Modern Periodical Culture and the Spaces of Modernity (Advert Ref: RDF18/HUM/EINHAUS)

The early twentieth century saw dramatic changes to how place and space were conceived. Technology transformed modes of transport; the war reconfigured national borders as well as physical landscapes; colonial enterprise and anti-colonial resistance contested political space as did the political revolutions of Russia and China; Einstein reconceptualised theories of space and motion; and the movement for universal suffrage challenged the stability of the domestic realm. In the world of literature, legal and technological advances in copyright and syndication enabled publications to circulate on an unprecedented global scale. The expansion of periodical culture connected communities within and across national boundaries, translated and circulated a range of global literatures and mediated Western and non-Western cultures for mass consumption. While recent research in periodical studies has focused on what might be described as ‘periodical time’, this project focuses specifically on the way in which modern periodical culture mapped space. Within this broader remit, the successful candidate may address any of the following by drawing on a selection of periodicals published between roughly 1900-1939, though the list is not necessarily exhaustive:
• The impact of the First World War on national/transnational identities;
• Ideas and theories of space and place in modern periodical culture and modernist writing;
• Critical engagement with the concept of ‘Western’ or ‘European’ culture, with ‘Englishness’/’Britishness’, and/or with nationalism more generally;
• Debates as to the value of literary translation and/or the study of foreign languages;
• Links between literature and national identity.

The precise remit of the project will be shaped by the specific interests and language competencies of the PhD candidate, and the project offers scope for comparative work across two or more European languages. The candidate will benefit from expert supervision within the Department of Humanities. The two supervisors linked to this project, Dr Ann-Marie Einhaus and Dr Katherine Baxter, both have research interests and expertise in early twentieth century literature and culture, with particular emphasis on transnationalism, multilingualism, periodicals and war writing. They recently co-edited a new Edinburgh Companion to the First World War and the Arts (EUP, 2017). The project will benefit from additional expertise in modernism and periodical studies (Dr Victoria Bazin, Dr Julie Taylor, Dr Melanie Waters) and modern European history (Professor Charlotte Alston, Dr Daniel Laqua, Dr James McConnel) within the department.

Eligibility and How to Apply:
Please note eligibility requirement:
• Academic excellence of the proposed student i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities [preference for 1st class honours]); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement.
• Appropriate IELTS score, if required.
• Applicants cannot apply for this funding if currently engaged in Doctoral study at Northumbria or elsewhere.

For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see:
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/

Please note: Applications that do not include a research proposal of approximately 1,000 words (not a copy of the advert), or that do not include the advert reference (e.g. RDF18/…) will not be considered.

Deadline for applications: 28 January 2018

Start Date: 1 October 2018

Northumbria University takes pride in, and values, the quality and diversity of our staff. We welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds an Athena SWAN Bronze award in recognition of our commitment to improving employment practices for the advancement of gender equality and is a member of the Euraxess network, which delivers information and support to professional researchers