PhD Study : Diasporas, Conflict and Migration: Persecuted minorities in South Asia

Summary

The growth of diaspora governance, known as the “diaspora turn” (Agunias, 2009), a world-wide trend since the late 1990s, has been dramatic in recent years as a response to processes of globalisation, where increasingly “networked” states are regulated from the outside by global economic markets and information systems (Fitzgerald et al., 2006; Castells, 2011; Gray, 2012; Delano and Gamlen, 2014). However, the role of diasporas in regard to divided former states, those undergoing conflict or in fragile post-conflict societies has been less explored, though there is now a small but growing research literature (e.g. Bosnia, Cyprus, former Soviet Republics, Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Timor-Leste, etc.).

Diaspora governance may serve to legitimise unstable and/or relatively new states as well as lobby for the rights of stateless populations (e.g. Armenians, Palestinians) or protect threatened and persecuted religious and ethnic minorities within their home countries. Although diasporas may play an important role in in providing economic support, cultural capital and brokering peace processes, there are many examples where diaspora engagement has failed to effect positive change in the home society to protect minorities, especially where a diaspora is heterogeneous and the divisions, whether religious, ethnic or political, remain unresolved (Skulte-Ouaiss and Tabar, 2015; van Hear and Cohen, 2016).

In the event of ongoing intractable conflict, diaspora spaces (Brah, 1996) abroad will most likely not be shared and diasporans who dominate numerically (or represent the elites) may control organised activities, community spaces and political influence; thus a form of “double exclusion” may exist for those who do not share the same political goals (Mavroudi, 2008:69). We are looking for proposals that are particularly concerned with consideration of persecuted sub-national minorities in South Asia, including the cultural, religious, gendered and/or hierarchical/class aspects of the migration process that pertain to their access to migration and the ongoing relationship with their diasporas abroad. How have emigrant and refugee populations organised abroad, coped with the collective memory of loss (Hirsch, 1997; Cho, 2007; Chamberlain, 2009; Rothberg 2009), raised or failed to raise awareness of persecution and dereliction of human rights, or lobbied host country powers to effect positive change for populations under threat, including potential changes to immigration and asylum policies in host countries? How is the increasingly hostile reception of immigrant communities and the response of the West towards migration from Asia modifying attitudes and access to migration for persecuted minorities in their countries of birth?

Proposals should consider the international response to refugees with regard to asylum processes and human rights legislation and governance.

Essential criteria: A second class Honours degree from a UK institution (or overseas award deemed to be equivalent via UK NARIC).

Desirable criteria: A Masters’ degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent professional experience. Allowance may be made for special qualifications, experience and background, and students with other academic backgrounds may be considered, where applicants can demonstrate their ability to undertake the PhD programme.

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