This full-time studentship is supported for 3 years and will start on 1 October 2024.
This Ocean Conservation Trust/University of Plymouth project seeks to identify the most effective drivers for shifting the narrative on Ocean conservation. Improving Ocean literacy is essential for meeting global sustainability goals and challenge 10 of the UN Ocean Decade, yet there is an ‘Ocean deficit’ (Dobrin, 2021) at the heart of contemporary cultural, social and even environmental values.
To take a stark example, SDG14 on protecting the Ocean is the least funded of all the 17 UN goals. While there has been a growing body of US-based blue humanities work, little in-depth qualitative work has been undertaken exploring British cultural relations with the Ocean. As Schwerdtner Manez et al. (2022) observe: ‘Ocean literacies must be place-specific, represent different knowledge and emotional systems and reflect the histories of the particular areas in question’.
The supervisory team combines expertise in English literature, marine conservation and environmental communication. Applicants are encouraged to take an interdisciplinary approach but are not expected to have expertise in all three of these areas. There is scope to shape the project according to your particular strengths.
Focused on the city of Plymouth, and taking the Ocean Conservation Trust as a central case study, this project asks:
- What can various types of cultural representation (media, literature, art, exhibits) tell us about contemporary relationships with the sea and their histories?
- How can these play a role in shifting the narrative toward more responsible models of marine citizenship?
The supervisory team consists of Professor Alison Anderson, Director of Studies (Sociology), Dr Mandy Bloomfield, (English Literature), and Nicola Bridge (adviser; Head of Ocean Advocacy and Engagement, Ocean Conservation Trust).
Apply
To apply please use the online application form. Simply search for PhD Sociology (and select the entry point of October 2024), then clearly state that you are applying for a PhD studentship and name the project at the top of your personal statement.
Before applying, please ensure you have read the Doctoral College’s general information on applying for a postgraduate research programme and on the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business fully-funded Collaborative Doctoral Awards (CDAs) advert page.
For more information on the admissions process, please contact research.degree.admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.