Our mission

Supporting research and disseminating knowledge in the humanities and social sciences
Façade de la FMSH

Building a world where understanding, pluralism, and free circulation of knowledge are the source of progress towards more inclusive and sustainable societies.

Created in 1963 by the historian Fernand Braudel, the Fondation Maison des Science de l’Homme (FMSH) supports innovative and international research in the humanities and social sciences, and disseminates knowledge to the greatest number of people.

For sixty  years, the foundation has been advancing knowledge in the humanities and social sciences to better understand the complexity of the world and explore the common challenges facing our societies.

By supporting each year nearly 400 researchers from around the world each year and ensuring the dissemination of a wide range of scientific resources, the FMSH is the largest humanities and social sciences foundation in France.

A model unique in Europe

Based on international cooperation, the FMSH's model rests on three pillars:

  • To promote the free circulation of knowledge
    Designed to facilitate the circulation of researchers and written works, the foundation's scientific and editorial programmes aim to break down the boundaries between disciplines and multiply perspectives to enrich the field of knowledge.
  • To nurture interdisciplinary and intercultural dialogue
    As a platform for connecting scientific communities, the foundation forges cooperative tools and programmes that promote diverse and inclusive thinking.
  • To disseminate research widely
    The foundation has developed unrivalled expertise in the dissemination of research. It ensures that everyone—the scientific community, decision-makers, civil society actors, and citizens included—has access to the scientific knowledge they need to take action and bring about positive change in our society.

This model fosters pluralism in order to challenge the way we think about and see the world, and to transform our vision of contemporary issues.

La Fondation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme has been awarded the IDEAS label.

The IDEAS label is a hallmark of our ongoing commitment to society. It attests to our drive for continuous improvement in terms of governance, financial management, and the evaluation of our actions.

Label IDEAS