Location
Department of War Studies, King's College London
PhD Studentship on Family Separation, funded by European Research Council
Call for Applications, deadline – 1 March 2026
This is a call for expressions of interest for a European Research Council-funded PhD studentship. The successful student will start the programme in September 2026.
We are looking for projects that examine family separation during wartime. Specifically, this studentship will fund a PhD that will look at a historical case of family separation and/or reunification during the First or Second World War (including the period immediately after). The PhD topic should be historical and based on original research, using sources that could include archives, published or unpublished memoirs, and oral history. Examples could include familial separation during the chaos of invasion, occupation, civil war, emigration or incarceration, the impact of military men’s absence, the role of letters used by separated families, child evacuees (including Kindertransport), the posting (voluntarily or by compulsion) of workers away from home or the reconstruction of families after lengthy separation. We are open to any topic within the theme of family separation in the First or Second World War. Possible archival sources could include: the Imperial War Museum, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Wiener Holocaust Library, and the archives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The PhD is welcome to explore the intersections of war, choice and separation. It can also look at evolving practices in response to familial separation, for instance, the Red Cross’s family tracing service, or the consequences of enforced separation.
The PhD will be supervised by Professor Juliette Pattinson and Dr Rebekka Friedman in the KCL War Studies Department. As an ERC-funded PhD, this is also a unique opportunity for a PhD student to be part of a small community of faculty and postdoctoral scholars working on an interdisciplinary and topical area of knowledge.
Please note that we are not accepting proposals on contemporary cases of family separation or those based on field research. We have contemporary cases represented in the broader project which is supporting this studentship and are specifically looking for a candidate to carry out a historical PhD on the First or Second World War.
Award value
Stipend: a total of 94,708 Euros over three years.
This funding opportunity will be divided over three years to help finance the PhD student while they undertake the research. Please note that this award consists of stipend only and the successful student is required to pay their own tuition fees at the appropriate rate. The stipend amount is higher than the standard UKRI rate which enables the awardee to offset part of the tuition fee.
Eligibility criteria
The successful applicant must complete the PhD in person in the Department of War Studies to be part of the project team and take part and contribute to project events. Distance students are not eligible for this post with candidates ideally expected to be on campus 1-2 days per week.
We welcome applicants with BA or MA degrees in History or the social sciences. Prior historical research experience, for instance archival research skills, is an asset to apply for this position.
Application process
This is a two-stage application process.
Applicants should email their CVs, a cover letter (a letter of motivation that details their interest and suitability for this opportunity), a piece of writing, and an Expression of Interest (EOI) to: [email protected] by March 1st, 2026. The EOI template is here.
We will then provide feedback and encourage shortlisted applicants to submit a formal application and research proposal by May 2026.
Please note that this is being advertised early to enable candidates to develop a proposal. Candidates are welcome to contact Rebekka in advance to discuss their ideas. However, candidates should not expect a decision until after the deadline.
Selection process
The successful candidate will be selected based on their CV, cover letter, EOI, proposal, and an interview with Professor Juliette Pattinson and Dr Rebekka Friedman.
Contact Details
Dr Rebekka Friedman, Reader in International Relations [email protected]
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study-legacy/funding/phd-studentship-family-separation
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