The University of Chester is advertising the PhD studentship for a project engaging religious perspectives on animal consumption.
A PhD is a doctoral research degree - the highest award available at UK universities - and the studentship covers all fees together with a stipend (funding) of currently just over £15,000 each year.
It is offered under the University’s Sustainable Futures scheme and is co-funded by CreatureKind, a US non-profit working to engage Christians with concern for animals.
Professor David Clough will supervise the successful candidate with support from University of Chester Theology and Religious Studies (TRS) colleagues, according to the topic area chosen.
Professor Clough has published the landmark two-volume work on the place of animals in Christian theology and ethics, On Animals, 2012/2019, and is Principal Investigator on the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded Christian Ethics of Farmed Animal Welfare project.
“We’re really excited to be able to offer this funded PhD studentship,” Professor Clough said.
“Religious communities have a huge role to play in the global transformation we need in the consumption of animals and resourcing the next generation of scholars in this field is a key part of effecting change.
“I very much look forward to working with the holder of this studentship and we hope to be able to offer more opportunities for study in this area.”
The successful candidate will join a thriving TRS postgraduate community at Chester, which now numbers around 50 MA (Master’s of Arts) students and 60 doctoral students. The Department has an active postgraduate student body, with opportunities for postgraduate training events, symposia, and research seminars featuring visiting academics.
Professor Clough co-founded the organisation CreatureKind in 2015 with Sarah Withrow King, who is now co-director with Aline Silva. CreatureKind is a US non-profit organisation working to encourage Christians to recognise faith-based reasons for caring about the wellbeing of animal creatures used for food, and to take practical action in response. It provides resources for Christians who want to learn more about Christianity and animals, works with organisations seeking to align food policy with Christian commitments, and recently welcomed the first cohort of CreatureKind fellows who will work with mentors on projects to engage their communities with farmed animal welfare. This is the first time CreatureKind has funded a PhD studentship.
Sarah Withrow King added: “CreatureKind is delighted to partner with the University of Chester to co-fund this new opportunity. We see great potential for academic scholarship to be a catalyst for new thinking about how religious communities think about the consumption of animals and look forward to what the holder of this studentship will contribute.”
Both the University of Chester and CreatureKind are committed to encouraging diversity in scholarship, and particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) applicants.
Further details about applying for the studentship are available at: https://www1.chester.ac.uk/research-degrees/studentships/vacancies/phd-studentship-trs.
Prospective applicants can also contact Professor Clough in advance of their application, to discuss their proposed research project, by emailing d.clough@chester.ac.uk. For general enquiries, please contact Postgraduate Research Admissions at pgradmissions@chester.ac.uk.
