PhD Scholarships in Digital Humanities, Literature, and Political Theory at Royal Holloway, University of London

Royal Holloway, University of London, is offering three fully funded PhD scholarships for an autumn 2026 start, supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Landscape Awards. These prestigious studentships are open to outstanding candidates interested in Digital Humanities, Literature, History, Political Theory, Philosophy, and related fields. The Digital Humanities group at Royal Holloway welcomes proposals that use digital methodologies to explore historical, cultural, or literary questions, with a focus on ethical and inclusive approaches to cultural heritage and narrative analysis. Research topics may include digital exploration of natural-language data, corpus linguistics applied to historical texts, linking literary and demographic datasets, and digital approaches to heritage liberation and social network analysis. The scholarships also support projects in political theory, such as the philosophical foundations of free speech, hate speech, democracy, misinformation, and the impact of social media. Additionally, care policy and gender studies are areas of interest, particularly in the context of Europe and the Americas. The studentship covers UK-rate tuition fees and a UKRI-rate stipend (£22,780 for 2025/26 including London Allowance) for 3.5 years, with a 3-month placement for career development. Up to 6 additional months of funding may be available for training or interdisciplinary projects. 30% of awards are available to international students. Applicants must have a relevant undergraduate or master's degree, identify and contact a supervisor before applying, and secure their support. The application deadline is 12 January 2026. For more information, visit the Royal Holloway website and consult the guidance documents. Supervisors include Dr Helen Kingstone, Dr Carlotta Paltrinieri, Dr Simone Gigliotti, Dr Paris Chronakis, Dr John Regan, Dr Jari Pakkanen, Dr Jonathan Seglow, and Professor Jennifer Piscopo. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their proposals with potential supervisors and align their research interests with the outlined areas. The university offers a vibrant postgraduate research community, interdisciplinary training, and opportunities for career enhancement. For further details, see the official call and contact the relevant academic staff or email [email protected].