Funded PhD in Dress Practices, Identity, and Portsmouth 1980s Underground Nightclubs
Funded PhD opportunity in
dress practices, identity formation, oral history, archival research, museums, and fashion/textiles
at the
University of Southampton
in collaboration with
Portsmouth City Museums
through the
AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP)
.
The project examines the
impact and legacy of Portsmouth’s underground nightclub scene in the 1980s
and how identity was formed through dress over time. The research will involve developing
oral history
and
wardrobe
projects and working closely with Portsmouth Museums’ local and social history collections. The student will spend time at both
Winchester School of Art
and
Portsmouth City Museums
, and will join the wider cohort of CDP-funded students across the UK.
Supervision:
Rebecca Wallis and Grace Scott at Portsmouth City Museums, together with
Professor Jo Turney
and
Dr Shaun Cole
in Fashion and Textiles at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton.
Eligibility:
Applicants should normally hold a
Master’s degree
in a relevant area such as Art, Anthropology, Art History, Dress Studies, History, Curating, or Exhibition Studies, or demonstrate equivalent professional experience in critical and creative practice (for example art, curating, or design). A strong interest in dress history, oral history, observational fieldwork, people, politics, place, archival research, museums, exhibition spaces, and curation is expected.
Funding:
This is a
funded PhD
under the AHRC CDP scheme.
Application:
Apply via the University of Southampton’s online PhD Application Portal and specify the AHRC CDP project title in your application. The admissions team can assist with documentation, questions, and reasonable adjustments.
Deadline:
26 June 2026.
Interviews:
15 July 2026.
