About the Project
This project looks at the response of the UK to the current refugee crisis in the context of rapid shifts in its public discourse and policy-making on migration. Informed by the complexity theory (Walby 2007), the project will investigate the continuation and fractions between the public discourse, professionals’ and migrants’ views and experiences. In spring 2017, the UK government announced that it would no longer allow permanent settlement of refugees after 5 years of residence, unless their country of origin is deemed unsafe (Travis 2017). The issue of refugee settlement will, therefore, remain a focus of major political, policy-making and service provisions developments in the coming decade.
The project will bring together three strands of research that have developed to a large extent separately: the law, policymaking and discourse on migration and refugees; professionals’ (state and charity sector) role in the assessment and settlement of refugees; the body of research on phenomenological aspects of asylum seeking and life as a refugee in the UK. While the settlement of economic migrants and that of refugees have much in common, the state and service providers are significantly more involved in the latter, and research has shown that a drawn out process of refugee settlement had deleterious effects on their sense of belonging and integration (Vathi and King 2013). The Home Office Refugee Leave Policy update (March 2017), which includes temporary protection to refugees by strengthening ‘safe return reviews’, would put refugees in a status of limbo and uncertainty.
Therefore, the project will aim to inform law, policy and practice on: a) the making of and the functioning of policies in practice; b) the compatibility of UK’s refugee policy with its international and European law obligations; c) professionals’ positionality and role, and their impact on refugee settlement; c) refugees’ experiences of asylum seeking and settlement; d) links and/or gaps between different levels of operation and analyses.
Informal inquiries may be addressed to Dr Zana Vathi (Department of Social Sciences) [Email Address Removed]
References:
Travis, A. (2017). Refugees applying to live in UK face being sent home after five years. The Guardian, 9 March. Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/09/refugees-applying-to-live-in-uk-facebeing-sent-home-after-five-years?MP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Vathi, Z. and King, R. (2013). ‘Have you got the Britísh?’ Narratives of Migration and Settlement of Albanian-origin Immigrants in London. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 36 (11): 1829-1848.
Walby, S. (2007). Complexity Theory, Systems Theory, and Multiple Intersecting Social Inequalities. Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 37 (4): 449-470.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Students will be expected to:
- Successfully undertake an initial programme of accredited research training.
- Undertake a PhD programme of research under the supervision of an appointed supervisory team.
- Enhance the research culture of the Department in which they are located, the Research Institute to which they are attached, and the University by participating in events, conferences and training.
- Successfully complete a programme of teacher training.
- Undertake up to six hours teaching a week or working with the Institute to which they are attached alongside University Departments or external agencies or organizations as directed by their Head of Department/Research Institute Director.
Eligibility:
- Candidates should have, or be expected to obtain, a good undergraduate honours degree level (2:1 or above) and/or a Masters level qualifications in a relevant subject area achieved within the last three to five years. If their most recent qualifications were obtained outside this period and/or they do not possess a Masters level qualification there needs to be convincing evidence that they will be able to make the transition to doctoral study.
- Although it is possible for candidates to apply for the GTA scheme more than once candidates who have applied unsuccessfully on two or more occasions are unlikely to be shortlisted for interview.
- International candidates who require a visa to study in the UK will need to demonstrate that they meet the requirements for a Tier 4 visa and possess appropriate English Language skills (IELTS Level C1/C2 or equivalent).
- Applications are not normally accepted from candidates who already possess a PhD, unless there are compelling reasons for doing so. If a PhD has been obtained in the UK as a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa holder, further sponsorship cannot be offered
under the Tier 4 (General) Student Visa category, as this will not meet the academic progression requirements set by the UKVI.
How to apply
Applicants must complete the online application form, attaching one document containing:
- A ‘Research Proposal’ which should not exceed 2,000 words in length
- A full academic curriculum vitae
Selection Criteria:
Selection will be based on the following:
- Your curriculum vitae
- The synergy between your qualifications, research experience and declared research interest
- Performance at interview
- Supervisory capacity in the declared area of research
- Previous tutoring/teaching experience and related subject based qualifications
- The strategic and developmental needs of the Faculty
The Recruitment Process
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview and asked to give a presentation related to their research proposal. Successful candidates at interview will be put forward to a final selection panel which will make the decision on the award of the studentships. Candidates will not have to attend the final panel.
The closing date for all studentships is 5th May 2017
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