The University of Cambridge, through its Cambridge Interfaith Programme (CIP), is inviting applications from outstanding early-career researchers interested in exploring the relationships between peace, conflict, religion, political violence and society. This funding opportunity supports researchers who wish to develop an independent research project that contributes to academic understanding of how individuals and communities experience conflict, respond to violence, pursue peace and use religious or cultural resources to shape social and political change.
The University of Cambridge Peace, Conflict and Religion Early Career Fellowship opportunity for 2026 is designed for researchers whose work aligns with the Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s strategic research priorities for 2026–2031. The initiative offers eligible applicants an opportunity to compete for an Early Career Fellowship through the Leverhulme Trust, with support from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge.
Successful candidates in the Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s internal selection process will receive support in preparing and submitting an application to the Leverhulme Trust. The Faculty of Divinity will provide matching funding for a successful candidate, subject to selection by the Leverhulme Trust.
The fellowship is particularly relevant to scholars working in religious studies, anthropology, peace and conflict studies, political sociology, cultural studies, history, theology and related interdisciplinary fields. Research proposals may examine different geographical, cultural and religious settings, with particular interest in projects focusing on the Middle East and its related geographies.
Application deadline: 30 November 2026.
Overview of the University of Cambridge Peace, Conflict and Religion Fellowship
- Opportunity: Peace, Conflict and Religion Early Career Fellowship funding opportunity
- Host institution: University of Cambridge
- Research centre: Cambridge Interfaith Programme (CIP)
- Academic faculty: Faculty of Divinity
- External fellowship scheme: Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships
- Opportunity structure: Internal selection followed by support for an application to the Leverhulme Trust
- Research period: Three-year fellowship
- Research focus: Peace, conflict, religion, political violence, justice, resistance, reconciliation and social transformation
- Strategic research period: 2026–2031
- Application deadline: 30 November 2026
- Application method: Email
- Application contact: Dr Peter Harland, Faculty Manager
- Application email: pjh42@cam.ac.uk
- General enquiries: team@interfaith.cam.ac.uk
Applicants should understand that this is a competitive research funding opportunity involving two stages. The first stage is the Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s internal selection process. Candidates who are selected through that process will then receive support in putting forward an application for a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship. Selection by Cambridge does not, by itself, guarantee the external fellowship or matching funding.
About the Cambridge Interfaith Programme
The Cambridge Interfaith Programme is a research centre based within the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. It promotes interreligious and interdisciplinary research and encourages dialogue between communities of faith and secular society.
The programme examines how religion, culture, ethics and lived experience influence the ways people understand their societies and respond to difficult political and social circumstances. Its work brings different academic disciplines and perspectives into conversation, creating opportunities to investigate complex questions that cannot always be understood through a single religious, cultural or political framework.
For researchers interested in peace and conflict, the Cambridge Interfaith Programme provides an intellectual environment in which questions about religion, political violence, community relations, justice and social transformation can be explored through rigorous research and interdisciplinary discussion.
The programme’s work is especially relevant to scholars who want to understand how religious beliefs, cultural traditions, collective memories and community practices influence responses to conflict. It also offers a context for examining how individuals and communities develop alternative ways of living together, challenge violence, negotiate differences and build relationships across religious or social boundaries.
Through this fellowship opportunity, the programme seeks to support independent research that contributes to these wider academic discussions while strengthening its own research community.
Research priorities for 2026–2031
Between 2026 and 2031, the Cambridge Interfaith Programme will focus on how people and communities create, experience, contest and sustain peace in contexts affected by conflict and political violence.
The programme is interested not only in the causes and consequences of violence but also in how people interpret their experiences, make moral and political decisions, draw upon religious and cultural resources, and imagine alternative forms of social and political life.
Applicants should therefore develop proposals that address substantive questions about how peace and conflict are understood and experienced in particular societies. Strong proposals should demonstrate a clear relationship between their research questions, their proposed methodology and the programme’s interest in the lived, cultural, religious and ethical dimensions of conflict.
The following themes are particularly relevant.
1. Religion, culture and the experience of conflict
One area of interest concerns the ways religious beliefs, cultural practices and community traditions influence how people experience and interpret conflict.
Researchers could investigate how religious institutions, faith communities, cultural narratives or moral traditions influence people’s understanding of violence, suffering, responsibility, justice and peace. Such projects might explore how these resources shape individual decisions, collective responses or community relationships during periods of political instability.
The objective is to understand how religion and culture operate in real social settings rather than treating them only as abstract ideas. Researchers may consider how beliefs and traditions influence everyday life, how they are interpreted differently by different groups, and how they can become resources for peaceful coexistence or sites of disagreement and contestation.
2. Peacebuilding, reconciliation and nonviolent resistance
The programme welcomes research into the practices through which individuals and communities work towards peace in settings affected by violence.
Relevant projects may investigate:
- Community-led peacebuilding initiatives and their long-term effects.
- Nonviolent resistance movements and the moral or cultural principles that inform them.
- Reconciliation processes following periods of conflict.
- Efforts to repair relationships between divided communities.
- Religious or cultural approaches to solidarity and collective action.
- Local initiatives that challenge violence or promote alternative forms of political and social organisation.
- The ways communities rebuild trust and establish new relationships after periods of suffering.
Research in this area should examine how such practices operate in specific contexts and what they reveal about the possibilities and limitations of peacebuilding.
3. Religion, politics and society
Another priority concerns the boundaries between religion, politics and society, including how those boundaries are negotiated, challenged or transformed.
Researchers may explore the roles played by religious actors in political movements, community organising, resistance, peace negotiations or responses to state violence. Projects might also investigate how communities debate the relationship between religious authority, political legitimacy, public life and social responsibility.
The programme is interested in how individuals and communities navigate these relationships in practice. Rather than assuming that religion and politics operate as separate spheres, researchers can examine how the two intersect, how people understand those intersections, and how different groups contest or redefine them.
4. Memories, narratives and representations of violence
The programme also welcomes projects investigating how memories and representations of violence shape contemporary understandings of conflict and the possibilities for peace.
This may include research into collective memory, historical narratives, religious storytelling, public commemorations, community testimonies and representations of past violence.
Researchers could investigate how different groups remember the same events, how competing interpretations influence relationships in the present, and how narratives of suffering, victimhood, responsibility or resistance affect the prospects for reconciliation.
Such projects may also examine how communities use memory to preserve identity, demand justice, challenge official accounts or imagine a different future.
5. Justice, resistance and social transformation
Projects addressing justice, resistance and social transformation are also relevant to the programme’s wider research agenda.
Applicants may explore how individuals and communities respond to injustice, mobilise cultural or religious resources, organise collectively or seek changes to social and political arrangements. Research could examine how ideas of justice influence responses to violence and how communities develop strategies to address the conditions that sustain conflict.
The emphasis should be on a clearly defined research problem, a credible methodology and a meaningful contribution to scholarship on peace, conflict and religion.
6. Ethnographic, anthropological and interpretive research
The Cambridge Interfaith Programme specifically identifies ethnographic, anthropological and closely related interpretive approaches as areas of interest.
These approaches can help researchers understand how people interpret their experiences, assign meaning to events, negotiate relationships and make decisions within particular social and cultural settings.
Depending on the research question, a proposal might draw on interviews, participant observation, oral histories, analysis of narratives, archival research or other suitable interpretive methods. Applicants should explain why their chosen methodology is appropriate for the questions they intend to investigate.
The announcement does not prescribe one mandatory research method for every applicant. Researchers should therefore select methods that fit their projects and explain how the proposed activities will produce meaningful, academically rigorous findings.
Geographical scope and historical period
The fellowship opportunity is open to research projects examining different geographical, cultural and religious settings. The Cambridge Interfaith Programme specifically welcomes proposals focused on the Middle East and its related geographies.
However, the announcement does not restrict projects to the Middle East. Researchers examining other regions may also be considered, provided their proposals are academically strong and align with the programme’s research priorities.
Potential areas of investigation may include communities affected by political violence, societies experiencing religious or cultural tensions, peacebuilding processes, reconciliation initiatives and the long-term social consequences of conflict.
Applicants should note that projects should focus primarily on events from the 1950s onwards. Research proposals should therefore establish a clear connection to this historical period. Earlier events may provide relevant background where appropriate, but the central focus should be consistent with the stated timeframe.
The geographical flexibility makes the opportunity potentially relevant to scholars working on a wide range of regional and comparative questions. Nevertheless, geographical relevance alone will not establish eligibility or guarantee selection; the proposal must also meet the academic and scheme-specific requirements.
What does the fellowship offer successful candidates?
The Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s opportunity is connected to the Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship scheme, which supports early-career researchers undertaking substantive new research over three years.
The announcement describes an internal selection process through which the Cambridge Interfaith Programme will identify candidates it wishes to support. Those selected will receive assistance in putting forward an application to the Leverhulme Trust.
The main elements of the opportunity include the following.
1. Support for an independent research project
Candidates are invited to develop a substantive, independent research project that contributes to the Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s expertise in peace, conflict and religion.
The project should have a clear research question, achievable aims, an appropriate methodology and a realistic plan for completing the proposed work over three years.
Applicants should explain what their research will contribute to existing scholarship and why the questions matter for understanding contemporary societies affected by conflict or political violence.
2. Potential matching funding from the Faculty of Divinity
The Faculty of Divinity will provide matching funding to a successful candidate, contingent on that candidate being selected by the Leverhulme Trust.
This arrangement is intended to support the fellowship through the relationship between the University of Cambridge and the external funding scheme.
Applicants should distinguish between the university’s internal selection process and the final Leverhulme Trust decision. The announcement does not state that every internally selected candidate will automatically receive the fellowship or the matching funding.
It also does not specify a guaranteed individual award amount, salary, research expenses allowance or relocation package on the announcement page. Applicants should consult the official Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship guidance for the applicable financial arrangements and terms.
3. Mentorship from the Academic Director
The successful fellow will work closely with the Academic Director of the Cambridge Interfaith Programme, who will act as their mentor throughout the fellowship.
This relationship will provide an opportunity for the fellow to engage with an experienced academic and develop their research within the programme’s intellectual environment.
The fellowship is intended to support independent scholarship while enabling the researcher to benefit from academic discussion, feedback and engagement with other researchers.
4. Participation in seminars, workshops and academic activities
Successful fellows will be expected to contribute to the Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s research culture.
This includes participating in seminars, workshops and other intellectual activities. Fellows should be prepared to share their work, engage with research conducted by colleagues and contribute to discussions relevant to the programme’s academic interests.
Applicants should consider how their proposed project could contribute to the wider research community, including through interdisciplinary discussion, collaborative intellectual activities and the exchange of ideas across different fields.
5. A three-year research programme
The Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship scheme is intended to help early-career researchers complete substantive new research over three years.
Applicants should therefore prepare a realistic research plan that identifies the project’s major stages and explains how the work will progress over the fellowship period.
The proposal should show that the research questions can be addressed within the available time and that the proposed research activities, analysis and outputs are achievable.
Who should consider applying?
The opportunity is intended for outstanding early-career researchers with a completed PhD or a doctoral thesis that meets the scheme’s submission requirements.
It is particularly relevant to researchers whose work intersects with peace and conflict studies, religious studies, theology, anthropology, sociology, political studies, cultural studies, history or related interdisciplinary areas.
Potential applicants may include scholars researching:
- Religious responses to political violence.
- Community peacebuilding and reconciliation.
- Religion and political resistance.
- The cultural and ethical dimensions of justice.
- Collective memory and the representation of violence.
- Interreligious relations in societies affected by conflict.
- The relationship between faith communities and secular society.
- Social transformation in post-conflict or conflict-affected settings.
These are illustrative areas of academic relevance, not a separate list of formal degree requirements. Applicants must independently verify that they meet the Leverhulme Trust’s eligibility rules, including the doctoral submission requirements and any applicable UK higher education connection requirements.
The university advises prospective applicants to check their eligibility before applying because the Cambridge opportunity is linked to the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship scheme.
Eligibility requirements for the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship
Eligibility is one of the most important considerations for prospective applicants.
The Cambridge Interfaith Programme states that candidates should check the Leverhulme Trust’s eligibility criteria before entering the internal selection process. The announcement identifies the following doctoral thesis requirements for the current cycle.
1. PhD thesis submission date
Applicants should have submitted their PhD thesis for viva voce examination no earlier than 18 February 2023.
This date is relevant to applicants who have already submitted their doctoral thesis. Researchers should check the official scheme guidance to confirm how the submission date applies to their individual circumstances.
2. Applicants who have not yet submitted their PhD thesis
Applicants who have not yet submitted their doctoral thesis must do so before 18 February 2027, according to the announcement.
Candidates who are still completing their doctorate should carefully assess whether they can meet this requirement and the other conditions of the Leverhulme scheme.
3. Applicants without a completed PhD
The university clarifies that this funding opportunity is not suitable for people who have not completed a PhD, except for those who will submit their thesis before February 2027, in accordance with the stated requirements.
People seeking opportunities to begin doctoral study rather than undertake postdoctoral research should consult the Faculty of Divinity’s study opportunities.
4. Applicants without a UK higher education connection
The announcement also notes that postdoctoral researchers who have no existing connection with a UK higher education institution are not ordinarily eligible for Leverhulme awards.
The university describes such a connection as potentially arising through previous study in the UK or current employment at a UK higher education institution.
This is an important restriction for international researchers who may otherwise be interested in the subject area. Applicants should not assume that an internationally relevant research project, a strong academic record or eligibility based on nationality alone will overcome this condition.
Because the announcement uses the term “not ordinarily eligible,” candidates should consult the official Leverhulme rules for the precise application of this requirement to their circumstances.
Application requirements: Documents to prepare
Applicants should submit a complete application package that follows the university’s stated length limits and document requirements.
Careful preparation is essential because the application must communicate the researcher’s academic background, previous work, proposed project and suitability for the fellowship.
1. Academic CV: Maximum two A4 pages
Applicants must provide an academic curriculum vitae of no more than two sides of A4.
The CV should present relevant academic and research experience in a clear, professional format. It should help the selection panel understand the applicant’s qualifications and preparedness to conduct the proposed research.
Relevant information may include:
- Academic qualifications and doctoral research.
- Research appointments and relevant professional experience.
- Research projects and areas of expertise.
- Teaching or academic activities, where relevant.
- Selected publications and scholarly contributions.
- Research methods and subject expertise relevant to the proposal.
The university specifies the maximum length rather than prescribing a particular CV template. Applicants should therefore follow standard academic CV conventions while ensuring that the document stays within the two-page limit.
2. List of major publications: Maximum one A4 page
Applicants must provide a separate list of major publications, limited to one side of A4.
The list should be organised under three headings:
- In preparation
- Submitted
- Published
Applicants should place their relevant scholarly work under the appropriate heading and provide accurate bibliographic information.
The announcement does not require a particular number of publications. Candidates should present their major work clearly and honestly, without describing work as published if it remains in preparation or under review.
Researchers with work directly related to peace, conflict, religion or their proposed methodology may wish to ensure that these contributions are easy for the panel to identify.
3. Statement of current and previous research: Maximum 250 words
Applicants must submit a statement of current and previous research that does not exceed 250 words.
This short statement should summarise the researcher’s academic trajectory, existing research interests and relevant work to date.
It should establish a clear connection between the applicant’s previous research and the project they propose to undertake. Given the strict word limit, the statement should focus on the most relevant information rather than repeat the entire CV.
Applicants may find it useful to explain how their research has developed, which questions they are currently investigating and how their experience has prepared them for the proposed fellowship.
4. Research proposal: Maximum two A4 pages
The research proposal is a central part of the application. It must not exceed two sides of A4 and should address the following areas.
A. Research question and aims
Applicants should identify the principal research question and explain what the project seeks to accomplish.
The question should be specific enough to guide the research and achievable within the three-year fellowship. The aims should demonstrate a clear relationship with the Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s interests in peace, conflict, religion and political violence.
B. Methodology and proposed research activities
The proposal should explain how the research will be conducted.
Applicants should describe their intended methodology, justify its suitability and outline the main activities required to answer the research question.
For example, a project may involve ethnographic research, interviews, archival work, oral histories or interpretive analysis, depending on the subject. These are possible approaches rather than mandatory requirements for every project.
C. Contribution to existing scholarship
Applicants must explain how the project will contribute to existing academic research.
This may involve identifying an important research question, addressing an underexplored issue, bringing different disciplinary perspectives together or developing a new interpretation of a particular conflict, community or peacebuilding process.
The proposal should make clear why the research matters and how it will advance scholarly understanding.
D. Anticipated outputs and a realistic three-year plan
The application must outline the project’s expected outputs and provide a realistic plan for the three-year fellowship.
Applicants should identify the major stages of their work, explain how the research will progress and indicate the outcomes they expect to produce.
Possible outputs may include academic publications or other appropriate scholarly contributions, depending on the nature of the project. The announcement does not prescribe a fixed number or type of publications, so applicants should propose outputs that are realistic for their research.
E. Contribution to and benefit from the Cambridge Interfaith Programme
Applicants must explain how they would contribute to the programme’s intellectual environment and benefit from participating in it.
This section should show that the candidate has considered the relationship between their project and CIP’s wider research community.
Applicants may discuss how their research would contribute to seminars, workshops, interdisciplinary conversations or discussions about peace, conflict and religion. They should also explain how engagement with the programme’s academic environment would support their own research.
Because the proposal is limited to two A4 pages, candidates should use a clear structure and address every required element without exceeding the stated length.
5. Two references
Applicants must arrange for two references to be provided.
Normally, one referee should be from outside the University of Cambridge. This requirement encourages an assessment of the applicant’s academic work from beyond the institution.
The referees must send their references directly to Dr Peter Harland at the designated application address, rather than relying on the applicant to include the references as ordinary attachments in the application.
Candidates should contact their referees in good time, provide them with relevant information about the proposed fellowship and confirm that they understand the submission procedure.
The announcement does not specify a separate reference deadline, so applicants should ensure that their referees have sufficient time to submit their references in connection with the application.
How to apply for the University of Cambridge Peace, Conflict and Religion Fellowship
Applicants should follow the process below to prepare and submit their applications.
Step 1: Read the official announcement and eligibility guidance.
Begin by reviewing the Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s announcement and the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship scheme. Confirm that your academic background and doctoral thesis submission dates meet the relevant conditions.
Step 2: Develop a research proposal aligned with CIP’s priorities.
Identify a research question that addresses peace, conflict, religion, political violence or a closely related theme. Ensure that the proposed work focuses primarily on events from the 1950s onwards and has a clear academic contribution.
Step 3: Prepare the required documents.
Compile your academic CV, major publications list, research statement and two-page research proposal. Check each document against the stated page and word limits.
Step 4: Arrange your two references.
Contact two appropriate referees and provide the necessary information about the fellowship. Normally, one referee should be based outside Cambridge. Ensure that the referees send their references directly to Dr Peter Harland.
Step 5: Submit your application by email.
Send your application to the Faculty Manager, Dr Peter Harland, at the official email address below:
Email: pjh42@cam.ac.uk
Step 6: Submit before the deadline.
The application deadline is 30 November 2026. Applicants should avoid leaving document preparation and reference arrangements until the final days.
Step 7: Understand the selection process.
The Cambridge Interfaith Programme will conduct an internal selection process. Candidates selected through this process will be supported in putting forward an application to the Leverhulme Trust. Final selection for the external fellowship remains subject to the Leverhulme Trust’s decision, and the Faculty of Divinity’s matching funding is contingent on a successful outcome.
Official opportunity announcement: https://www.interfaith.cam.ac.uk/news/funding-opportunity-peace-conflict-and-religion
Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship scheme: https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/early-career-fellowships
Important dates and deadlines
Applicants should distinguish between the application deadline for the Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s internal selection process and the doctoral submission dates used for Leverhulme eligibility.
- 18 February 2023: Earliest thesis submission date stated for applicants who have already submitted their thesis for viva voce examination.
- 30 November 2026: Deadline for applications to the Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s Peace, Conflict and Religion funding opportunity.
- Before 18 February 2027: Deadline by which applicants who have not yet submitted their PhD thesis must submit it, according to the announcement.
- Three years: Duration of the substantive research period associated with the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship scheme.
Applicants should consult the official scheme guidance to verify all relevant conditions and any additional deadlines that may apply to the external application process.
What if you are not eligible for this opportunity?
The Cambridge Interfaith Programme recognises that some researchers interested in peace, conflict and religion may not meet the requirements for this particular fellowship.
The announcement identifies several alternative routes worth exploring.
1. PhD study opportunities at the Faculty of Divinity
Researchers who have not yet completed a PhD and cannot meet the fellowship’s thesis submission requirements should explore the University of Cambridge Faculty of Divinity’s study opportunities.
These routes are more appropriate for individuals seeking to begin or pursue doctoral research rather than apply for an early-career postdoctoral fellowship.
2. The Faculty of Divinity’s annual postdoctoral research opportunities
Postdoctoral researchers who do not ordinarily meet the Leverhulme eligibility criteria, including those without an existing connection to a UK higher education institution, may wish to monitor the Faculty of Divinity’s annual call for postdoctoral research proposals.
The university indicates that this call is normally issued in May, with a June deadline. The timing and details may vary from year to year, so prospective applicants should check the latest announcement rather than assume that the same dates will apply every year.
The Cambridge Interfaith Programme reviews proposals submitted through this route and has a particular interest in research aligned with peace and conflict.
VISIT HERE, for more information.
3. The Faculty of Divinity Academic Visitors scheme
More advanced scholars seeking a research sabbatical in Cambridge may consider the Faculty of Divinity’s Academic Visitors scheme.
According to the announcement, the scheme may provide an opportunity to spend up to 12 months at Cambridge. It may be suitable for established or more advanced researchers whose career stage makes the Early Career Fellowship less appropriate.
4. Join the Cambridge Interfaith Programme mailing lists
Researchers who wish to receive updates about future peace and conflict opportunities can opt in to the programme’s mailing lists.
The mailing lists provide free email updates about relevant opportunities as they arise. Joining a mailing list may help prospective applicants identify future fellowship, research or academic visitor opportunities that better match their eligibility and career stage.
Contact information
For application-related correspondence, applicants should use the following contact details.
Application contact
Dr Peter Harland
Faculty Manager
Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge
West Road, Sidgwick Site
Cambridge, CB3 9BS, United Kingdom
Application email: pjh42@cam.ac.uk
General enquiries: team@interfaith.cam.ac.uk
The university notes that it receives a high volume of interest and will not respond to individual eligibility enquiries. If questions arise that are not answered in the announcement or linked pages, additional information may be added to the opportunity page. Questions concerning the substance of applications may be referred to Professor Esra Özyürek.
Applicants should therefore read the official announcement and the Leverhulme guidance carefully before contacting the programme.
Conclusion
The University of Cambridge Peace, Conflict and Religion Early Career Fellowship funding opportunity offers eligible early-career researchers a route to develop an independent, three-year research project addressing important questions about peace, conflict, religion and political violence. Through the Cambridge Interfaith Programme, the opportunity connects research on the lived, cultural, ethical and religious dimensions of conflict with a wider interdisciplinary academic environment.
Projects may explore peacebuilding, nonviolent resistance, reconciliation, justice, collective memory, religious resources and the changing relationships between religion, politics and society. Although the opportunity welcomes research across different geographical and cultural settings, proposals should focus primarily on events from the 1950s onwards and demonstrate a clear connection to the programme’s research priorities.
Applicants must prepare a concise academic CV, a publications list, a research statement, a research proposal and two references. They must also verify that they satisfy the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship eligibility requirements, particularly those concerning PhD thesis submission and connections to UK higher education institutions.
The application deadline is 30 November 2026.
Because the Cambridge internal selection process is followed by a separate Leverhulme Trust decision, applicants should treat the opportunity as a competitive route to fellowship funding rather than a guaranteed award. Careful preparation, a strong fit with the programme’s research priorities and strict adherence to the application requirements will be important when preparing a submission.
For more OFY Fellowship opportunities, CLICK HERE.
