Reference number: HOME-CDT-RECONSTRUCT
Start date of studentship: 1 April or 1 July 2021
Closing date of advert: 5 March 2021
Interview date: March/April 2021 TBC
- Primary supervisor: Dr Ksenia Chmutina
- Secondary supervisor: Prof Lee Bosher
- Tertiary supervisor: Prof Vicky Haines
Homelessness in the UK is a complex, multi-faceted and systemic societal problem. In design terms, homelessness is a ‘wicked problem’, steeped with complexity, which cannot be solved by a single approach or discipline. Transdisciplinary thinking across academic disciplines with extensive stakeholder, community and policymaker involvement is urgently needed. The new Loughborough University funded Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Harnessing Opportunities for Meaningful Environments (HOME) is a transdisciplinary centre which brings together creative approaches from design, creative arts, innovation, urban planning, disaster risk management and architecture to tackle homelessness. Our game-changing approach uses a creative lens to build empathy and understanding from new, under-represented perspectives and under-researched contexts across different types of homelessness.
Loughborough University is a top-ten rated university in England for research intensity (REF2014). In choosing Loughborough for your research, you’ll work alongside academics who are leaders in their field. You will benefit from comprehensive support and guidance from our Doctoral College, including tailored careers advice, to help you succeed in your research and future career.
Find out more: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/supporting-you/research/
Full Project Detail: meaningofhome.uk
Reconstructing HOME: Disasters, such as floods, have a significant impact on UK homes by not only damaging the physical structure but also affecting the perception of safety of those living in the dwelling. Yet there is evidence of people returning to their (often unsafe) homes after a disaster. Existing research largely focuses on provision of shelter or motivations for reconstruction, and does not connect with the concept of ‘home’, neglecting the emotional experience of the loss of home. Using participatory research methods and storytelling, this project explores the extent to which a sense of home is impacted by a disaster, the main challenges to regaining the home, and whether a temporary shelter becomes a home – and what makes it so.
Entry requirements:
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in disaster risk management, human geography, psychology, social science, or related subject. A relevant Master’s degree will be an advantage.
How to apply:
All applications must be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Under Programme name, select School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, and quote reference HOME-CDT-RECONSTRUCT.
All applications must be accompanied by a written statement (approximately 500 words), including your motivation for wanting to study for a PhD in this area, an outline of your research interests, detail on your initial thoughts about the topic, and your ideas about the general approach you wish to take. The statement should include some references to previous work.