PhD Study : Retrieving social theories from the (recent) past that might speak to social understanding today.

Summary

Reassessing what classical social thinkers had to say on social and moral life can still yield fruitful outcomes regarding questions about social life today. Naturally there are logically sound arguments for rejecting some positions. But often criticism and rejection can be based on contentious or even dubious grounds, in particular on selective readings, which go on subsequently to mislead later generations. These selective interpretations may be more or less accidental, or they can be more or less biased according to the normative assumptions about what the critics expect or want to find, or not to find, in the author in question.

Accordingly, ‘old’ ideas and theories can on occasion be retrieved from unmerited obscurity or odium, and found to have an enduring place in the furthering of social knowledge: they may offer us different yet useful epistemological and methodological approaches to the routine study of contemporary social issues in our midst. In this spirit, applications are invited for a PhD studentship from students with a good first degree in the social sciences who wish to reassess one or more key writers in the area of Applied Social and Policy Sciences, with an interest in particular in welfare and policy.

One example might be the nineteenth century sociologist, Herbert Spencer, who remains an understudied figure in social science, such that his social theory has arguably been widely misunderstood (the School is in possession of an extensive archive relating to Spencer). Confusion often plagues the assessments of Spencer that have failed to undertake an all-encompassing assessment of his corpus. Unfortunately, confusion often leads to distortion. However, there are other examples of writers in the general area of welfare and policy who might be reassessed along similar lines, including Beatrice Webb (on the principle of prevention and social health), T.H. Marshall (on citizenship and welfare-capitalism), Richard Titmuss (on altruism and welfare unitarism) and Robert Pinker (on conditional altruism and welfare pluralism). This list is not intended to be exclusive.

Studies in the area of social policy continue to place very great weight on the study of the ‘welfare state’ and the role of government, as well as perhaps concentrating on studying service providers as opposed to service users. A PhD in this area will seek to critically investigate overlooked aspects in the study of welfare provision and to elevate the status of conceptual thought and historical ideas as valuable methods and resources for studying pertinent issues about social life today. It will foreground ideas and theoretical approaches that can be employed in addressing contemporary familial, communal and social challenges encountered by policy makers, public administrators, and service providers, and service users themselves. In turn, this will enable researchers and practitioners to situate critically social and policy dilemmas in context:  the plurality of social experience and social reality will be viewed from a range of vantage points.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

• Full Award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
• Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
• Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

• Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
• Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
• Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living