Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute studentship now available

Applications are invited for a Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute Doctoral Award hosted by the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences/Economics at the University of Southampton. Taking as its subject the shipmasters, shipowners and mariners (the ship-board community) of fourteenth-century England, this project will direct the socio-economic spotlight onto a large, multi-faceted occupational group of fundamental importance to the realm. The PhD will draw on the principal sources that relate to seafarer society at this time: naval records, which document ships and manpower employed in the crown’s wartime; customs accounts that document ships engaged in trade; taxation records, which provide core demographic and prosopographical data. The PhD will use these sources to investigate the social composition, economic standing and internal dynamics of those sections of society that depended on seafaring for their livelihoods.

The student will be registered at the University of Southampton and supervised by Professor Anne Curry and Dr Craig Lambert in the Discipline of History. Dr Helen Paul will be the Economics supervisor for a topic that cross-cuts Disciplines; principally history and economic theory. The student will be a member of one of the foremost research intensive universities in the UK, will have access to a wealth of computerised databases and will be supervised by world leading scholars. Ample opportunities will be provided for training and career development.

Required: at least a good 2:1 honours degree and an MA (or equivalent) in History or the related discipline of Maritime Archaeology. Candidates without an MA but with relevant experience will also be considered and are encouraged to apply.

Desirable: familiarity with computer databases; working understanding and knowledge of palaeography, medieval Latin, Anglo-Norman French and knowledge of late medieval history and of related issues in the economic, social and cultural history of the period.

The studentship is tenable for a maximum of three years, commencing October 2013, at the rate of £10,500. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute from their award to their postgraduate tuition fees at either the UK/EU or international rate. Rates for 2013/14 are £3,900 for UK/EU candidates and £13,500 for International candidates.

For further details of the project contact c.lambert@soton.ac.uk or a..e.curry@soton.ac.uk

Application for the studentship is by CV; a sample of written work (5,000 words, max); and covering letter, explaining why you feel you are suitable for this research project. Please also arrange for two academic references to be sent independently by the deadline. All material should be sent to pgafh@soton.ac.uk

Deadline for applications: noon Wednesday 8 May 2013 with interviews to be held on week commencing 20 May 2013.