[Full tuition fee award and annual stipend of £19,775 per annum for up to 3.5 years (full-time) or 7 years (part-time), with annual uplift.]

The University of St Andrews invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship in English, supported by St Leonard's Postgraduate College. This prestigious scholarship is designed for an exceptional student to undertake doctoral research on the project titled Exporting the Nation: Making the Commonwealth, Re-making Men. The project explores the enduring appeal of the British empire during its decline, focusing on the period from 1945 to 1965. It investigates how, in the aftermath of the Second World War, Britain continued to invest in its overseas territories and encouraged emigration by the white middle-classes to the Commonwealth. Through fiction and film, this era was depicted as a space for national revival, often through narratives of masculine struggle and transformation.

The research will analyze a range of narrative forms, including historical fiction and cinema, to understand how stories of migration, development, and identity contributed to shaping modern Britain. Examples include John Masters’ India-set novels, Hammond Innes’s Campbell’s Kingdom (1952), and films like Where No Vultures Fly (1951). The project aims to interrogate how storytelling facilitated the construction of masculinities and post-war British identity, addressing a significant gap in scholarly attention to this period.

The successful applicant will have the flexibility to shape the final focus of their thesis, engaging with narratives across multiple media and genres. The studentship offers a full tuition fee waiver and an annual stipend of £19,775 (2025-2026 rate), with an annual uplift, for up to 3.5 years full-time or 7 years part-time. The stipend is paid pro-rata for part-time students. The expected start date is September 2026.

Applicants should hold, or expect to hold, a good undergraduate degree (2:1 or above) in English, History, or a related field. A master's degree is desirable but not essential. Candidates must demonstrate strong research potential and an interest in the project's themes. English language proficiency is required for non-native speakers, in line with University of St Andrews requirements.

For informal enquiries, contact Professor Gill Plain ([email protected]) or Dr. James Purdon ([email protected]). For full details and to apply, visit the official scholarship page. The application deadline is 24 April 2026.