CRASSH’s mission is to create new resources for thought, stimulate interdisciplinary research and disciplinary innovation, establish new intellectual networks and affiliations, respond to emerging social and political challenges, engage new publics in humanities research and help to shape public policy. Its programmes include Visiting Fellowships, Early Career Fellowships for Cambridge academics and a variety of interdisciplinary Research Networks, alongside a conference programme designed to forge new connections and open up fresh intellectual pathways. CRASSH’s research community includes many postdoctoral researchers working on its diverse range of interdisciplinary projects, which often involve international collaborations, and are funded by research councils, charities, trusts and philanthropic donations.