ESRC Doctoral Training Centre +3 and 1+3 Studentships in Security, Conflict and Justice
About the award
The College of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of Exeter is pleased to be offering up to 2 ESRC funded studentships as part of the interdisciplinary pathways of the South West Doctoral Training Centre for entry in 2013/14. Your proposed research must be interdisciplinary with supervisors from two different disciplines.
For eligible students the full time studentship will cover UK/EU fees and an annual Research Council maintenance grant of approximately £13,590 (2012/2013 rate) for up to three years (+3 award) or four years (1+3 award).
For the 1+3 studentships you would be required to register initially for the Masters programmes in Security, Conflict and Justice. For the +3 studentships you would be required to register on the PhD Security, Conflict and Justice with the aim of conducting research in an area that aligns with the work of the ESRC.
The Consortium
The Universities of Bristol, Exeter and Bath have created the SWDTC, which draws together the established research excellence of more than 770 academic and research staff at the three institutions. The SWDTC has been accredited by the ESRC and the collaboration at the heart of it was recognised as adding value to the content and delivery of training.
Security, Conflict and Justice
This pathway connects directly with the ESRC's Research Challenge Security, Conflict and Justice. It recognises that traditional approaches to security studies must now be complemented with new perspectives of issues such as human (in)security more widely, including domestic insecurity and violence, in order to develop better strategies for resolving conflicts and securing social justice. It will train researchers who are equipped with the interdisciplinary skills to impact the research, policy and practice needed to avoid and mitigate security risks.
Globalisation has altered the security environment. Violence has, for the most part, shifted from organised inter-state war to protracted warfare fought by irregular units and local militias. Weak states are prone to collapsing, either by the fragmentation of authority, or by external intervention. Climate change, forced migration, gender-based violence, radicalisation, humanitarian emergencies, terrorism, WMD proliferation, have all, to varying degrees, been securitised by states, inter-governmental institutions, and by non-governmental organisations.
The broadening of the global security agenda has to date not been accompanied by an increase in the capacity of local, regional, and global actors to respond to these new challenges. What is now required is the development of new theoretical and empirical research on security governance. A vital ingredient in addressing the complex agenda of security governance is an inter-disciplinary pooling of knowledge and expertise that draws together sociological and socio-legal research on human rights, gender, violence and ethnopolitics; area studies expertise on language, culture and practice; and political and legal research on sovereignty, institutions and intervention.
There are a range of relevant disciplines at Exeter linked to the pathway including:
Academic entry requirements: For the 1+3 programme students must have a strong first degree (at least an Upper Second Class Honours or equivalent) in a relevant social science discipline. Candidates for the +3 programme must, in addition, have (or be about to complete) a Masters degree in a relevant social science discipline or have equivalent research training. Personal qualities should also include the ability to work independently and high degree of motivation necessary to complete a PhD in three years.
The ESRC does not expect its funding to be used for students who have already completed a substantial proportion of a PhD, for example funds should not be used to support a student entering year 3 of a 3 year programme.
Residency entry requirements: Home status students receive a full ESRC studentship (fees plus a maintenance grant of approximately £13,590 per year); EU students who have not been resident in the UK for the last three years before the start of their studentship are eligible for a fees-only award. If you are unsure of your eligibility, you can check the ESRC eligibility requirements in Annexe 1 of the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide.
Summary
| Application deadline: | 14th February 2013 |
|---|---|
| Value: | Up to £18,079 for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students |
| Duration of award: | per year |
| Contact: Liz Hull | ssis-researchadmissions@exeter.ac.uk |
How to apply
Please apply to our PhD programmes via the University application system. Once you are awaiting the result of your PhD application, or have already received an offer, you should email the following documents directly to Liz Hull (ssis-researchadmissions@exeter.ac.uk) by 14 February 2013:
1) A covering letter outlining your academic interests, any prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake this project;
2) Your current CV.
The deadline for submitting your online application and the documents listed above is 14 February 2013,11.59 pm.
All shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview and will be required to give a 5 minute presentation. Interviews will take place at Streatham Campus, Exeter between 13 and 14 March 2013. If you have not heard from us by the interview dates you have not been short listed on this occasion.
