The School of Arts English and Languages invites applications for fully-funded PhD studentships in 8 thematic areas, each generously funded by the Department for the Economy.

• Applicants must have contacted a potential first supervisor and agreed supervision in principle to be considered for an award.
• Applicants cannot apply to more than one project.
• Quote the Project Code in the section of the online application form relating to funding.

 

Project Themes

 Storytelling for Social Engagement (Project Code: DfEAEL01)            
In the context of the challenges of face-to-face social engagement and interaction in digital, AI, virtual and screen environments, projects within this theme will explore innovative approaches to developing storytelling and audience engagement through arts methods that support collaboration and connection with hard-to-reach communities.

Communication and Representation Strategies in Media, Broadcast, and Creative Arts (Project Code: DfEAEL02)                                                    
Projects within this theme will focus on investigation and development of strategies for communication and representation of diverse lived experiences and environments/ecologies through film, media, broadcast and creative arts practice and critical analysis.

Fostering a productive sustainable cultural economy in NI through research, collaboration and international comparisons  (Project Code: DfEAEL03)                                      
Projects within this theme will research barriers and opportunities within the NI cultural economy for creative Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and workforces, thereby offering direct alignment to the Plan for Government priority of growing a Globally Competitive and Sustainable Economy. The theme offers a global dimension situating the proposed studies against international comparators - at economy/policy level, industry benchmarks, at SME level and on the level of individuals in or seeking to work in the creative industries.

Culture and the Environment (Project Code: DfEAEL04)      
Contemporary literature and creative arts inform and promote public understanding of the urgent ecological issues facing Northern Ireland for national and global audiences. Projects within this theme may explore the rich and varied cultural forms drawing on Northern Ireland’s environments (loughs, rivers, seas, flora and fauna), examine the influence of the arts on public perception, and enable new creative practice (including collaborative and community engagement work) that directly engages with contemporary environmental issues.

 Reimagining Disability (Project Code: DfEAEL05)                 
‘Many people with disabilities inhabit bodies that do not fit the received tales of wisdom’, wrote the researcher and disability-activist Rosemarie Garland Thompson in 2024. Projects within this research theme will seek to move beyond those received tales by examining the representation and articulation of disability in historical texts and art forms and in contemporary creative and linguistic practices. Projects will engage with the innovative strategies that disabled agents have used to negotiate the limitations of their contemporary moment, and explore inclusive and creative ways to reimagine disability in literature and arts for both adults and children.

Trauma and Transformation in Post-Conflict Society (Project Code: DfEAEL06)                                              Projects within this theme will investigate the role of literature and the arts in acknowledging and transforming the impact of societal trauma within post-conflict Northern Ireland. Projects will consider how literature, language and the arts can: represent and diagnose the mechanisms through which unprocessed trauma perpetuates cycles of violence; create safe supporting spaces for individual and collective healing and facilitate dialogue across linguistic and cultural divides; contribute to broader societal understanding of the impact of violence; and inform robust systems of support and resilience. 

 Heritage, Cultural Memory and Community Participation (Project Code: DfEAEL07)                                    Projects within this theme will investigate the preservation and sharing of heritage and cultural memory through interdisciplinary investigation encompassing literatures, creative arts, modern languages, translation, and interpreting. Focusing on active collaboration with local communities, projects foster participatory storytelling, innovative curation of archives, and revival of overlooked histories. The research aims to empower groups to shape collective memory and identities, reinforcing social cohesion and cultural continuity.

Multilingualism and (Media) Accessibility (Project Code: DfEAEL08)    
Projects within this theme will explore approaches to ensuring fair access to media, information and public services for all linguistic communities in Northern Ireland and Ireland, including migrant and refugee communities. Projects may include developing translation and interpreting solutions for digital platforms, broadcasting and government communication—addressing how barriers to participation and inclusion can be reduced for speakers of minority and migrant languages.