ESRC PhD Scholarship
‘Closing the Loop: Driving Circularities in Clothing Consumption’

The Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow has been awarded a prestigious Economic and Social Research Council funded PhD Scholarship in collaboration with the Ethical Consumer Research Association (ECRA). The project will be jointly supervised by Professor Deirdre Shaw and Dr Kat Duffy, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow; and Rob Harrison, ECRA. The successful applicant is expected to collaborate with ECRA, and will also have the opportunity to work within the ECRA during the course of their research. The PhD will commence on 1 October 2017.

Project Outline

Background

It has long been acknowledged that everyday consumption practices of Western societies are environmentally unsustainable. Clothing is important as evidenced by a global garment industry valued at around US $1.7 trillion and employing approximately 75 million people (Fashion United; International Labour Organisation). There are significant environmental costs from resource inputs, manufacture, use and disposal of clothing. Purchase and use of clothing has a significant carbon footprint from emissions and water use. This research will engage with key stakeholders to build the critical insights currently pertinent but neglected in shifting consumers towards more sustainable consumption practices. This research seeks to addresses the following research questions:

• How do consumers understand clothing acquisition, (re)use and disposal?
• What are the current barriers to participating in these practices?
• How do consumers respond to, manage and maintain more sustainable approaches to clothing consumption?
• How can these consumer insights shape consumer and retail practice?

Applicants must hold a good Masters degree. Their degree qualifications should be in a relevant consumer related subject that have provided research methods training in the areas of research design and data collection and analysis for both qualitative and quantitative methods and a dissertation.

They must also meet the ESRC’s eligibility criteria.

The scholarship will run for 3 years and covers a PhD researcher stipend at the Research Council recommended rate, which is £14,296 for 2016/17. It will also cover tuition fees. The scholarship holder can also obtain financial support for research training (£750 per year, subject to SGSSS-DTC approval).

Applicants should make two applications: one for a PhD in Management at the University of Glasgow; one for the scholarship. The deadline for both applications is 17:00, Monday 3 July 2017.

The following documents should be sent to Christine Athorne (Christine.Athorne@glasgow.ac.uk).

Covering letter

A research proposal (maximum 1500 words) explaining why you wish to undertake this doctoral research while expanding on the Project Outline above, including ideas of your own. Please use the ESRC research proposal form.

CV

• Names and contacts of two academic referees
• Full academic transcript(s) from all previous studies
• ESRC’s Equal Opportunities Monitoring form

Applicants should apply for a PhD place at the University of Glasgow using the online application system.

For further information contact Professor Deirdre Shaw Deirdre.Shaw@glasgow.ac.uk or Dr Kat Duffy Katherine.Duffy@glasgow.ac.uk. Christine Athorne, the administrative contact for the PhD programme, can answer initial programme enquiries.