AHRC PhD studentship at University of Edinburgh/National Library of Scotland: Travel texts in an age of High Empire

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH/NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND

‘WORKS OF TRAVEL IN AN AGE OF HIGH EMPIRE: JOHN MURRAY III AND DOMESTIC MARKETS FOR THE FAR AWAY, c.1859–1892’

FULLY-FUNDED AHRC PhD STUDENTSHIP

Applications are invited for an AHRC-funded PhD, a Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA), supervised jointly by the University of Edinburgh (Geography, School of GeoSciences) and the National Library of Scotland. The subject of this Studentship is ‘Works of Travel in an Age of High Empire: John Murray III and Domestic Markets for the Far Away, c.1859–1892’. The project will be supervised by Professor Charles W J Withers (University of Edinburgh) and Mr David McClay (Curator of the John Murray Archive, National Library of Scotland).  The Studentship, which is funded for three years full-time equivalent, will begin in September 2013.

The Studentship
The studentship will examine the writing, production, and reception of travel texts in Britain in the period c.1859–1892, using the unique resources of the John Murray Archive in the National Library of Scotland, and focusing in particular upon the activities of the John Murray firm under the guidance of John Murray III (1808–1892). The John Murray firm, begun in 1768, was the leading British publisher of exploration narratives and travel texts from the late eighteenth century. In the later nineteenth century, the house of Murray under John Murray III was a major influence not only upon the content of explorers’ printed narratives but also upon their form and price and, thus, upon their public reach. The Studentship will examine manuscript records, printed narratives and other accounts within the world-leading resource of the John Murray Archive to examine the publication of works of travel in the age of ‘high empire’, explore British audiences’ demand for works of exploration and to consider travel accounts, geography exploration, and narrative form.

How to Apply: Intending applicants should have a good undergraduate degree, or Masters, in geography, literary studies, history of science, book history or history, and will need to satisfy AHRC eligibility requirements. Ideally, you will have experience of relevant research methods (advanced research training is a required element of the studentship). Applicants should submit a two-page curriculum vitae, with a brief letter outlining your qualification for the studentship, and the names and contact details of two academic referees to: Professor Charles W J Withers, Geography, School of GeoSciences, Drummond Street, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XP (c.w.j.withers@ed.ac.uk) no later than 17 June 2013. Interviews, which will be held in Edinburgh, are scheduled to take place on 26 June 2013.

For further information regarding the studentship, please contact Professor Charles W J Withers (c.w.j.withers@ed.ac.uk)/ 0131 650 2559, or Mr David McClay (d.mcclay@nls.uk) / 0131 623 3878.