This project seeks to understand how fashion producers in Africa use knowledge, technology, capital, and inputs to create social, economic, and cultural value for domestic and global markets and how this influences socioeconomic change. The project, therefore, aims to move beyond visions of Africa as resource-constrained to focus on creativity, ideas, and innovation, including sustainability, emerging across the continent. The King’s College London Africa Studentships Ph.D. will focus on generating new data on fashion economies relevant to industry and pursue concept-building on lead firms in the global South.
King’s College London envisages the researcher using mixed-methods case study research, including (for example) analysis of industry data, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observations. Still, these will be defined more specifically during the project. The project will focus on one (or more) African country case/s. This will complement existing case studies conducted by the supervisors (Nigeria, Kenya). The supervisors have established partners in South Africa, including SACO (South Africa Cultural Observatory), which would facilitate a research focus on South Africa. However, the team is open to exploring alternative contexts.
WORTH
The studentship covers the following for four years:
- Tuition fees at the higher international/overseas rate;
- An annual stipend (living allowance): at the UKRI rate (for the year 2022/23, this was set at £19,688);
- Research costs up to £5,000 per annum.
ELIGIBILITY
- African nationals and be permanently resident in an African country;
- Plan to commence a full-time MPhil/Ph.D. programme at King’s College London in the 2023-24 academic year (Ideally, we would like to candidate to start in October 2023 but by no later than January 2024).
- Meet the academic requirements for enrolment for the Ph.D. degree in the Faculty of Social Science and Policy at King’s College London.
- You should hold or expect to obtain a High Merit or Distinction at Master’s level (or equivalent) in any subject.
- Disciplinary areas of particular relevance would include but not be limited to: International Political Economy; Political Economy; Fashion Management; Business; Development Studies; Culture, Media & Creative Industries; Policy; Sociology; Geography; Social Sciences.
- A strong interest in fashion and the creative economy (academic, professional, personal).
- Good team-working, observational, organization, and communication skills.
- Experience with qualitative and quantitative methods.
DEADLINE: June 30, 2023
To apply and for more information, apply here
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