PhD Studentship: Emotions, Objects, and “Affective Curatorship” in the British Regimental Museum

Applications are invited for an AHRC NWCDTP Collaborative Doctorial Award studentship (History pathway), to be held at Lancaster University’s (LU) School of Global Affairs in partnership with Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life (CMoML) in Carlisle.

This PhD project constitutes an important and timely intervention into the history and display of British military material culture. Working with their supervisory team at LU and the manager and curator of CMoML, the student will research the place of emotions in the collection, retention, display, and reception of military objects and will develop a conceptual rationale and practical framework for the implementation of ‘affective curatorship’, i.e., the purposeful mobilising of emotions to shape the interpretation and enhance the impact of museum collections. In so doing, they will explore the opportunities and challenges for museums and their visitors in engaging directly and deliberately with complex and diverse emotional experiences.

CMoML, housed in Carlisle Castle, tells the story of the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment, its antecedents, and its successor, the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment (formed 2006). Their c.15,000 objects consist of those accumulated by the regiment’s constituent units, together with others donated by veterans and their families. The student will engage directly with these fascinating objects and their histories, supplemented by a survey of curatorial practices at other museums within the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment group and comparable military museums, both regional and national.

In addition to producing a PhD that explores the complex history of CMoML’s ‘emotional objects’ within the broader context of the British regimental museum, the student will gain invaluable practical museum experience, working with CMoML’s curator, staff, and volunteers to gather data on visitors’ emotional response to the museum, co-organising a temporary exhibition on the emotional objects of war, and informing the display and interpretation of the permanent collections. The student will thus finish their PhD with a skill set suitable for potential future employment in History, as well as in the heritage and commercial sectors. The project scope and research questions may be adapted according to the student’s interests and prior experience, and applicants are encouraged to discuss how they would make the project their own in their letter of application.

Nature of funding

• Academic fees for 3.5 years;
• Maintenance Stipend for 3.5 years (the annual maintenance stipend for 2024-25 is £19,237)
• Additional funding for research support and training is available from both the NWCDTP and the LU History Department.

Eligibility

2.1 or 1st class Honours degree (or non-UK equivalent) and a Masters degree in a related subject; students may also offer a combination of qualifications and experience. The NWCDTP particularly welcomes applications from students from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in Higher Education. Many of these groups or backgrounds intersect and overlap and can pose barriers to equality of opportunity. For more information, see NWCDTP EDI webpage.

Application process

Applicants should send the following materials by 17 February to m.brown23@lancaster.ac.uk:

1. Academic CV
2. Copies of first degree and Masters degree transcripts (or predicted grades if appropriate)
3. Letter of application (max. 2 pages) outlining prior experience, suitability for the project, reasons for applying, and how you anticipate approaching the aims of the research proposal.
4. Academic writing sample (max. 5000 words)

Applicants should also arrange for two academic references to be sent directly by referees to m.brown23@lancaster.ac.uk by 17 February.

Informal enquiries about the project from prospective applicants are welcome and should be directed to Dr Michael Brown at m.brown23@lancaster.ac.uk.

• Start date: October 2025
• Closing date for applications: 17 February 2025
• Interview dates: 12 March 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Michael Brown (Lancaster University); Professor Corinna Peniston-Bird (Lancaster University)
• CDA partner: Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life