PhD Scholarship in Mapping Australian Homemade, Amateur & Do-it-Yourself Cultural Economies

Job No.: 664822

Location: Caulfield campus

Employment Type: Full-time

Duration: 3-year and 6-month fixed-term appointment

Remuneration: The successful applicant will receive a Research Living Allowance, at current value of $35,013AUD per annum 2024 full-time rate (tax-free stipend), indexed plus allowances as per RTP stipend scholarship conditions at: www.monash.edu/graduate-research/study/scholarships/scholarship-policy-and-procedures. A tuition fee scholarship and Single Overseas Health Cover (OSHC) will be provided for a successful international awardee.

The Opportunity

This PhD scholarship is funded as an important part of an ARC funded project Mapping Australian Homemade, Amateur & Do-it-Yourself Cultural Economies conducted by Professor Paul Long, Associate Professor Shane Homan, Dr Ali Alizadeh, Dr Delvin Varghese, Dr Ash Watson (UNSW) and Dr Tom Bartindale (University of Northumbria, UK).

The PhD will form a vital part of a project that aims to fill a significant gap in the Australian Government’s National Cultural Policy to ‘Revive’ the cultural sector while affirming ‘First Nations First’ and ensuring that there will be ‘A Place for Every Story’. The project aims to reveal the overlooked practices of non-professional creativity: the homemade, amateur, and do-it-yourself (HADIY). The project will innovate methodologically to generate and engage publics with research insights through curation, exhibition, and co-production of HADIY creative work. Protect outcomes include enabling digital mapping of the practices of the 45% of Australians who participate in the arts as producers of forms such as poetry, music and fine art and their relationship with the professional cultural and creative industries. Led by Monash, the three-year interdisciplinary project brings together academics in media, creative industries, cultural studies, sociology, and human-centered computing. The successful applicant will join the research team and contribute to the wider project but will also undertake their own distinct PhD project. The details of the PhD project are open to negotiation, but we are particularly interested in innovative proposals focussed on creativity, cultural identity and issues of either (i) social marginalisation and inclusion; (ii) regional Australia; or (iii) digital participation.

Undertaking this PhD as part of a larger project has several advantages. First, the successful candidate will be integrated into an already successful research agenda that has been funded by the Australian Research Council, and will have access to funding to support fieldwork, transcription, travel, and conference attendance. Second, the candidate will benefit from expert supervision from research leaders across disciplines, and from entering a PhD with a pre-existing structure. Finally, the candidate will benefit from being part of outcomes from the research, which may include co-authored publications (where the candidate’s contributions will be recognised through co-authorship), funded symposia, school-engagement exercises, and future grant applications.

Monash University is the largest university in Australia and regularly ranks in the top 100 universities worldwide. Monash has six globally networked campuses and international alliances in Europe and Asia. The applicant will be based at the Caulfield campus in Melbourne as part of the School of Media, Film and Journalism and connected to Action Lab in the Faculty of Information Technology, a multidisciplinary team of impact-focused researchers working at the intersection of communities, technology and social innovation. We have a strong and supportive research culture, led by internationally recognised scholars successful in attracting national and international competitive funding.

Candidate Requirements

The successful applicant will have an excellent academic track record in disciplinary areas including Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Sociology, Cultural and Creative Industries, Digital Humanities. The successful candidate will have experience of interviews and participatory research methods and evidence of expertise (such as publications or media practice) in one of the above disciplines.

In its assessment, the selection committee will prioritise applicants who hold an Australian (or equivalent international) Honour’s or Master’s degree (both in a relevant field), with a significant research component and with first-class honours/H1 awarded.

Details of eligibility requirements, including English-language proficiency skills, to undertake a PhD in the Faculty of Arts are available at www.monash.edu/arts/graduate_research/how-to-apply. Applicants should ensure they familiarise themselves with these requirements before deciding whether they should apply.

Scholarship holders must be enrolled full-time and on campus. Please note: applicants who already hold a PhD will not be considered.

The successful applicant will be expected to enrol by August 2024. However, there may be some flexibility as to the date of commencement.

Submit an Expression of Interest

EOIs shall comprise:

• A cover letter that includes a brief statement of the applicant’s suitability
• A brief research proposal not exceeding 750 words in length that fits within the broad project aims and objectives, and demonstrates some understanding of the area of research
• A curriculum vitae, including a list of any published works, conference presentations and relevant work experience
• A full statement of academic records, degree certificates and official grading system (if available), supported by scanned copies of relevant certified documentation
• English language proficiency test results (if applicable)
• Names and contact details of 2 academic referees
• Copy of your current passport (if available)

Once you have discussed your EOI with Professor Paul Long, please submit your Expression of Interest Form and indicate that you are applying for a Special Scholarship Scheme – PhD Scholarship in Mapping Australian Homemade, Amateur & Do-it-Yourself Cultural Economies.

Enquiries

Professor Paul Long, School of Media, Film and Journalism, paul.long@monash.edu

Closing Date

Sunday 26 May 2024, 11:55pm AEST