2024 RTP round - Disability and Life Writing from South Asia and Southeast Asia

Status: Closed

Applications open: 7/07/2023
Applications close: 25/08/2023

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About this scholarship
Description/Applicant information

The academic discipline of Disability Studies traces its origins back to the 1970s. This discipline has been instrumental in shifting perspectives of disability from a medical approach to disability to a critical, social model. Disability Studies now draws attention to the way disability is socially created by inflexible attitudes, policies and procedures. One of the key strategies in building this social model has been to foreground a disability perspective by sharing stories of the lived experience of disability. These stories are shared in many different ways, including via blogs, online support groups and other forms of self-representation. There are also more literary forms of self-representation, including memoir, personal essay and autobiography, which can be gathered under the banner of ‘life writing’. Life writing that explores the experience of disability was uncommon until the second half of the twentieth century, when various civil rights movements seem to have unleashed a flood of writing on the topic. However, both Disability Studies as an academic discipline and life writing about disability are in a relatively nascent stage in South Asia and Southeast Asia. This research project will explore life writing about neurological disability by authors from South Asia and/or Southeast Asia. This project will seek to extend relevant extant scholarly research and creative practice in this subject area in the form of a memoir, or a collection of personal essays, and an exegesis that aligns with the creative text by way of a single, unifying research question. 

AIM:

• Positively influence social attitudes towards people with neurological disability by both improving and increasing representations in media and popular culture. This aim fits within the Representation stream of the Digital Disability program, which is a hub for interdisciplinary research located within Curtin University’s Centre for Culture and Technology (CCAT).
• Increased understanding of the lived experience of neurological disability in South Asia and/or Southeast Asia. 

Objective:

• To write a memoir, or a collection of personal essays, that reflects on the candidate’s own experience of neurological disability in South Asia and/or Southeast Asia.
• To analyse other works of life writing about neurological disability by individuals from South Asia and/or Southeast Asia. 

A research project that examines disability and life writing from South Asia and Southeast Asia is significant for several reasons:
• Representation and Visibility: A research project on this subject would contribute to the representation and visibility of marginalised voices and experiences. Disability narratives have historically been underrepresented or overlooked in mainstream academic and literary discourses. This project would address this gap by shedding light on the unique perspectives, challenges and accomplishments of individuals with disabilities.
• Global Perspective: Disability is a global issue, and understanding disability narratives from South Asia and Southeast Asia adds to the broader discourse on disability studies. The insights gained from this research project would contribute to the development of a more comprehensive and inclusive understanding of disability on a global scale.
• Cultural Context: South Asia and Southeast Asia are culturally diverse regions with rich literary and storytelling traditions. Examining disability and life writing within these contexts allows for a deeper understanding of how cultural beliefs, societal norms and historical factors shape the experiences of individuals with disabilities. The project would help unravel the intricate interplay between disability, identity and cultural practices in these regions.
• Intersectionality: Disability intersects with various aspects of identity such as gender, race, ethnicity, religion and social class. A research project exploring disability and life writing in South Asia and Southeast Asia could delve into the complex ways in which multiple identities intersect and shape the experiences of disabled individuals. This intersectional perspective fosters a nuanced understanding of disability that goes beyond a single-dimensional analysis. 

The successful candidate could secure an internship with a nonprofit organisation that serves the disability community in Western Australia. 

Student type

• Future Students

Faculty

• Faculty of Humanities

Course type

• Higher Degree by Research

Citizenship

• Australian Citizen
• Australian Permanent Resident
• New Zealand Citizen
• Permanent Humanitarian Visa
• International Student

Scholarship base

• Merit Based

Value

The annual scholarship package (stipend and tuition fees) is approx. $60,000 - $70,000 p.a.

Successful HDR applicants for admission will receive a 100% fee offset for up to 4 years, stipend scholarships at the 2023 RTP rate valued at $32,250 p.a. for up to a maximum of 3 years, with a possible 6 month completion scholarship. Applicants are determined via a competitive selection process and will be notified of the scholarship outcome in November 2023. 

For detailed information, visit: Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships | Curtin University, Perth, Australia.

Scholarship Details
Maximum number awarded

1

Eligible courses

All applicable HDR courses

Eligibility criteria

We are looking for a PhD candidate with an English language IELTS level of 6.5 or higher. BA Hons, Graduate Diploma, or MA by Coursework in the areas of literature, creative writing, journalism, cultural studies, or a related field. Evidence of a publishing record in short- or long-form prose. Candidate must have an interest in and ability to reflect on their own experience of disability in South Asia and/or Southeast Asia. 

Application process

This project has identified a preferred candidate and is no longer available.  Please review remaining scholarships projects .

Enrolment Requirements

Eligible to enrol in a Higher Degree by Research Course at Curtin University by March 2024.

Recipients must complete their milestone 1 within 6 month of enrolment and remain enrolled on a full-time basis for the duration of the scholarship.

Enquiries

The Project lead has identified a preferred candidate and is no longer accepting applications. Please click here to review remaining scholarships projects.

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