Posted
on 21 Jul 2017
Professor
Paulo Fernando de Moraes Farias, Honorary Professor at the University of
Birmingham has been named among sixty-six of the world’s leading minds elected
as Fellows of the British Academy yesterday, Thursday 20 July.
Fellows
of the British Academy represent the very best of humanities and social
sciences research, in the UK and globally. This year’s new Fellows are experts
in subjects ranging from feminist theory to the economic development of Africa;
medieval history to Indian philosophy and face perception.
As part
of the Department of African Studies and Anthropology at the University of
Birmingham, Professor Moraes Farias works on epigraphic sources for the
medieval history of West Africa and has developed new approaches to West
African oral traditions and the 17th-century Timbuktu Chronicles.
He is
one of the rare historians in Britain whose range of interests includes the
early pre-colonial history of Africa. His Arabic Medieval Inscriptions from the
Republic of Mali (2003) was a finalist for the Herskovits Award (2004) and won
the Paul Hair Prize (2005) conferred by the USA African Studies Association
together with the Association for the Preservation and Publication of African
Historical Sources.
Professor
Moraes Farias said: “I am delighted by this honour. It reflects recognition of
the importance of the historical study of Africa”.
The
British Academy’s newest cohort of Fellows reflects the growing diversity of
research in the UK. The 42 UK Fellows of the British Academy span a wide
geographic range, elected from 23 institutions.
The
proportion of women elected to the Fellowship has doubled in the last five
years. This year, 38% of the new Fellows are women, exceeding the 24% share of
female Professors in UK universities, according to HESA data.
Today
also marks the start of Professor Sir David Cannadine’s four-year term as
President of the British Academy, as he takes over from Lord (Nicholas) Stern
of Brentford, who has held the post since 2013.
New
President of the British Academy, Professor Sir David Cannadine: “As I take on
the role of the thirtieth President of the British Academy, I am aware that I
am the latest in a long line of succession, dating back to the Academy’s
foundation in 1902.
“Then
as now, the times in which we live present us with many challenges. Yet we also
have great opportunities to engage with them.
“At a
time when institutions are distrusted and derided, and expertise is mocked and
scorned, the British Academy stands for truth, reason, evidence-based learning,
intellectual distinction, academic expertise, and quality and power of mind. In
a world where parochialism, nativism, nationalism, xenophobia and populism seem
in too many places to be on the march, it is our job to provide light and
learning and hope.
“This
is by no means an easy task, but I am looking forward to it, and eager to be
getting on with it.”
Notes
to editors
The
British Academy is the UK's national body for the humanities and social
sciences – the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and
future. We have three principal roles: as an independent Fellowship of
world-leading scholars and researchers; a Funding Body that supports new
research, nationally and internationally; and a Forum for debate and engagement
– a voice that champions the humanities and social sciences. For more
information, please visit http://www.britishacademy.ac.uk/. Follow the British
Academy on Twitter @britac_news.
