PhD Studentship at the University of Leeds
The research project Translation and translanguaging: Investigating linguistic and cultural transformations in superdiverse wards in four UK cities, funded by the AHRC, is running at the Universities of Birmingham Cardiff and Leeds, and Birkbeck College, University of London, from April 2014 to March 2018. The project is led by colleagues at the MOSAIC Centre for Research on Multilingualism, University of Birmingham.
We are seeking applications for a three-year PhD studentship at the School of Education, University of Leeds, as part of the project. The title of the PhD studentship project is Investigating Translation Zones in Community Arts. The starting date of the PhD will be 1 October 2014.
The successful applicant will receive an annual maintenance grant of £13,726 and an annual contribution of £3,900 towards payment of their fees. (2013/14 rates: the annual fee for UK home and EU students in 2013/14 is £3,950; the fee for students in other categories is higher and the difference cannot be funded from this award. Figures are subject to confirmation.) The successful applicant will have already completed Master’s study at the time of beginning their PhD.
The PhD will focus on translanguaging in production and performance in community arts. The study will be located in the Gipton and Harehills area of Leeds, and will adopt the same broad research aims as the wider project. This will enable the PhD candidate to work in liaison with the project team, and under the supervision of Dr James Simpson. The precise focus of the research will be negotiated with the successful applicant. Throughout, the PhD candidate will fully engage in team meetings, research training and capacity development, workshops and dissemination events. The first year of the studentship will include intensive research training.
The doctoral candidate selected for this post will be expected to become fully involved in the life of the wider project. For example, they might take a turn at coordinating the social media and news elements of the project website, be responsible for recording team meetings and organising the team’s data processing. The successful applicant will need to be willing to travel to meetings and research training and development sessions which may be away from Leeds.
Further information
Qualifications: you will have very good undergraduate and Master’s degrees in relevant disciplines, e.g. contemporary arts/cultural studies, applied/sociolinguistics, intercultural communication. Language skills will be an advantage. Only applicants who are not already reading for a PhD are eligible for this studentship.
Application: send electronic copies of the documents listed below to Dr James Simpson by 1 March 2014.
- CV including your educational history with degree and exam results, and any awards; special skills or experience (e.g. language proficiency, other relevant expertise); and publications (if any).
- Covering letter of one A4 side only, describing your preparation and qualification for, and interest in, this studentship.
- A sample of your post-graduate academic writing (up to 3000 words), or a short academic publication.
- A proposal of not more than 2000 words, outlining the PhD research you would undertake within the parameters of the Leeds studentship for this project as described in the summary above.
In addition, you need to supply two letters of reference, one of which should be from a tutor on your post-graduate course, preferably your dissertation supervisor. Ask your referees to send their letters directly by email to j.e.b.simpson@education.leeds.ac.uk
Interviews will be conducted as soon as possible after the closing date, in Leeds.
