SYNERGY PLAGUE: Reconstructing the environmental and societal drivers of plague outbreaks in Eurasia between 1300 and 1900

About the Project

The PhD studentship will fund one PhD project studying the environmental and socio-demographic contexts and impacts of plague outbreaks, on a trans-regional scale, around, roughly, c.1400-1700. Geographic regions and chronological frames are open, but a strong preference will be given to the most original proposal, in terms of methodology, research questions and/or regionality.

Please suggest your project, tailored to the parameters below. You must analyse several of the following themes and subjects:

Themes

• Environmental contexts of plague activity (outbreaks and spread) across inter-connected regions.
• The role of migration in plague spread.
• The role of trade in plague spread.
• The role of warfare in plague spread.
• The impact of plague on local human populations, including sex-selectivity in mortality.
• Reaction to plague outbreaks and coping strategies
• Integrating textual evidence with non-textual sources (palaeo-climate, aDNA, archaeology, etc)

You may address any period from c.1400 until c.1700. Your thesis must study one or more regions (rather than, locations) anywhere in the ‘Old’ World, but a preference may be given to those regions that have not been yet adequately studied, and ideally from a trans-regional and comparative perspective.

Your analysis must be (1) inherently inter-disciplinary in its nature, based on both textual sources and non-textual evidence (palaeo-climate, aDNA, archaeology, etc) and (2) based on both published and published archival sources, indicating there is an expectation that a suitable candidate will be travelling to archives/libraries to study original sources (manuscripts, state papers, etc).

The postholder will collaborate with the team led by Prof. Philip Slavin, working on the ERC Synergy/UKRI-funded project SYNERGY PLAGUE: Reconstructing the environmental and societal drivers of plague outbreaks in Eurasia between 1300 and 1900” (https://www.synergy-plague.org/). This project is funded by an ERC Synergy/UKRI EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, which has commenced in July 2024 and is being co-led by Prof. Philip Slavin (University of Stirling) with three other principal investigators (PIs): Prof. Nils Stenseth (Oslo), Prof. Ulf Büntgen (Cambridge) and Dr. Florent Sebbane (the Pasteur Institute, Lille). The successful applicant will be based in the Division of History, Heritage and Politics at the University of Stirling.

Description of duties

The successful applicant will:

• Manage their research activity, as discussed with and approved by the supervisors, and meet deadlines in collaboration with the supervisors.
• Liaise with the supervisors at least once per month.
• Conduct archival research and interviews in more than one country and write a PhD thesis stemming from this research.
• Participate in at least one workshop/conference per year to present single-authored (or co-authored) papers.
• Submit at least one single-authored article from their thesis to an international journal by the end of the studentship.
• Engage in research-related activities of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Stirling in general, such as the Centre for Environment, Heritage and Policy and meetings with other Early Career Researchers at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.
• Engage with continuing professional development and the training sessions that the supervisors find necessary, and which may take place online, at the University of Stirling, or elsewhere in Scotland.

Essential criteria

Qualifications

The candidate must, by the time of appointment, have completed an MA (or equivalent) in any of these disciplines - history, anthropology, sociology, political science, media studies or cultural studies.

The candidate must have achieved at least a 2:1 (or equivalent) in their MA degree.

Research

Some experience with both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Excellent spoken and written English language skills. If the applicant’s first language is not English, they are required to show English language competency equivalent to the minimum level of IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in all bands).

Desirable criteria

MA degree (or equivalent) on a topic related to studying late-medieval or early modern history, ideally in the fields of disease history, environmental, economic or social history.

Some knowledge of methodological approaches to inter-disciplinary history.

Ability to work in archives/research libraries.

Excellent command (at least written) of AT LEAST ONE language other than English, in which the original sources (published and archival), as well as secondary literature, are written.

How to apply

The deadline for applications is 30 June 2026.

Please send the following by email to Philip Slavin at philip.slavin@stir.ac.uk using the email subject Global Plague Studentship:

A project proposal of 1,500 words maximum outlining a PhD thesis topic of their choice, which relates to several of the themes and at least one of the subjects mentioned above. It should also align with the temporal and geographical focus mentioned above. This proposal should make clear the main question around which the suggested project will revolve, the initial hypotheses, the case studies the applicant proposes to explore, the historiographical significance of the proposed thesis, the types of primary sources they will use, and the applicant’s methodological approaches to those sources.

cover letter detailing your interest and experience in this area (500 words max).

An academic CV.

A copy of their degree certificate and relevant transcripts. Regarding the knowledge of English (for students from non-English-speaking countries): IELTS score or university degree in an English-language programme. Concerning the knowledge of another language: qualification or university degree for a programme taught in that language, or evidence of coursework related to that/those language/s.

An example of recent academic writing (originally or translated into English), like an MA thesis chapter, not exceeding 3,000 words (including footnotes/references).

The names and contact details of two academic referees.

Interview dates will be communicated after the initial screening process.

Funding Notes

The studentship includes a stipend at UKRI levels for three years, and full tuition fees. For 2026/27 entry, the stipend is £20,780. The studentship also covers both home and international student fees.

Additional costs may apply to international students (e.g., visa-related ones), which the studentship does not cover.