History: Fully Funded AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership PhD Scholarship: Arts, Activism, and Accessibility: Disability Arts in Wales, 1980-Present (RS595)

Funding providers: AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership scheme

Subject areas: History

Project start date: 

• 1 October 2024 (Enrolment open from mid-September)

Supervisors:

• Professor David M. Turner (d.m.turner@swansea.ac.uk) and Dr Ryan Sweet (Swansea University)
• Ms Manon Foster-Evans and Mrs Lorena Troughton (National Library of Wales)

Aligned programme of study: PhD in History

Mode of study: Full or Part-time study is possible.

Project description: 

Swansea University, and the National Library of Wales are pleased to announce the availability of a fully funded Collaborative doctoral studentship from October 2024 under the AHRC’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnership Scheme.   

Since the 1980s, arts and culture have played a significant role in expressing deaf and disabled people’s identities in Britain and have sustained disability activism. Yet histories of disability arts are lacking, particularly for Wales. This PhD topic explores how the cultural lives of deaf and disabled people in Wales have changed over the past forty years. It will analyse the changing role of disability arts (including visual arts, theatre, dance, and film) in contributing to the social organisation of deaf and disabled people in this period and ask what the creative works of deaf and disabled people tell us about what it means to be disabled in Wales. Arts for Disabled People in Wales (now Disability Arts Cymru) was founded in 1982, and as one of the longest running multiform disability arts organisations in the UK its history is integral to our wider understanding of the evolution of disability arts and activism. The PhD offers a unique opportunity to work with the National Library of Wales to assist Disability Arts Cymru to conserve and widen access to its archive, and to collaborate with artists and activists to bring the story of disability arts in Wales to life for new audiences.  

The student will be based at Swansea University and the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. There will be opportunities to take part in the programme of CDP Cohort Development events and other activities organized for CDP students by the AHRC, as well as training and development provided by Swansea University and the CDP Welsh Culture and Heritage Consortium.  

Candidates must hold an undergraduate degree at 2:1 level and should ideally have, or expect to receive, a relevant master's-level qualification and/or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting. Suitable disciplines are flexible, but might include History, Disability Studies, Cultural and Museum Studies, Creative and Performing Arts, Media, Art History. Bilingual (Welsh/English) ability is desirable but not a requirement for this studentship. If you are eligible to apply for the scholarship but do not hold a UK degree, you can check our comparison entry requirements (see country specific qualifications). Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency. 

We want to encourage the widest range of potential students to study for a CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. 

English Language: IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 6.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here. 

This scholarship is open to candidates of any nationality. 

If you have any questions regarding your academic or fee eligibility based on the above, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with the web-link to the scholarship(s) you are interested in. 

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at £19,237 and an enhanced stiped of £600 p.a.

Additional research expenses will also be available.

To apply, please complete your application online with the following information:

1. Course choice – please select History / PhD / Full-time (or part-time) / 3 Years (or 6 years) / October

   In the event you have already applied for the above programme previously, the application system may issue a warning notice and prevent application, in this event, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk where staff will be happy to assist you in submitting your application.

2. Start year – please select 2024
3. Funding (page 8) –

• ‘Are you funding your studies yourself?’ – please select No
• ‘Name of Individual or organisation providing funds for study’ – please enter ‘RS595 - Arts, Activism, and Accessibility’

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.

We encourage you to complete the following to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University: 

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form (online form) 

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email):

• CV
• Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)
• A cover letter to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project (two pages).
• Two references (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.
• Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable).
• Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)
• Confirmation of EDI form submission (optional) 

Informal enquiries are welcome, please contact Professor David M. Turner (d.m.turner@swansea.ac.uk).

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.