ANN: PhD Scholarship Opportunity - The Invisible Farmer Project

Nikki Henningham Discussion

PhD Scholarship in History

 The Invisible Farmer

 

The Invisible Farmer Project, funded by the Australian Research Council through its Linkage Scheme, is the largest ever study of Australian women involved in food and fibre production. It will combine personal narratives and academic research to map the diverse, innovative and vital role of women in agriculture, the seafood industry and horticultural production. The project is based on a creative partnership between rural communities, academics, government and cultural organisations, and aims to:

  • Create new histories of rural Australia,
  • Discover and reveal contemporary and historical stories about the diverse, innovative and vital role of women in food and fibre production,
  • Stimulate public discussions about contemporary issues facing rural and regional Australia and its future,
  • Develop significant public collections that will enable far reaching outcomes in research, industry and public policy

A Strategic Australian Postgraduate Award (STRAPA), funded through the McCoy Project scheme (a collaboration between Museums Victoria and the University of Melbourne) is available to support a PhD in history, to document A history of the Australian Rural Women’s Movement in the late 20th century.

The successful candidate will conduct research that draws upon archival material created during previous studies to document the history of the Australian Rural Women’s Movement. They will also collect life history interviews to expand and develop existing collections. Using an innovative mix of oral history, digital technologies and material culture the candidate will contribute to the larger ARC funded project as it reframes the narrative of Australian history to highlight the role of women in food and fibre production.

Candidates are required to meet the University of Melbourne entry requirements for a PhD in History – that is, an honours degree (H2A and above) in the discipline of History. Undergraduates currently completing their honours year are encouraged to apply.

Candidates interested in applying for this scholarship should forward their CVs, along with a 1-2 page document outlining formal qualifications, work experience and any other features that support the applicant's suitability for candidature, to Dr Nikki Henningham via email at n.henningham@unimelb.edu.au. Applications close Friday 18 August, 2017.