PhD Studentship: The Vulnerable State: Appraising the Ambivalent Economies of State Power

Supervisors:  Prof. Ana Aliverti (WLS), Dr. Henrique Carvalho (WLS) and Dr. Anastasia Chamberlen (Sociology)

Start date: October 2023 or January 2024

Duration: 3 years

We are accepting applications for one funded PhD scholarship to start in October 2023 or January 2024. 

The scholarship is for a project to explore the emotional and moral dilemmas and struggles navigated by state officers -including street level bureaucrats- working with vulnerable and marginalised groups. The institutional setting of the project is broad and can accommodate either criminal justice or asylum/immigration bureaucracies and policy. The Ph.D project will assess the impact of the ‘vulnerability agenda’ on staff priorities, roles and routines, and their relationship with other agencies, the public and with marginalised groups. 

The successful candidate will work independently and as part of the Vulnerable State Project team -more details on the project can be found below.

The Vulnerable State: Appraising the Ambivalent Economies of State Power

This project explores the ambivalent and shifting governance of socially marginalised groups in two domains: the criminal and administrative justice. Comprised of four sub-projects, the overall project seeks to answer the following research questions: 

1. How and with what effects have the ‘humanitarian’ and ‘punitive’ turns shaped public policy and institutional practices in the governance of the disadvantaged in different institutional domains?
2. What are the contradictions and dilemmas that these ambivalent moral and affective economies animate among frontline staff, how do these staff navigate them, and how are these staff affected by the burden of enacting state power at the ground level?
3. How far can humanitarianism lay the foundations for rethinking state power through more humane forms of governance?

This project is funded by the Leverhulme Trust, and the successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team with academics from the Law School and Sociology.

As part of the broader Vulnerable State project, the successful candidate will conduct fieldwork and write their dissertation following University of Warwick doctoral requirements and protocols. The doctoral student will be an active participant of the research team and will meet the PhD supervisors monthly to discuss progress and findings, as well as having forthrightly project team meetings. The PhD candidate’s research and findings will be integrated into the overall project’s outputs and activities, e.g., in the form of a collective volume. The doctoral researcher will also have opportunities to engage in other co-authored publications and will be encouraged to produce publications emerging from their PhD studies.

The doctoral student will be expected to participate in team activities and to contribute to the overall Vulnerable State project, but also to autonomously lead their own PhD project.  

For further information or to discuss a research proposal, please contact Ana Aliverti a.aliverti@warwick.ac.uk

Eligibility:

Candidates must have excellent academic qualifications, an undergraduate degree and a Master’s degree in Anthropology, Sociology, Criminology, Law, or other relevant Social Sciences discipline. An interest and background on criminal justice, policing and/or immigration law and practice will be an advantage.

Funding:

The award will cover tuition fees at the UK home fee level, plus a tax-free stipend of £17,668 per annum for 3 years of full-time study, fieldwork expenses and conference attendance to present research. International students are welcome to apply but must meet the fee difference themselves.

How to apply:

Candidates should submit an expression of interest by submitting the following documents:

• A CV (no more than 3 pages)
• A personal statement document of no more than 500 words to include an explanation of your interest in this research area, outlining your relevant experience and existing knowledge of this research area.
• A research proposal outlining the review of the relevant literature and expected contributions of the PhD project to it, research questions, and methodology. The proposal will briefly explain how the project aligns with the Vulnerable State project’s objectives. This should not exceed 1500 words excluding references.
• The name and contact details of two academic referees.

Please send these to Ana Aliverti a.aliverti@warwick.ac.uk

If this initial application is successful, we will invite you to make a formal application for study. All candidates must fulfil the University of Warwick entry criteria and obtain an unconditional offer before commencing enrolment.

Deadline for applications is 4pm UK time on 31 July. All materials must be supplied by this deadline.

Entry requirements

Applicants need to meet the University of Warwick’s standard entry requirements. In addition, this project includes some specific requirements. The successful candidate will also have to apply for the appropriate visa (if necessary) in a timely manner and be available for the start of the studentship in October 2023 or January 2024.

The University of Warwick provides an inclusive working and learning environment, recognising and respecting every individual’s differences. We welcome applications from individuals who identify with any of the protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010.