AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) studentship Making and Unmaking of Home - exploring multi-generational living with Museum of the Home and The Open University

Unit :  Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS)
Salary :  Fully funded studentship
Location :  Milton Keynes
Please quote reference :  AHRC/Studentship
Interviews: early June
Closing Date :  20 May, 2024 - 17:00

The Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, Open University and the Museum of the Home are pleased to announce the availability of a fully funded Collaborative doctoral studentship October 2024 under the AHRC’s  Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships (CDP) scheme .

The proposed research studentship addresses the relationship between un/making of home and multigenerational family living in 21st century East London (for full project details, details of award and eligibility read below ).

Co-supervisors from the Museum of the Home and Open University will jointly supervise the studentship. The supervisory team includes, Ms Danielle Patten and Ms Rosie Watts (from the Museum of the Home) and Dr Mahera Ruby, Professor (Emeritus) Sheila Peace and Dr Manik Gopinath (from the Open University). The student will be expected to spend time at both The Open University and the Museum of the Home, as well as becoming part of the wider cohort of CDP funded students across the UK.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Living multigenerationally is a long-practiced way of life for many Asian minority ethnic groups in England but there is an increase in multigenerational living across all other ethnic groups with some growing faster than others. Multigenerational households comprise, ‘...people from across more than two generations of the same extended family living together’ (Census 2021). This research studentship addresses the relationship between un/making of home (Baxter and Brickell, 2014) and multigenerational family living in 21st century East London. Exploring why and how different members create, experience, materialize, and display home, this studentship will foreground multiple ways and experiences of un/making of home for different ages, generations, and genders - to deepen, expand, diversify, and challenge current ideas of home.

East London has and continues to be home to many diverse communities (Wessendorf,2019). For some of these communities, such as, from south-Asian ethnicities, living multigenerationally is a recognised living arrangement. However, this is under-researched. The proposed studentship in extending knowledge of the dynamics of multigenerational living and experiences of home in such households will contribute to Museum of the Home’s priorities in relation to deepening, expanding, diversifying, and challenging current ideas of home and to better reflect their local communities (e.g., Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, Jewish). More widely, the current increase in multigenerational households across all ethnic groups in the UK, indicates a shifting landscape of living arrangements. Interestingly, as per census, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Indian households with the highest multi-generational households (between 6-9%) have seen a small reduction between 2011 and 2021. In contrast, there have been increases for Caribbean, Other Black; Gypsy or Irish Travelers, and other white households as well as marginal increases for those from British nations, Mixed or Multiple Ethnic Groups, Arab and other ethnic groups (in the range of 0.2 – 0.9%). Yet a preliminary review reveals little empirical research regarding the everyday experience of multi-generational living for diverse cultures in the UK.

The proposed research offers a unique opportunity for an in-depth examination of how different generations within the same family are managing what for some communities is a long-practiced way of life, and for others a move away from a traditional and/or a move towards a new lifestyle. This will involve research with two diverse East London communities, including the Bangladeshi community.

Research questions include:

• What factors have underpinned changes in household structure in England since World War 2?
• What factors (e.g., cultural, socio-economic, religious) influence un/making of current multigenerational homes? 
• How does age, gender and generation inform creating, adapting, and experiencing home? 
• What are the physical/spatial and temporal aspects of co-residence? Do they change over time (daily, weekly, on-going)? 
• Do diasporic home-making practices (e.g., faith) cascade between generations? 
• What tensions exist between group and individual living impacting on: routines, aesthetics, display, objects, sounds, cooking, un/tidiness, play; accessibility; labour and leisure; gardening; how are these negotiated? 
• When, where and how do certain family members influence the un/making of home? 

Through in-depth empirical research the studentship will contribute to Museum of the Home’s collections and displays and to the academic body of knowledge on home. The student will be encouraged  to refine the project and methodological focus to reflect their interests, linguistic expertise, and career aspirations. Potential methods:

Secondary/archival analysis of data sources post World War 2 onwards to historically contextualise 21st c. multi-generational living including from Museum of Home collections, Centre of Studies for Home (QMU) current PhDs and completed Research Projects on home literature reviews of Sociological studies of family diversity and change in Britain.

Empirical research In-depth oral histories with multigenerational families (Bangladeshi / non-Bangladeshi) in East London. You may, for example, wish to approach interested families in the first instance to coproduce the research and outputs.

Development of content for the museum will influence adoption of methods (e.g., participatory methods) and approaches to data collection (e.g., photovoice methods). Ongoing training and mentoring in qualitative research design, in museological ways to explore and display the home  , and public engagement will be provided to support this work. This will equip the student with a range of specialist and transferable skills  from the academic and cultural sectors that will considerably enhance their employability prospects upon graduation.

RESEARCH WITH MUSEUM OF THE HOME

This research studentship is allocated to Museum of the Home in Hackney, London, and The Open University in Milton Keynes by the AHRC to support the work of the Museum.

The successful student will be expected to spend at least 3-6 months with the partner in Museum of the Home, Hackney, East London as part of the studentship for gaining relevant experience and training in museological ways of working. They would also be reasonably embedded with the Museum the rest of the time, attending meetings as and when needed and allowed to research in the library and collections stores by themselves. The student would receive all the requisite training from MOtH (e.g., object handling, preventative conservation, navigating archives, curatorial training).

Students are expected to live in or within easy reach of access to East London for fieldwork and placement with Museum of the Home.

The project will also feed into the Centre for Studies of Home (CSH), an interdisciplinary research hub between Queen Mary University of London and the Museum of the Home, and the student will become part of the CSH cohort. The student will have access to research in progress days and conferences organised by the CSH, and their project will receive promotion and support from the CSH.

DETAILS OF AWARD

CDP doctoral training grants fund full-time studentships for 4 years or part-time equivalent up to a maximum of 8 years. The award pays tuition fees and maintenance for UK and international students. The anticipated stipend for fully-time studentships for 2024/2025 is £19,237, plus a CDP maintenance payment of £600/year plus an allowance of £1,000/year (where the partner organisation is based in London and the University is located outside London).

The successful candidate will be eligible to participate in events organised for all Collaborative Doctoral Partnership students who are registered with different universities and studying with cultural and heritage organisations across the UK. The student will also  be able to access £3,000 of Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) throughout their studentship to support things like conference travel, study visits and other research costs. In addition, the student is eligible to receive additional training and travel and related expenses during the course of the project courtesy of Museum of the Home worth up to £1,000 per year for 4 years.

ELIGIBILITY

• This studentship is open to both UK and International applicants. Further guidance is found here: https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/UKRI-030221-Guidance-International-Eligibility-Implementation-training-grant-holders-V2.pdf
• To be classed as a home(UK) student, candidates must meet the following criteria:
• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter
• We want to encourage the widest range of potential students to study for a CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian, Minority, Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this area. 
• Applicants should ideally have or expect to receive a relevant Masters-level qualification in a relevant subject or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting. They must demonstrate the capacity to conduct high quality research and competently write according to highest academic standards. Suitable subjects include those from arts and humanities and social sciences backgrounds but might include history, cultural studies, architecture, human geography, environmental psychology, sociology, museum studies, gerontology, anthropology, media/film studies.
• Applicants should have good written and spoken communication skills in English. All non-native English candidates need to demonstrate a minimum SELTS (Secured English Language Test Scores) of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any of the four categories (or approved equivalent).
• Applicants should also demonstrate evidence of existing ability to communicate in a language other than English  [e.g., Bengali/Sylheti] whether acquired formally or informally.
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate an interest in cultural and heritage sectors, family studies and gerontology and potential and enthusiasm for developing skills more widely in related areas.
• As a collaborative award, students will be expected to spend time at both the University and the Museum of the Home.

NB. All applicants must meet UKRI terms and conditions for funding. See: https://www.ukri.org/funding/information-for-award-holders/grant-terms-and-conditions/

TO APPLY

To apply, please complete the following and send to

 [email protected]  by  20th May 2024 (mid-day, UK Time).

Interviews: early June   

• Complete the [OU application form ] and provide supporting documents listed on the application form.
• Provide a statement of intent summarising (in no more than 500 words) your suitability to the project outlining how your academic and professional background equips you to undertake the proposed project. You should refer to the skills and experience that will enable you to complete your doctorate successfully, whether gained via academic study or in other ways (e.g., via work experience). Identify any research skills you would need to acquire for the successful completion of your doctorate and how you plan to address them during your studies.
• Provide a statement of your understanding of the proposed collaborative project (in no more than 250 words).

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your application you are encouraged to contact Dr Manik Gopinath ([email protected] ) and Danielle Patten ([email protected] ) in advance.

Posting Date :  22 March, 2024 - 15:15