Key facts
- Opens: Thursday 30 July 2026
- Deadline: Friday 30 October 2026
- Number of places: 1
- Duration: 3 years
- Funding: Home fee, Stipend
Overview
This project explores the history of unorthodox approaches to health in Britain in the 20th and 21st centuries. It focuses on activism and community organising which sought alternative approaches to health and medicine. It seeks to understand the experiences of individuals involved in these alternative health movements using a combination of archival research and oral history.
Eligibility
Applicants for this studentship must have:
- honours degree (high 2:1 or 1:1) and a
- masters degree in History (with Merit / Distinction) or cognate discipline. Predicted grades will be accepted for masters degrees where the course of study ends before the commencement of the PhD studentship
Project Details
Alternative approaches to health, and the communities and activists who promote them, grew in prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have always been an important aspect of health in Britain.
This project aims to further our historical understanding of these unorthodox approaches to health in Britain after 1948. What was it like to be part of these health movements? How did people become involved? What effects on everyday experiences of health did membership of unorthodox health movements create? How have public health practitioners, health policy makers and health workers responded to these movements?
This studentship will be affiliated with the Wellcome-funded project: ‘A Transnational History of AIDS Denial: Origins, Manifestations and Persistence, 1981 to the present’, and projects which examine similar unorthodox approaches to health in the 20th and/or 21st Century are encouraged.
While we encourage candidates to design their own programme of research, possible foci for the PhD studentship could be:
- historicising the late 20th century British anti-vaxx movement
- historicising cancer denial
- a history of CAMs (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) and everyday health
- media representations of alternative health movements
- regional unorthodox health activism
- spiritual/religious health communities
- 'wellness’ movements
Funding details
This scholarship award covers Home fees and equivalent UKRI stipend for the duration of study, to be completed within three years.
The stipend rate for commencing study on 1 January 2027 is £16,354 (pro-rata of £21,805) – paid in monthly instalments of £1,817 (tax-free) and likely to increase each year.
International applications are welcomed but if successful, would need to fund the difference between Home & International fees per annum for the duration of study.
While there is no funding in place for opportunities marked "unfunded", there are lots of different options to help you fund postgraduate research. Visit funding your postgraduate research for links to government grants, research councils funding and more, that could be available.
Supervisors
Dr Hannah Elizabeth
Research Fellow
Humanities
Professor Matthew Smith
History
Apply
Step 1
To be considered for this scholarship, eligible applicants should make contact with the supervisory team – either Dr Hannah Elizabeth at hannah.elizabeth@strath.ac.uk or Professor Matt Smith at m.smith@strath.ac.uk - with their proposal ideas to ensure that their proposal addressed the project themes, before making an online application.
Step 2
Apply formally online via Pegasus for PhD History, selecting the start date of 1 January 2027.
In the funding section of the application form please state the project title: Unorthodox health activism in Britain after 1948.
Please submit your application with the following documents, uploaded no later than 30 October 2026 at 5pm BST:
- 1000-word project proposal outlining the research you would undertake on the history of unorthodox health activism in Britain after 1948 across the 3 years of funding. You can propose multiple related case studies or one core project (please ensure you have completed Step 1 – and confirm you have contacted the supervisory team beforehand).
- 500-word personal statement outlining why you wish to undertake this studentship
- CV (up-to 3 pages)
- two academic references with names and full contact details
- all degree certificates and transcripts, to date
- IELTS Academic (taken within the past 2 years prior to commencing study) or equivalent of English language proficiency (if English is not your first language)
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Please note
The University is aware of the temptation to use Generative AI (including ChatGPT). However, these tools do not always generate accurate and up-to-date information. Our academics, who are experts in their field, are very good at identifying when text has been generated in this way and expect your research proposal to be written in your own words. We need to know that you have the academic skills required to write a thesis.
Further information
Interviews
Applications will be ranked by a selection panel after the closing date and incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applicants shortlisted for interview will be notified early mid November 2026. Interviews will be conducted online during the week beginning 23 November 2026, and interview questions will be provided to all selected candidates in advance.
The successful applicant must be able to commence study on 1 January 2027.
Number of places: 1
To read how we process personal data, applicants can review our 'Privacy Notice for Student Applicants and Potential Applicants' on our Privacy notices' web page.
Contact us
Informal project enquiries may be sent to Dr Hannah J. Elizabeth: Hannah.elizabeth@strath.ac.uk
Application enquiries to: hass-pgr-scholarships@strath.ac.uk
