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Funding/Oct 09, 2019

PhD Studentships in the History of Collecting Medieval Manuscripts, University of London

PhD Studentships in the History of Collecting Medieval Manuscripts, University of London lead image

The Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London invites applications for two fully-funded doctoral studentships (fees + living allowance) to begin in January 2020, supervised by Dr Laura Cleaver as part of the ERC-funded CULTIVATE MSS project.

The CULTIVATE MSS project (2019-24) analyses the significance of the trade in medieval manuscripts for the development of ideas about the nature and value of European culture between 1900 and 1945. It examines the roles of collectors, scholars and dealers in the formation of collections of medieval manuscripts, and the impact of these people on the development of scholarship.

Studentship 1: Women and the Manuscript Trade in Britain and the USA, c. 1900-1945
This PhD researcher will study the roles of women in the book trade in Britain and the USA (as collectors, librarians, and booksellers). Through an analysis of published and unpublished sources, the research will examine the hypothesis that women’s roles in the manuscript trade have been undervalued. It will study well-known and lesser-known women and contrast their activities with those of their male contemporaries.

Research questions may include:

  • In what ways were women’s opportunities and experiences (as collectors, librarians or dealers) shaped by social structures within and beyond the manuscript trade?
  • How have women been presented in the literature on the book trade?
  • How important was gender in the conduct of the trade in medieval manuscripts?

Studentship 2: The Role of clubs and Societies in the Formation of Medieval Manuscript Collections, c. 1900-1945
This PhD researcher will study the impact of clubs and societies on the development of collections of medieval manuscripts and the transmission of knowledge about them. Through an analysis of published and unpublished sources the research will address the role of clubs and societies in creating and maintaining social networks, and the impact of these on the acquisition of manuscripts and the creation of scholarship about them.

Research questions may include:

  • To what extent did clubs and societies shape a community of manuscript collectors?
  • Did clubs and societies help codify values projected onto medieval manuscripts?
  • How did the composition, aims and activities of groups of manuscript collectors change in the period c. 1900-1945?

The studentships will begin in January 2020 and will last for up to 48 months. The studentships will cover full tuition fees for 36 months plus a writing-up fee for 12 months at the UK/EU rate. In addition the studentships will provide a living allowance.

Applicants should have a good Master’s degree in a relevant field of study, such as twentieth-century history or literary studies, book history, or medieval studies. All applicants should also have at least an Upper Second-class undergraduate degree (or non-UK equivalent).

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