125th Anniversary Scholarship for Black British Researchers - African Feminisms

African and African diasporic scholarship is at the cutting edge of feminist debate. From challenging the assumption that Western gender practices are universal to showing the margins of society to be a space of radical openness, African and African diasporic feminisms have explored the intersections of gender and other forms of inequality and difference, including but not limited to seniority, ethnicity, race, sexuality, socio-economic status, and the impact of colonialism and its legacies.

This scholarship is open to applicants seeking to explore contemporary or historical manifestations of, or engagements with, African and/or African diasporic feminisms. Projects might focus on political movements or individuals and their legacies, or might explore values and practices of gender relations or gender advocacy in social and cultural life. Attentive to historical and cultural context, projects will centre Africa as a concrete source of feminist intellectual resources: ethnographic and/or historical research could take place on the African continent, among diasporic communities, or bridge the two, focusing on ongoing and direct connections to the African continent. Potential themes include gender complementarity; the relationship between marriage, motherhood and social influence; conformity/non-conformity to gendered and sexual norms and expectations, including those of heterosexuality, marriage and motherhood; generational and/or transnational tensions in relation to values, norms and practices of gender, sexuality or feminism; gender or sexuality-related advocacy campaigns.

Candidates are encouraged to design their own project and to outline how it will engage with African and/or African diasporic feminist scholarship and activism. We particularly welcome projects employing collaborative, ethnographic or historical methods, and projects with a clearly identified geographic, historical, and socio-cultural focus within Africa and/or the diaspora. Projects may lead to methodological innovation through engagement with feminist research ethics, with clear potential to learn from those among whom research is conducted. Collaborative and participatory methods might lead to dissemination activities or outputs additional to the PhD thesis, such as exhibitions or non-academic publications, as appropriate to the project. Ultimately, the project should expand understandings of African and/or African diasporic gender relations, feminist theory and/or activism, contributing to scholarly debates with relevance to contemporary gender policy and advocacy work in Africa and/or other regions of the world.

Candidates should outline how their experience to date equips them to undertake this research and whether they have particular training needs (including language training) before they can begin the research.

Applicants will be expected to have a good Honours degree (First Class or Upper Second Class Honours degree) awarded by a recognised University in a relevant subject, or an alternative qualification, or experience of equal quality. In certain cases, a Masters degree or equivalent may be expected in a relevant subject.

You can find more information via the above ‘Apply’ button.

Funding Details

Additional Funding Information

The University of Birmingham is proud to celebrate its remarkable 125-year journey and announce the launch of a groundbreaking scholarship initiative designed to empower and support Black British researchers in their pursuit of doctoral education.

These newly established 3.5-year scholarships aim to address underrepresentation and create opportunities for talented individuals from diverse backgrounds to excel in academia. You can find out more here: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/funding/black-british-researchers-scholarship

Closing Date: 30/04/2025

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