Regionality includes an array of concerns, from improved access to writers from underrepresented regions to writers using regional voices in representing communities and cultures they know, to exploring place, identity, and belonging.

The UK, in particular, is known for regional differences, borders, and boundaries, be they politically motivated, self-drawn, or indicative of a region’s history and traditions. Regions may have endured dramatic changes owing to social mobility, cross-period interaction, and transcultural access that have affected identity; or stasis may be what retains their significance.

Since regionality concerns global configurations, this project is by no means limited to the UK. Applicants are encouraged to think deeply of what regionality means to them and how they might enter a discourse with existing literary theory and output to advocate regional voice through a creative-critical work.

Projects could speak to, but need not exclusively fit into, Humanities priority research areas within the Centre for Transnational and Transcultural Research:
Gender, Sexuality and Representation
Language, Society and Power
Cultures across Borders
Countercultural Perspectives.

Topics might address the interplay between class and regionality; how to protect regional voice in translated works; whether dialect use negatively pigeonholes representation; and any other relevant research questions. Experiments in form and genre are encouraged.

Funding is available to support one PhD studentship to commence in July 2022. The studentship will cover tuition fees only for one year full-time or two years part-time study. You will need to have UK fee-paying status.

The candidate should have a postgraduate degree or at least a strong upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate degree in Creative and Professional Writing or a related Humanities subject or evidence of prior practice/learning accepted by the Dean of Research. Candidates with non-UK degree qualifications must demonstrate English proficiency to the level of an IELTS score of 7.0 or its equivalent. Candidates must be qualified for UK fee-paying status and must not already be registered as a doctoral student at the University of Wolverhampton or any other academic institution.

How to apply:

Please write to both Dr Lisa Blower (lisa.blower@wlv.ac.uk) and Professor Sebastian Groes (s.groes@wlv.ac.uk) with the subject line ‘PhD studentship Creative Writing’, and include: a detailed CV, degree certificate, transcripts of marks at degree level and above; names and contact details of two referees; and a project summary of no more than 1,500 words (plus bibliography).

The summary must include the research question/problem that your project addresses, the academic or intellectual context within which the research is located, the methodology you are likely to employ, and a projected 3-year work plan. If you intend to collect empirical data you must include relevant ethical considerations .

Deadline: 13th May 2022