Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA)

Closing date: 23:59 5th September 2025

Postdoctoral Research Associate (4 years, full-time) in public history project, ‘Nation of Refuge’.

We are seeking a Postgraduate Research Associate (PDRA) starting 01/11/2025, fixed-term until 31/10/2029, full-time (1 FTE). This post forms part of a 4-year research project ‘Nation of Refuge’, funded by a UKRI Future Leader’s Fellowship and led by Dr Ellen Pilsworth (University of Reading). The project explores Britain’s track record of offering refuge to asylum seekers and refugees from ca. 1930 to the present, exploring the perspectives of refugees and ‘ordinary’ British citizens, and their interactions with institutions and the state, throughout the period. The successful candidate will collect and analyse mid-late twentieth-century material from mostly unpublished sources in UK archives; contribute to physical and digital exhibition curation; produce high-quality academic publications; contribute to academic symposia; and contribute to the university’s research culture.

You will have 1) a completed PhD in a Humanities subject, preferably History, Cultural/Literary Studies, or Social Sciences, 2) Expertise relevant to the topic of refuge/asylum in the UK in the mid-late twentieth century, or to post- Second World War UK immigration more broadly (including contemporary immigration/asylum), and 3) A research record commensurate to your academic experience. Relevant language skills are desirable, but not a requirement for the post. Preference may be given to candidates who have experience of working with national and international archives that are relevant to this project, particularly those relating to the Ugandan Asian Expulsion.

The successful candidate will benefit from access to research travel support from the project’s funding, and to relevant training and career development support. The post is based in the Department of Languages and Cultures at the University of Reading, which is part of the School of Humanities. The School provides a vibrant research environment and includes the Departments of History, English Language, English Literature, and Classics and a range of research specialisms, including the Centre for Book Cultures and Publishing, and the Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism.

Candidates who are invited to interview will be asked to submit a sample of written/published work in advance, by no later than 20 September 2025.

Interviews will be held: (23 September 2029)

Contact Name: Dr Ellen Pilsworth
Contact Job Title: Associate Professor in German and Translation Studies
Contact Email Address: e.m.pilsworth@reading.ac.uk

Alternative Contact Name: Dr John McKeane
Alternative Contact Job Title: Research Division Lead and Associate Professor (French)
Alternative Contact Email Address: j.mckeane@reading.ac.uk

The University is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and the Race Equality Charter, and champions LGBT+ equality. We are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2). Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.

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