Productive Margins is an innovative new collaboration between communities in Bristol and South Wales and academics at the Universities of Bristol and Cardiff which will co-produce research about new forms of engagement in decision-making across politics, policy and the arts. The programme has three main themes: mobilising neighbourhoods, spaces of dissent and harnessing digital spaces. We are now advertising for three ESRC funded PhD studentships, one attached to each theme. Each studentship is for a +3 award, and will commence on September 23rd 2013.  The successful applicants will be able to pursue their own doctoral research whilst working as part of the multi-disciplinary Productive Margins team.

For each studentship an outline project has been agreed as art of the initial bid. Applicants should submit a research proposal of no more than 1,000 words in response. The studentships are as follows:

• Mobilising Neighbourhoods: this Advanced Quantitative Methods (AQM) studentship aims to use quantitative techniques and analysis of existing datasets to explore the neighbourhood (and other) linkages that (dis)enable individuals considered to be living on the margins. Further details. The deadline for applications for this studentship is 14th February 2013. This studentship is eligible for an enhanced stipend.
• Spaces of Dissent: this is a collaborative studentship with Coexist, a community interest company in Stokes Croft, Bristol. The project begins from the assumption that Coexist exemplifies the new emphasis on ‘resilience’ as the way we should live. Further details. The deadline for applications for this studentship is 1st March 2013.
• Harnessing Digital Space: this is a collaborative studentship with Knowle West Media Centre which performs a wide social, cultural and educational role in a community of high deprivation in south Bristol (www.kwmc.org.uk). This studentship is predicated on the view that governance and regulation is increasingly data-driven, and there is a need to democratise this process by enabling people to design, gather and reflect on data themselves.  Further details.  The deadline for applications for this studentship is 1st March 2013.

Successful candidates will receive full UK/EU tuition fees plus a Doctoral Stipend equal to the UK Research Council National Minimum (£13,590 p.a. for 2012/13) for three years. Candidates will also have access to an annual Research and Training support grant of £750.  The Mobilising Neighbourhoods studentship will also receive an Enhanced Doctoral Stipend exceeding the UK Research Council National Minimum (£16,590 p.a. for 2012/13). Details on eligibility.

To make an application.  Please ensure that you indicate your interest in one of the Productive Margins studentships, and which theme.

The following notes will help you to complete the online application.

Studentship	Programme Choice	Programme	Funding	Research Statement
Mobilising Neighbourhoods	Select Faculty of Social Sciences & Law	Select Advanced Quantitative Methods (PhD)	Tick UK Research Council	Attach your 1000 word proposal here
Spaces of Dissent	Select Faculty of Social Sciences & Law	Select Human Geography (PhD)/	Tick UK Research Council	Attach your 1000 word proposal here
Harnessing Digital Spaces	Select Faculty of Social Sciences & Law	Select Education (PhD)	Tick UK Research Council	Attach your 1000 word proposal here