Postgraduate research opportunities Unorthodox health activism in Britain after 1948
ApplyKey facts
- Opens: Friday 1 May 2026
- Deadline: Friday 26 June 2026
- Number of places: 1
- Duration: 36 months
- Funding: Home fee, Stipend
Overview
This project explores the history of unorthodox approaches to health in Britain in the 20th and 21st century. It focuses on activism and community organising which sought alternative approaches to health and medicine. It seeks to understand the experiences of individuals involved in these alternative health movements using a combination of archival research and oral history.Eligibility
You must have a honours degree (high 2:1 or 1:1) and a Masters degree in History (with Merit / Distinction) or cognate discipline. Predicted grades will be accepted for masters degrees where the course of study ends before the commencement of the PhD studentship.
Project Details
Alternative approaches to health, and the communities and activists who promote them, grew in prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have always been an important aspect of health in Britain. The aim of this project is to further our historical understanding of these unorthodox approaches to health in Britian after 1948. What was it like to be part of these health movements? How did people become involved? What effects on everyday experiences of health did membership of unorthodox health movements create? How have public health practitioners, health policy makers and health workers responded to these movements?
This studentship will be affiliated with the Wellcome funded project: ‘A Transnational History of AIDS Denial: Origins, Manifestations and Persistence, 1981 to the present’, and projects which examine similar unorthodox approaches to health in the 20th and/or 21st Century are encouraged.
While we encourage candidates to design their own programme of research, possible foci for the PhD studentship could be – historicising the late 20th century British anti-vaxx movement; historicising cancer denial; a history of CAMs (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) and everyday health; media representations of alternative health movements; regional unorthodox health activism; spiritual/religious health communities; ‘Wellness’ movements.
Funding details
This scholarship award covers Home fees and equivalent UKRI stipend for the duration of study, to be completed within 3 years. The stipend rate for commencing study on 1 October 2026 is £21,805 (tax free) each year – paid in monthly instalments and likely to increase each year.
International applications are welcomed but if successful, would need to fund the difference between Home and International fees per annum for the duration of study.
While there is no funding in place for opportunities marked "unfunded", there are lots of different options to help you fund postgraduate research. Visit funding your postgraduate research for links to government grants, research councils funding and more, that could be available.
Apply
To be considered for this scholarship, eligible applicants must apply formally online via Pegasus for PhD History and be available to commence study full-time on 1 October 2026.
In the funding section of the application form please state the project title: Unorthodox health activism in Britain after 1948
Please submit your application with the following documents uploaded no later than 26 June 2026 by 17:00 hrs BST:
- 1000-word project proposal outlining the research you would undertake on the history of unorthodox health activism in Britain after 1948 across the 3 years of funding. You can propose multiple related case studies or one core project.
- 500-word personal statement outlining why you wish to undertake this studentship
- CV (up-to 3 pages)
- 2 academic references – name and full contact details
- all degree certificates and transcripts, to date
- IELTS Academic (taken within the past 2 years prior to commencing study) or equivalent of English language proficiency (if English is not your first language)
Interviews
Please note:
- applications will be ranked by a selection panel after the closing date and incomplete applications will not be considered.
- applicants shortlisted for interview will be notified by 10 July 2026
- interviews will be conducted online on 21 July 2026 and interview questions provided to all selected candidates in advance.
- the successful applicant must be able to commence study on 1 October 2026
Number of places: 1
There will be a shortlisting and interview process.
To read how we process personal data, applicants can review our 'Privacy Notice for Student Applicants and Potential Applicants' on our Privacy notices' web page.
History
Programme: History
Contact us
Informal project enquiries may be sent to Dr Hannah J Elizabeth: Hannah.elizabeth@strath.ac.uk
Application enquiries to: hass-pgr-scholarships@strath.ac.uk