FCO Fellowship - Ali Ansari: The Politics of British-Iranian Relations in historical context
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: History
Abstract
This call is limited to the FCO and designed to meet the distinct needs of the Diplomatic Service, which differ from many parts of the Home Civil Service. The FCO requires security vetting, the highest levels of discretion and confidentiality and agile, subject-specific advice. The FCO has an almost limitless demand for expert specialist knowledge of foreign countries, international institutions and global policy challenges.
This call will provide the opportunity for each intake of fellows to be seconded into the FCO to work alongside, advise and influence policymakers. Fellows will bring fresh thinking, depth and breadth of expert knowledge and apply their learning to policy challenges. This is not a call to support research projects about the FCO. It will build new capacity in the FCO and across the UK research base.
Fellows will report to a line manager either from the RA Cadre (or Arms Control & Disarmament Unit) or the generalist body of the FCO. Additional support and mentoring will be provided by both senior Generalists (Directors; Ambassadors; Heads of Department; Deputy Heads) and by senior Research Analysts. Work-planning, as for permanent Research Analysts, will be a mixture of demand and self-tasking based on evolving FCO needs. An indicative list of tasks include: writing papers and shorter notes, oral briefings for senior officials and ministers, meeting external and cross-Whitehall partners, research visits overseas as well as organising and running masterclasses.
The individual fellows will acquire:
a) A deep, broad and practical understanding of foreign policy-making and Government work which will underpin their own research, research supervision and teaching over their careers;
b) Networks of trusted connections across Government and internationally on which they can draw throughout their career;
c) Opportunities for career development.
This call will provide the opportunity for each intake of fellows to be seconded into the FCO to work alongside, advise and influence policymakers. Fellows will bring fresh thinking, depth and breadth of expert knowledge and apply their learning to policy challenges. This is not a call to support research projects about the FCO. It will build new capacity in the FCO and across the UK research base.
Fellows will report to a line manager either from the RA Cadre (or Arms Control & Disarmament Unit) or the generalist body of the FCO. Additional support and mentoring will be provided by both senior Generalists (Directors; Ambassadors; Heads of Department; Deputy Heads) and by senior Research Analysts. Work-planning, as for permanent Research Analysts, will be a mixture of demand and self-tasking based on evolving FCO needs. An indicative list of tasks include: writing papers and shorter notes, oral briefings for senior officials and ministers, meeting external and cross-Whitehall partners, research visits overseas as well as organising and running masterclasses.
The individual fellows will acquire:
a) A deep, broad and practical understanding of foreign policy-making and Government work which will underpin their own research, research supervision and teaching over their careers;
b) Networks of trusted connections across Government and internationally on which they can draw throughout their career;
c) Opportunities for career development.
Planned Impact
The main benefit anticipated from this call for the FCO will be more robust and better- informed foreign policy. The Fellowship call will over time create a small group of highly- trained, specialised and policy-aware academics that will act as a resource on which policymakers can continue to draw long after the formal Fellowship is completed. They will also, in the normal course of events, download their understanding of the FCO policymaking environment to students, cascading knowledge to others who may themselves in due course be channels for knowledge exchange.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Ali Ansari (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
| Description | The key benefit of this fellowship was to facilitate a better understanding of how policy is made and informed. In the two years that I worked with colleagues at the FCDO I acquired an acute understanding of processes - not all positive - which will also better inform my own studies of British foreign policy making especially in relation to Iran. |
| Exploitation Route | I think it would be better to explain to potential applicants that the nature of the fellowship will depend very heavily on the area one is allocated to. Some research areas are relatively generously staffed and there is more scope to pursue one's own lines of inquiry. In those areas, like ran, where staffing is short and the sense of crisis continuous, potential applicants should appreciate that this is not an academic fellowship as conventionally understood. There is little down time! |
| Sectors | Government Democracy and Justice Security and Diplomacy |
| Description | By bringing my historical understanding of British-Iranian relations to the discussion I have been able to better situate and inform current policy debates as well as challenge any emerging consensus to ensure that positions are better anchored within the wider historical inheritance as well as the cultural context of relations. I have been able to engage with colleagues in the FCDO, Cabinet Office as well further afield across Whitehall. I have helped develop a resource database of information, delivered a series of talks and invited a wide range of academic colleagues to provide their own insights to colleagues. My own extensive experience with policy related issues over the last thirty years as well as my familiarity with Persian sources has also enabled me to contribute value in other distinct ways. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Government, Democracy and Justice,Security and Diplomacy |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | A Failure of Imagination? An assessment of British Policy towards Iran |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | New Distance Learning Programme on Iranian Studies aimed at policy makers and analysts |
| Organisation | Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The University of St Andrews formally launched an online distance learning version of its successful MLitt in Iranian Studies in September 2023 aimed at though not limited to, the policy making community in Whitehall. The course was launched with two online students in September (though another member of the FCDO decided to take the residential course). Of the two online students, one is based in the FCDO in London and the other in the British Embassy in Washington. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The FCDO supported these students with funding and are likely to send further students this year. Moreover the senior Research Analyst who I work with during my fellowship, Dr Stuart Horsman, has recently been appointed to a three year Hon Research fellowship at the School of History in St Andrews and we are investigating the possibility of applying to a follow on grant to allow Dr Horsman to spend more time with us on history and policy. |
| Impact | The collaboration has enabled the online programme though it is too early to speak of outcomes since the first cohort has only just started the programme |
| Start Year | 2023 |