The Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge is recruiting a Research Assistant/Research Associate within the field of Modern Dravidian History and Politics (1945 to the present). This full-time, fixed-term position is available for three years (commencing 1 October 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter, with funding available until 30 September 2029 in the first instance). The role is endowed by a bequest to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and will operate under the supervision of Professor Shruti Kapila, Professor of History and Politics.

The primary aim of this research project is to build historical and analytical perspectives on welfare in relation to shifts in democracy and statecraft, including emerging digital public infrastructure. The project utilizes a combination of archival research, data sets, and interview-based methods, focusing on the interaction of ideas and institutions with public perception, political languages, and democratic outcomes.

Key duties and responsibilities include:

• Conducting innovative research using data sets, archives, and interviews on welfare, democracy, and postcolonial statecraft, utilizing Tamil language repositories.

• Authoring research articles based on individual work and preparing a monograph by the conclusion of the fellowship.

• Collaborating with Professor Shruti Kapila to identify key sources for digital humanities research, as well as designing and managing the project’s public platform as required.

• Working closely with colleagues, including doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, academics, public intellectuals, and broader external stakeholders.

• Participating in project-related workshops and conferences by presenting papers and assisting with event organization, alongside attending broader academic conferences.

• Engaging in interdisciplinary research and writing aimed at presenting policy perspectives and concepts to public, scholarly, and stakeholder audiences.

• Assisting with tasks connected to project dissemination activities.

General administrative and institutional information:

• Job Reference: JJ50616

• Hours: Full Time

• Contract Type: Fixed-Term (3 Years)

• Equal Opportunities & Eligibility: The University actively supports equality, diversity, and inclusion. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the United Kingdom.

• Educated to PhD level in South Asian/Tamil history or politics, or clear evidence that completion of such a doctorate is imminent.

• Legal eligibility to live and work in the UK.

• Established research expertise in South Asian or Tamil history/politics.

• High fluency in utilizing research materials in both English and Tamil.

• Proven track record of conducting and delivering high-quality research projects.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software, with the willingness to learn additional software tools as needed.

• Ability and commitment to engage in digital humanities research and public-facing work in an interdisciplinary, collaborative capacity.

£33,002 to £46,049 per annum

31st August 2026

Application URL

Contact Email Addresses:

• Informal enquiries: Professor Shruti Kapila (sk555@cam.ac.uk)

• Application process queries: hr@hist.cam.ac.uk