Frances Hand selected as a BBC and AHRC New Generation Thinker for 2026
Frances Hand, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford, has been selected as 1 of 5 new New Generation Thinkers for 2026 by BBC Radio 4 and the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
The New Generation Thinkers scheme finds some of the most talented researchers from across UK universities and supports them to share their research with wider audiences through BBC radio programmes.
Frances Hand's research, informed by thousands of women’s voices, explores why, despite comparative wealth and health advancements in the UK, women continue to experience vast differences in access, experience and outcomes under NHS maternity care. She looks at the terminology used in childbirth, and at the idea of “obstetric violence”, arguing for greater rights-focused governmental action to fulfil international obligations to protect women.
Frances recently spoke at the Mexican Supreme Court, calling for greater collaboration and information sharing across countries. Her work has been published in The Conversation and the Journal of Medical Ethics and presented at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists World Congress.
She will primarily be working with Woman’s Hour, Radio 4’s topical programme featuring women’s voices exploring women’s lives, and will also contribute to other Radio 4 programmes.
Matthew Dodd, Commissioning Editor, Arts, BBC Radio 4, says, “Listeners tune into to Radio 4 because they want to be challenged by new ideas and learn more about the world around them, and I know that this year’s cohort of New Generation Thinkers are going to bring some fascinating ideas to the table. As the UK’s biggest speech radio station, we’re delighted to be able to bring their expertise to the widest possible audience."
AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith says: “Our New Generation Thinkers are a bold advertisement for the power of adventurous thinking, showcasing the way outstanding early career researchers can advance knowledge in varied and unexpected ways. Our enduring partnership with the BBC allows audiences across the UK to meaningfully engage with a diverse range of ideas, and invites us all to reconsider matters of societal and cultural importance.”