The peace potential of everyday economic spaces and practices in conflict-affected societies

Eligibility: UK/International (including EU) graduates with the required entry requirements

Duration: Full-Time – between three and three and a half years fixed term

Application deadline: 27 May 2025

Interview date: Will be confirmed to shortlisted candidates

Start date: September 2025

Introduction

This three-year funded PhD studentship enables research into the everyday economic spaces and practices that emerge during and following war, exploring the peace potential they offer to conflict-affected societies.

Project details

Everyday economic spaces and practices give insight into how people in conflict-affected communities adapt to conflict and manage to continue with the necessities of everyday life. The research will consider the following questions that are so far under-researched in peace and conflict studies:

• Which everyday economic spaces are constructed in communities affected by violence?
• Who partakes in these spaces, and to what use?
• In what ways does economic cooperation encourage/drive acts of everyday peace
• How can everyday economic spaces enhance bottom-up peacebuilding in conflict-affected societies? These questions shift away from the predominance of macro-economic conflict transformation embedded in current peacebuilding paradigms. They focus on the necessity to bring food to the table amid precarious economic and security situations, as a pre-requisite for building peace.

This research will focus on two case studies using multiple methods, enabling comparison between places. The findings will offer insight into how everyday economic spaces and practices help overcome violence and tensions in conflict-affected societies, encourage cooperation in divided communities, and build peace from below.

Benefits

The successful candidate will receive comprehensive research training including technical, personal and professional skills. All researchers at Coventry University (from PhD to Professor) are part of the Doctoral and Researcher College, which provides support with high-quality training and career development activities.

Entry requirements

• A minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average.

PLUS

• The potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within 3.5 years.
• A minimum of English language proficiency (IELTS academic overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component).

Additional requirements

Knowledge of different research methods

How to apply

To find out more about the project, please contact ab9569@coventry.ac.uk

All applications require full supporting documentation, a covering letter, plus a 2000-word supporting statement showing how the applicant’s expertise and interests are relevant to the project.

The peace potential of everyday economic spaces and practices in conflict-affected societies | Coventry University