The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Commemoration and International Relations
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Commemoration and International Relations
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Faculty |
Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences |
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Academic Department |
Humanities, Culture and Environment |
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Studentship Type |
PhD Studentship |
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Project Title |
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Commemoration and International Relations |
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Funding |
Stipend and fees |
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Duration |
3 years, full time only |
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Application Deadline |
3rd January 2025 |
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Interview Date |
Week Commencing 13th January 2025 |
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Start Date |
1st February 2025 |
| End Date | 31st January 2028 |
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Reference Number |
HCE24/11 RA1527 |
Project Description
Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD Studentship (stipend and fees) in the history subject area.
Original PhD proposals relating to any aspect of the project title, ‘The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Commemoration and International Relations’ will be considered.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) and other commemorative organisations have always operated in an international arena. Not only are the war cemeteries scattered globally, but the dead themselves represent a diverse range of nationalities. There has hitherto been limited academic research into the complex international relationships that have developed out of the work of the various war graves commissions. Instead, when exploring the history of post-conflict relations, the focus has tended to be on the role of politicians and diplomats or even supranational organisations such as the UN or the EU. This PhD project will go some way into shifting the focus onto the diplomatic work of the war graves commissions.
Possible areas for a PhD candidate to investigate include, but are not limited to:
- The rituals and ceremonies held in cemeteries, and the role of the visitor to these sites.
- The planning and construction of cemeteries on foreign soil.
- Cemeteries as multinational spaces, where different groups of dead lie in close proximity. North Africa, Belgium or France would offer considerable potential as case studies.
- Organisational relations within the CWGC’s membership or across commemoration organisations, such as the work of the Anglo-German-French Mixed Committee.
- The historical relevance of commemoration.
This is a collaborative project with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It is likely, therefore, that much of the research will be conducted in the CWGC’s Maidenhead archive as well as in the National Archives, Kew alongside regional collections.
Qualifications & Eligibility
A good undergraduate degree (minimum 2:1) and a masters qualification in a relevant discipline.
Unfortunately, due to the restrictions of visa and funding deadlines, if you are an international student and will require a visa to study, we are unable to consider your application.
Funding Notes
Fees
The successful applicant will receive a bursary, to cover UK up to 3 years full time. All fees due above the UK rate will normally be paid by the Student.
Stipend
For the academic year 2024/25 the stipend will be £19,237 as determined by the National Minimum Doctoral Stipend specified by UKRI and will be subject to an inflationary increase in October each year up to a maximum of a 4% increase per annum.
Supervisors
Professor Tim Grady, Humanities, Culture and Environment, UoC (Principal Supervisor)
Dr Kara Critchell, Humanities, Culture and Environment, UoC (Supervisor)
Dr George Hay, Commonwealth War Graves Commission (External Advisor)
Application Process
A completed University of Chester Postgraduate Research Degree application form including contact details of two referees. Apply online by clicking the button below and quoting reference number as above. Please select ‘History’ as the research area when completing your application in AIMS.
Candidates should also attach a research proposal. This should be arranged under the following headings and should be no more than 1,500 words in length:
- Title
- Research Questions
- Objectives
- Existing Knowledge
- Methodology
- References
Further Information
Prospective applicants are encouraged to initially contact Professor Tim Grady (t.grady@chester.ac.uk) to discuss the project further. For general enquiries contact Postgraduate Research Admissions, University of Chester at pgradmissions@chester.ac.uk.