Job Description

Ref Number

B03-02496

Professional Expertise

Research and Research Support

Department

UCL SLASH (B03)

Location

London

Working Pattern

Full time

Salary

See advert text

Contract Type

Fixed-term

Working Type

Hybrid

Available for Secondment

No

Closing Date

07-Jul-2025

About us

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SELCS-CMII is a world-leading centre for teaching, research and public engagement, focussing on the literature, linguistic traditions, history, sociology, philosophy, art, film and other aspects of the cultures associated with the languages we teach (Danish, Dutch, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Old Norse, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish).



Our taught programmes are innovative and interdisciplinary; academic colleagues and students engage with many urgent concerns facing the world today by understanding Europe's languages, cultures and histories and their impact globally.



BA, MA and PhD programmes in SELCS-CMII encompass Comparative Literature, Film Studies, Translation Studies, and interdisciplinary MAs in Gender, Race, Health Humanities, European Studies and Early Modern Studies (please visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/european-languages-culture/programmes-and-courses for more information).

About the role

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The awardee will conduct an investigation of contemporary debates regarding the history and legacy of British slavery, abolition and reparations/restorative justice in Britain and/or the Caribbean for a doctoral project.



Specifically, we welcome proposals that are concerned with (but not limited to):


The media's representation of the demands for economic and cultural reparations for Transatlantic Slave Trade

Comparative analyses of media reportage on slavery reparations and restorative justice across the Caribbean, Britain and the US

The representation of demands for slavery reparations and restorative justice across various cultural mediums and forms (literature/print media/film/television/broadcast media)

Qualitative, oral history and narrative based research on the impact of public narratives, media reportage and debates on reparation and restorative justice amongst the Black Diaspora in Britain/The Caribbean

Narratives/media representations of Intergenerational trauma as a legacy of transatlantic slavery in the Caribbean and amongst the Black diaspora in the UK


Based within SELCS-CMII, the student will also collaborate closely with UCL's Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery, which has succeeded in making the history of slavery more widely known in Britain by building a publicly accessible evidence base. Their database on the compensation payments of 20 million made to British slave-owners for the loss of their human property after emancipation in 1834 has contributed monumentally to the national conversation on slavery, rights, justice, empire, memorialization and how we reckon with uncomfortable truths. For current work of the Centre, please visit www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs.

About you

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We are looking for a Black British student with PhD research interests within the broad themes of media, culture, politics, and the question of restorative justice and reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade.



The successful applicant will have received relevant training from the disciplines of media and communications, Black studies, race and postcoloniality, literature, cultural sociology and history, particularly of the Caribbean, Britain and the United States.



Candidates must have already completed a relevant MA/MSc in a related subject (e.g. sociology, media and communications, film and cultural studies, literature, Black studies, race and postcoloniality, gender, social policy), and have experience of the study of Black history, Black people and racial inequality, gained through academic study and/or working experience.



Candidates must also fulfil the standard entry requirements for acceptance for postgraduate study at UCL: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/entry-requirements

What we offer

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The studentship is full-time and will run for 4 years from September 2025.



It covers full-time tuition of Home Fees at the Doctoral Level (currently 6,215 per annum) plus an annual stipend of 20,280.



Primary Doctoral supervision will be undertaken by Dr Clive Chijioke Nwonka, Associate Professor of Film, Culture and Society at UCL and secondary supervision by Professor Matthew J Smith at UCL (LBS/Department of History).



The student will participate in the Research Training programme in the department and will have the opportunity to contribute to the research and public engagement activities which form an important part of both the SPRC and the Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this studentship, eligible applicants should send the following to selcs.operations@ucl.ac.uk:



1. A curriculum vitae (maximum length 5 pages).



2. A 2 page outline of the proposed area of research



3. A personal statement outlining your motivations and suitability for the studentship



4. Transcripts of study from your first degree and postgraduate qualifications.



Interviews will be held for short-listed candidates in the week beginning 14th July 2025.



After interview, the successful candidate will be given instructions to formally apply online via the UCL website.



For enquiries please contact the scholarship lead, Dr Nwonka: c.nwonka@ucl.ac.uk