PhD Studentship - Performing Environmental Education

About ARU:

We are ranked in the world’s top 350 institutions in the 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and we are a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. Our research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields.  We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities.  Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world-leading. In 2021, we were awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for our world-leading music therapy work.

About the Role:

Anglia Ruskin University is inviting applications for a fully-funded Vice-Chancellor’s PhD Scholarship for a period of 36 months within the School of Education / Cambridge School of Creative Industries within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences.   

Project Description:

Education is pivotal in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. A significant surge in research is aiming to advance environmental sustainability education, yet public pedagogy research is sparse. These are understood as ‘spaces, sites and languages of education and learning existing outside of the walls of schools’. These pedagogies are usually driven in pursuit of social justice rather than excellence with potential to impact across generations. As primary emphasis is placed on preparing the next generation, understanding of engaging the current generation in power lags. This dynamic inadvertently distances current generations from addressing these pressing problems, leaving responsibility disproportionately placed on future generations, delaying urgently needed solutions and impedes the possibility of prompt, effective interventions. This intergenerational injustice, placing burden of responsibility onto the least powerful, allows the most powerful to continue living beyond planetary boundaries, severely limiting the prospects of future generations.  

To effectively engage all generations in power, we must transcend the limitations of institutionalised education and the ideological linearity it promotes. Exploring alternative spaces, places, avenues, and practices becomes imperative, shedding light on the unfolding present and the shared moment of crisis devoid of predetermined measurable outcomes. Performance, with its multifaceted nature, provides a unique lens through which we can approach these intricate challenges. Additionally, understanding embodied practice's pivotal role in education enables critical analysis of concepts like sustainable futures. Furthermore, when performance is viewed as a socio-political practice, it becomes instrumental in defining public pedagogy, encouraging learning beyond traditional educational settings and behaviours. 

This scholarship explores the emergence of public pedagogy, with emphasis on the role of performance and performance theory. Additionally, we welcome applications interested in investigating the impact of slow and gentle activism on societal transformation by reshaping relationships with local and global environments. We encourage creative and innovative proposals that explore the intersection of the arts with public pedagogy in the context of environmental crises.  

The award is subject to the successful candidate meeting the studentship Terms and Conditions which can be found on our website alongside further information about the project: https://aru.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research/vc-phd-scholarships  and enquiries can be directed to [email protected]   

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare of our staff and students and expect all staff to share this commitment.

We value diversity at ARU and welcome applications from all sections of the community.