Research Associate: 100 Years of The Well of Loneliness

Department
The Department of English and Related Literature is among the strongest English departments in the UK for research. Our research is underpinned by our belief in the intrinsic aesthetic and social value of literary texts, whether as agents of political and cultural change or of historical understanding.

We are seeking a postdoctoral Research Associate (24 months) to join the project team for 100 Years of The Well of Loneliness. 100 Years is an international research project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). It explores the complex reception histories of one of the most controversial novels in LGBTQ+ history, Radclyffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness.

The team includes Dr Hannah Roche (University of York); Dr Elizabeth English (Cardiff Metropolitan University); Professor Jana Funke (University of Exeter); Professor Sarah Parker (Loughborough University); Vicky Iglikowski-Broad, Principal Records Specialist in Diverse Histories at The National Archives, London; and the award-winning filmmaker Campbell X.

The postholder will work in the Department of English and Related Literature and the Centre for Modern Studies. They will be mentored by Dr Hannah Roche and Vicky Iglikowski-Broad.

Role
As a member of the research team, you will author two publications: an article for a world-leading peer-reviewed journal, and a chapter for a volume to be edited by English, Funke, Parker, and Roche. Your research will focus on The Well of Loneliness and its afterlives.

You will also work with other team members on three collaborative work packages. You will select and interview 20 readers of The Well of Loneliness from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, take a leading role in organising showcases and displays at The National Archives, and present a research paper at the project conference in 2028.

You will help to maintain the project website and social media accounts, and you will produce blog posts and other online publications for a general readership. You will also help to organise project events, including academic workshops and public engagement activities.

About you

• You will have a PhD in modern and/or contemporary literature and culture (1830-present), queer studies, histories of gender and sexuality, and/or a related area.
• You will have a sustained track record of producing high-quality research, appropriate to your career stage.
• You will have the organisational skills required to coordinate events and meet deadlines. Experience of event organisation, either independently or as part of a team, would be beneficial.
• You will have the ability to conduct interviews professionally, approaching sensitive topics with care and compassion and adhering to ethical guidelines. Prior experience of interviewing and/or oral history production is not essential, but you should be able to provide evidence of relevant transferable skills.

This is a fixed-term contract for 24 months.

Interview date: to be confirmed.

For informal enquiries: please contact Dr Hannah Roche at hannah.roche@york.ac.uk.

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University.

We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork.

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