Global Majority and Underrepresented Writers’ Programme

Global Majority writers are defined as:

• Writers who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the Global South, and/or have been referred to as ‘ethnic minorities’.

Underrepresented writers are defined as:

• Writers from Black, Asian, or other ethnic minority groups.
• LGBTQ+ writers.
• Writers from socially disadvantaged backgrounds or who identify as working-class.
• Care leavers.
• Writers with disabilities (i.e. ‘a physical or mental impairment that has long-term negative effects on a person’s ability to carry out normal daily activities’ (Equality Act, 2010). This can include neurodiversity).
• Immigrants or refugees.

Life-writing is defined as:

• Writing that includes elements of biography, autobiography, memoirs, letters, diaries, journals, anthropological data, oral testimony, eye-witness accounts, biopics, plays, spoken word and musical performances, obituaries, scandal sheets, and gossip columns, blogs, and social media such as Tweets and Instagram stories. It is not only a literary or historical specialism but is relevant across the arts and sciences and can involve philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, ethnographers and anthropologists.
• For examples of life-writing/life-writers, see our current/previous event listings.

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing (OCLW) is delighted to announce that applications for the inaugural Global Majority and Underrepresented Writers’ Programme (2025–26) will open on 28 April 2025.

To ensure dedicated mentorship and a rich, supportive community, this highly selective programme offers eight funded places, each for one academic year, October 2025 to June 2026. Among the benefits offered, successful applicants will receive free membership of our weekly online writing feedback group and become OCLW Global Majority and Underrepresented Writing Scholars, a distinction they are encouraged to include on their CVs and professional biographies.

About the Programme

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing has long played a central role in inspiring writers and researchers in the field of life-writing, helping them explore and develop their work. Through this new initiative, we aim to encourage and empower talented writers who are underrepresented both in our community and on our bookshelves, supporting them to establish themselves as successful authors.

We recognise the multiple barriers to writing and publication, particularly for individuals from backgrounds historically excluded from life-writing, publishing, and academia. This programme seeks to ensure that the future of life-writing authorship and research better reflects the broad and diverse range of voices that surround us.

This nine-month programme, launching in October 2025, is designed to provide skills training, mentorship, and opportunities to support participants in producing high-quality writing, building their confidence, and equipping them to navigate the publishing industry. We are committed to fostering a community where life-writers feel supported, celebrated, and connected to other researchers and professionals in the field.

What participants will receive

We are offering eight fully funded places for the 2025–26 cohort. Global Majority and Underrepresented Writing Scholars will receive:

• Free membership of our weekly online writing feedback group (fully online and open to participants wherever they are), running during Oxford term time (October 2025 – June 2026). This group supports the development of life‑writing projects such as memoir, autobiography, biography, oral history, and other forms of personal narrative, and is facilitated by an academic and writing coach who specialises in working with disabled, LGBTQ+, and other diverse communities.
• Priority booking for OCLW events and workshops, including online access to all our Oxford events.
• Access to seminars and lectures delivered by leading life-writers and industry professionals, including our Global Majority and Underrepresented Writers Series, which showcases the work, insights, and practices of writers from historically marginalised communities.
• Ongoing recognition and support beyond the formal end of the programme, including:
  
  • Continued access to public events
  • A dedicated profile page on our website
  • Updates on participants’ work in our newsletter
  • Opportunities to return to OCLW to give workshops, deliver lectures, or launch published work

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be aged 18 or older
• Be un-agented
• Have not published or be under contract at the time of application for a full-length work (previous publication in journals, magazines, or online platforms is not a disqualifier)
• Identify as a member of the Global Majority or as an underrepresented writer

• Applicants do not have to be academics and do not have to hold a degree, but must be actively working on, or planning to work on, a life-writing project with a clear aim of publication or production

Further Particulars and Apply:

For further particulars and details of how to apply, please consult the Call for Applications.

Deadline: 12pm (BST), Monday 16 June 2025

There is no application fee.

We anticipate a high volume of applications. We warmly encourage all eligible writers to apply, and we hope to expand our support for underrepresented life-writers in future years.

For any questions about the application process or programme, please contact the programme coordinator, Dr Eleri Anona Watson.

To achieve these goals and ensure the Programme remains sustainable for years to come, we need your support. To make a donation or learn more about how you can support the Programme, please contact Dr Kate Kennedy.