Gill Plain

[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.

[Full tuition fee award and annual stipend of £19,775 per annum (2025-2026), with annual uplift. Duration up to 3.5 years (full-time) or 7 years (part-time).] The University of St Andrews is offering a prestigious PhD studentship funded by St Leonard's Postgraduate College, supporting an exceptional doctoral researcher in English. The project, titled 'Exporting the Nation: Making the Commonwealth, Re-making Men,' explores the enduring appeal of the British empire during its collapse and the narratives that shaped post-war British identity. The research focuses on the period 1945-1965, examining how Britain invested in its overseas territories and encouraged emigration by the white middle-classes to the Commonwealth. Through fiction and film, this 'new' world was imagined as a space for national revival, often through tropes of man-making struggle, from repairing wounded veterans to training cadets. The project aims to fill a scholarly gap by investigating popular and influential narratives of Commonwealth migration, which have received little academic attention. The successful applicant will have considerable scope to shape their thesis, with anticipated research across multiple media, including historical fiction (such as John Masters’ India-set novels), fictions of development and extraction (like Hammond Innes’s Campbell’s Kingdom), and cinematic refigurations of empire (e.g., Where No Vultures Fly). The study interrogates how storytelling facilitated the construction of masculinities and fantasies of post-war British identity. The studentship provides a full tuition fee waiver and an annual stipend of £19,775 (2025-2026), with an annual uplift published by the University. The award is tenable for up to 3.5 years full-time or 7 years part-time, with the expectation that the thesis will be submitted by the end of the award period. The stipend is paid pro-rata for part-time students. Applicants should have a strong academic background in English, literature, history, or related fields, typically with a first or upper second class undergraduate degree (or equivalent). Experience or interest in narrative fiction, film, cultural studies, or post-war British history is desirable. English language proficiency may be required for non-native speakers. Informal enquiries are encouraged and can be addressed to Professor Gill Plain ([email protected]) and Dr. James Purdon ([email protected]). To apply, visit the University of St Andrews scholarship portal, review the project details and eligibility criteria, and submit your application before the deadline of 24 April 2026. The studentship offers a unique opportunity to contribute to world-leading research in English literature, history, and cultural studies at a renowned institution.