Religion and Animals PhD Studentship at University of Chester

Religion and Animals PhD Studentship

Institution: University of Chester
Location: Chester, United Kingdom
Focus Areas: Religious perspectives on human use of animals for food, Christian ethics, farmed animal welfare

Program Description

A fully-funded PhD studentship for a project engaging religious perspectives on the human use of animals for food. This is the first PhD studentship CreatureKind has funded.

Key Details

• Funding Coverage: All fees + stipend at UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) terms
• Supervisor: Professor David Clough, co-founder of CreatureKind
• Support: Supervision with support from Theology and Religious Studies (TRS) Chester colleagues according to topic area
• Research Scheme: University of Chester's Sustainable Futures scheme

Academic Context

• Supervisor Background: Professor David Clough published landmark two-volume work On Animals (2012/2019) on the place of animals in Christian theology and ethics
• Related Project: Professor Clough is Principal Investigator on the AHRC-funded Christian Ethics of Farmed Animal Welfare project
• Postgraduate Community: Chester hosts thriving postgraduate research community (~50 MA students, ~60 doctoral students)

Postgraduate Support

• Regular postgraduate training events
• Symposia and research seminars
• Visiting academics
• Active postgraduate student body

Eligibility & Diversity

• Committed to encouraging diversity in scholarship
• Particularly welcomes applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) applicants
• BAME applicants are currently under-represented in University of Chester postgraduate research population

Research Focus

Research topics can vary but engage:

• Religious/Christian perspectives on animal consumption
• Religious communities' role in global transformation of animal consumption
• Farmed animal welfare from theological and ethical perspectives

Contact & Further Information

Supervisors: Professor David Clough, Sarah Withrow King, and Aline Silva (CreatureKind Co-Directors)
Institutional Contact: University of Chester, Department of Theology and Religious Studies

Application Process

1. View Studentship Advertisement - Access full details on University of Chester website
2. Prepare Application Materials - Gather required documentation for PhD application
3. Contact Potential Supervisor - Reach out to Professor David Clough to discuss research interests and topic suitability
4. Submit Application - Apply through University of Chester's standard PhD application process
5. Selection - Successful candidate is notified and invited to begin studentship

Application Requirements

Applications should address:

• Research interests in religion and animals (particularly food production)
• Alignment with Christian ethics and farmed animal welfare themes
• Academic background and qualifications
• Proposed research topic (flexible, can be developed with supervisor)

Key Considerations

• Applications from BAME applicants particularly encouraged and welcomed
• Research should engage religious/Christian perspectives on animal consumption
• Interdisciplinary approaches welcome
• Can connect to broader AHRC Christian Ethics of Farmed Animal Welfare project

Notes

• This is CreatureKind's first funded PhD studentship
• Professor Clough actively supervises and mentors students
• Strong institutional support and postgraduate community