Degree type
PhD
Closing date
1 February 2025
Campus
Hobart
Citizenship requirement
Domestic
About the research project
Since British colonisation made its first inroads into what was known as Van Diemen's Land in 1803, lutruwita/Tasmania has been a place where the operations and impacts of colonisation can be understood as singularly intense: the 'Black War' that decimated local Aboriginal populations, the harsh treatment handed out to transported convicts at the island's penal stations, absconding convicts, lawlessness and bushranging, rampant habitat destruction and species decline, heightened the experience of colonialism on the island, and produced an aftermath that continues to inflect it today. This advertised project invites applications from aspiring doctoral candidates who are interested in exploring literary and cultural representations of lutruwita/Tasmania that engage with the social, cultural, historical, environmental and literary legacies of colonisation throughout the long nineteenth century and beyond, into the current day.
Proposed topics might examine:
*lutruwita/Tasmania as a setting for narratives of colonial mis/adventure.
*Reframing Aboriginal representations and resistance in colonial Tasmanian literary works and visual representations.
*Tasmanian noir/gothic as a persistent category in historical and contemporary literary works as well as visual culture including artworks, television drama and cinema.
*Interactions with native species: nature writing, visual nature representation, legal protections and histories of ecological thought and activism in lutruwita/Tasmania.
*The inter-colonial and global circulation of species and species artefacts endemic to the island and the way these have been exploited, represented and understood.
*Isolation as an island trope: narratives of lutruwita/Tasmania as a place to be castaway, lost, imprisoned or a place to hide, escape to, and drop out.
Proposed projects addressing specific aspects of these broad themes will have the capacity to contribute to new understandings of Australia's past and help to address the lasting legacies of colonialism as they continue to impact the nation today.
Primary Supervisor
Funding
Applicants will be considered for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRS) which, if successful, provides:
- a living allowance stipend of $33,511 per annum (2025 rate, indexed annually) for 3.5 years
- a relocation allowance of up to $2,000
- a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only)
If successful, international applicants will receive a University of Tasmania Fees Offset for up to four years.
As part of the application process you may indicate if you do not wish to be considered for scholarship funding.
Other funding opportunities and fees
For further information regarding other scholarships on offer, and the various fees of undertaking a research degree, please visit Scholarships and fees.
Eligibility
Applicants should review the Higher Degree by Research minimum entry requirements.
Ensure your eligibility for the scholarship round by referring to our Key Dates.
Additional eligibility criteria specific to this project/scholarship:
- First class Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline
- Applications are open to domestic students only
Selection Criteria
The project is competitively assessed and awarded. Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College.
Additional essential selection criteria specific to this project:
- Demonstrated capacity to formulate a well-defined and compelling PhD topic from the themes outlined in the project description.
- English language score must be above minimum entry requirements for this project
- Excellent written and verbal communication
Additional desirable selection criteria specific to this project:
- Knowledge of colonial period in Australia
Application process
- Select your project, and check that you meet the eligibility and selection criteria, including citizenship;
- Contact Dr Rachael Weaver to discuss your suitability and the project's requirements; and
- In your application:
- Copy and paste the title of the project from this advertisement into your application. If you don’t correctly do this your application may be rejected.
- Submit a signed supervisory support form, a CV including contact details of 2 referees and your project research proposal.
- Apply prior to 1 February 2025.
Full details of the application process can be found under the 'How to apply' section at Research degrees.
Following the closing date applications will be assessed within the College. Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome by email by the advertised outcome date.
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