Lancaster professor heads up £12m religion and society research

The Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council have announced that a further £4 million has been awarded to the Religion and Society Research Programme, led by Professor Linda Woodhead, from Lancaster University’s Religious Studies Department.

The extra funding means that in the next five years over £12m will be invested into the project to explore the current developments concerning questions of belief, human culture, society and religion in the UK. The project aims to make make important contributions to the understanding of religion, society and youth in the short-term by funding workshops and small projects, and in the longer term by supporting large collaborative projects and research networks.

Professor Linda Woodhead, Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Lancaster University as well as Programme Director of the Religion and Society Research Programme, said: "The religious situation is changing so rapidly that it is vital we know what sort of commitments young people are making, and what factors influence them. This initiative could not come at a better time. It will allow scholars from a range of disciplines to work together, to get alongside young men and women, and to replace speculation with hard evidence."

AHRC Chief Executive Professor Philip Esler said “In the context of the Religion and Society programme it became apparent to the AHRC and the ESRC that the area of youth was key to current debate and, in response to interactions with stakeholders and after identifying trends in applications to the first phase of funding, the research councils agreed to add a further £4m to the programme and run a specific call under the area of religion, society and youth."

For further information on this research programme please go to: http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/apply/research/sfi/ahrcsi/religion_society.asp