PhD Studentship: Historical Study of Unorthodox Health Activism in Britain (Post-1948)
Explore the social and cultural history of alternative health movements in post-war Britain with a Wellcome-funded PhD studentship.
Best for:Best for historians, social scientists, or digital humanities researchers with a passion for 20th/21st-century British social history and unorthodox health movements.
Overview
This PhD studentship at the University of Strathclyde investigates unorthodox health activism in Britain since 1948, examining grassroots movements, their societal impact, and interactions with public health systems. Affiliated with a Wellcome-funded project on AIDS denialism, the research will contribute to broader historical understandings of health dissent. Candidates will design their own research focus within themes like anti-vaccine movements, complementary medicine, or wellness culture, under the supervision of leading historians. The project offers a fully funded scholarship covering tuition fees and a stipend for three years, with opportunities to engage with digital humanities methods and archival research.
What you'll do
- Conduct original historical research on unorthodox health movements in Britain since 1948, designing a focused research agenda aligned with the project’s themes.
- Engage with archival materials, historical documents, and digital humanities tools to analyze primary sources.
- Collaborate with the affiliated Wellcome-funded project on AIDS denialism, contributing to broader transnational health history discussions.
- Present research findings at academic conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals or edited volumes.
- Develop a PhD thesis that advances historical understanding of health activism, its societal impact, and its relationship with public health systems.
- Participate in departmental seminars, workshops, and research networks related to history and social sciences.
Requirements
Degree required: Master’s degree (or equivalent) in History, Social Sciences, or a related discipline.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English; proficiency sufficient for academic research and thesis writing (no formal test score specified).
Instruction: English
- Strong research and analytical skills in historical methods, particularly for primary source analysis.
- Familiarity with digital humanities tools or willingness to learn for archival and textual analysis.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills for academic dissemination.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a research-intensive environment.
- Open to UK Home fee-paying applicants for full funding; international applicants welcome but must cover the difference between Home and International fees.
- No specific nationality restrictions, but funding eligibility depends on fee status.
- No age restrictions mentioned.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-30
Applicants must submit an online application through the University of Strathclyde’s postgraduate research portal. Include a CV, a research proposal outlining your intended focus, and academic transcripts. Two references are also required. For further guidance, contact the project supervisors or the scholarships email provided.
- CV
- Research proposal (outlining intended focus)
- Academic transcripts (BSc + MSc)
- Two reference letters
Contact
Hannah Elizabeth· Supervisor
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