The humanities’ challenge is to break out and break in

Humanities researchers must think more internationally if they are to grasp the opportunity offered by changes to Horizon 2020, say Ioana Galleron and Geoffrey Williams.

Europe is moving towards the creation of a research area built on networks of teams centred on disciplines that have achieved global visibility, most obviously in the natural sciences. These networks have proved their ability to carry out ambitious projects and shape research agendas.

Once such a system is in place, these networks monopolise funding, locking out other fields. Such is the fate of the humanities, which find themselves caught in a catch-22: building international networks requires substantial funding and administrative energy, but obtaining these resources requires a high degree of international organisation.