Swansea University Fees-only PhD Studentship in Medieval Literature & History: Pleasure, Contemplation and Cure: Representations of the Enclosed Garden in Medieval Romance and Other Secular Literary Contexts
Swansea University - English Literature
| Qualification type: | PhD |
| Location: | Swansea |
| Funding for: | EU Students, International Students, Self-funded Students, UK Students |
| Funding amount: | £4,052 |
| Hours: | Full Time |
| Placed on: | 20th November 2015 |
| Closes: | 15th December 2015 |
Swansea University’s Department of English Language and
Literature has a fees-only PhD studentship available for an outstanding
candidate seeking to undertake doctoral research in medieval
literature.
The proposed research activity will focus on representations of the walled garden in medieval Romance and other secular literary genres and will therefore develop the work-in-progress and intellectual scope of the Leverhulme Trust-funded research project currently being run by Professor Liz Herbert McAvoy in the Department of English Language and Literature until October 2017 (The Enclosed Garden: Pleasure, Contemplation and Cure in the Hortus Conclusus, 1100-1450). This interdisciplinary project, currently at the beginning of its first year, traces the walled garden’s literary origins from the biblical Song of Songs, focusing upon lesser-known literary, religious, medical and historical sources to argue for more complex meanings than have hitherto been considered.
The proposed doctoral research project will develop this research to focus on secular literature, particularly romance and lyrics. It will also consider the dialogue between text and image in secular literary contexts during the period and will be highly significant in its being embedded within a wider research project and in its contribution to an understanding of the correspondences and overlaps between written and visual representations of the walled garden in secular manuscript contexts.
Aims and objectives:
To increase capacity by adding a new dimension and personnel to the current research team;
To extend the overarching project’s research trajectory by a further two years, thus benefitting from the foundational research that will already have been undertaken in a wider capacity by the existing research team;
To extend the scope of the existing project by adding i) a visual and iconographic dimension to the research; ii) secular literary contexts into the mix of works to be examined;
To increase the number of significant outputs generated by the project by means of i) a PhD thesis; ii) a monograph arising from that thesis;
Supervisors:
Professor Liz Herbert McAvoy (Medieval Literature, Department of English Language and Literature)
Dr Roberta Magnani (Medieval Literature, Department of English Language and Literature)
Additional supervisory support will be available from members of The Enclosed Garden research team:
Prof. Trish Skinner (historian)
Dr Theresa Tyers (medical humanities historian)
The studentship will focus on representations of the walled garden in medieval secular literature and the relationship between text and image in manuscript and other visual representations. An interest in manuscript culture is therefore desirable. We will also particularly welcome proposals that demonstrate a confidence in using innovative theoretical approaches to the subject matter, especially in terms of gender, space and materiality. An interest in Welsh literary representations of the medieval garden would also be welcomed.
The successful applicant will be based at Swansea University’s Singleton Park campus and be supported by both the Department of English Language and Literature and the interdisciplinary Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Research (MEMO).
The successful candidate will be expected to start the studentship as soon as possible.
Eligibility
Candidates must be highly motivated and should have an MA degree in a relevant subject area, as well as an excellent undergraduate degree. Relevant work experience may be considered in place of an MA qualification. Applicants with a background in medieval literature are desirable, but full training will be given.
The proposed research activity will focus on representations of the walled garden in medieval Romance and other secular literary genres and will therefore develop the work-in-progress and intellectual scope of the Leverhulme Trust-funded research project currently being run by Professor Liz Herbert McAvoy in the Department of English Language and Literature until October 2017 (The Enclosed Garden: Pleasure, Contemplation and Cure in the Hortus Conclusus, 1100-1450). This interdisciplinary project, currently at the beginning of its first year, traces the walled garden’s literary origins from the biblical Song of Songs, focusing upon lesser-known literary, religious, medical and historical sources to argue for more complex meanings than have hitherto been considered.
The proposed doctoral research project will develop this research to focus on secular literature, particularly romance and lyrics. It will also consider the dialogue between text and image in secular literary contexts during the period and will be highly significant in its being embedded within a wider research project and in its contribution to an understanding of the correspondences and overlaps between written and visual representations of the walled garden in secular manuscript contexts.
Aims and objectives:
To increase capacity by adding a new dimension and personnel to the current research team;
To extend the overarching project’s research trajectory by a further two years, thus benefitting from the foundational research that will already have been undertaken in a wider capacity by the existing research team;
To extend the scope of the existing project by adding i) a visual and iconographic dimension to the research; ii) secular literary contexts into the mix of works to be examined;
To increase the number of significant outputs generated by the project by means of i) a PhD thesis; ii) a monograph arising from that thesis;
Supervisors:
Professor Liz Herbert McAvoy (Medieval Literature, Department of English Language and Literature)
Dr Roberta Magnani (Medieval Literature, Department of English Language and Literature)
Additional supervisory support will be available from members of The Enclosed Garden research team:
Prof. Trish Skinner (historian)
Dr Theresa Tyers (medical humanities historian)
The studentship will focus on representations of the walled garden in medieval secular literature and the relationship between text and image in manuscript and other visual representations. An interest in manuscript culture is therefore desirable. We will also particularly welcome proposals that demonstrate a confidence in using innovative theoretical approaches to the subject matter, especially in terms of gender, space and materiality. An interest in Welsh literary representations of the medieval garden would also be welcomed.
The successful applicant will be based at Swansea University’s Singleton Park campus and be supported by both the Department of English Language and Literature and the interdisciplinary Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Research (MEMO).
The successful candidate will be expected to start the studentship as soon as possible.
Eligibility
Candidates must be highly motivated and should have an MA degree in a relevant subject area, as well as an excellent undergraduate degree. Relevant work experience may be considered in place of an MA qualification. Applicants with a background in medieval literature are desirable, but full training will be given.
