Peter Sowerby Studentship 2021-22 (EXPIRED)

Funded* PhD at King’s College London, in any area of Philosophy with impact, application and significance to Medicine, Nursing, or Midwifery

King’s College London invites applications for one funded*, three-year PhD in Philosophy, in association with the Philosophy & Medicine Project, which is generously supported by the Peter Sowerby Foundation and chaired by Professor Elselijn Kingma. The studentship is open to students proposing a research project in any research area in philosophy with impact, application, and significance in relation to medicine, nursing or midwifery. Possible areas include but are not confined to the following, in any philosophical approach, both Western and non-Western:

• ethics or epistemology with significance for medicine, nursing and midwifery
• metaphysics in relation to medical conditions, birth and death
• the philosophy of mind and psychiatry
• the philosophy of science with applications in the area
• the history of philosophy in relation to thought about medical practice and experience

The PhD candidate join a lively and collegiate research group headed by Sowerby Chair Elselijn Kingma, and will be expected to:

• Carry out their own independent PhD-sized research project in an area of philosophy with impact, application and significance to medicine, nursing, or midwifery, subject to the normal criteria of the KCL MPhil/PhD degree.
• Be a proactive and collegial member of the Philosophy & Medicine Project and actively participate in its activities.
• Submit an annual report on their research progress, other relevant activities, and participation in the Sowerby Project for approval by the Sowerby Chair.

We especially encourage members of marginalized groups to apply in recognition of the underrepresentation in Philosophy and Medicine of members of certain marginalized groups, including ethnic minorities, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and others, and the deficits this creates in philosophical and medical research and governance.

The Philosophy & Medicine Project, of which the PhD student will be a member, provides a happy, productive and welcoming research environment. The Project organises a range of initiatives, including the public-facing Annual Sowerby Lecture, interdisciplinary workshops, fortnightly research colloquia, reading groups and other events. 

It presently also hosts the ERC funded ‘Better Understanding the Metaphysics of Pregnancy’ (BUMP) Project, which organises its own activities and workshops in which the student is welcome to participate. 

KCL’s Department of Philosophy is a large, lively, and highly integrated department that can support research projects in a wide variety of research areas, and that offers close personal supervision to students within the context of an active, friendly and supportive postgraduate community.

How to Apply:

Applications need to be received by 6 June 2021 (23:59 GMT). A Master's in Philosophy is normally expected but we also particularly welcome students with relevant backgrounds in medicine, nursing, midwifery, and the health sciences. Please see here for full details of the award and how to apply, and further information about the Philosophy & Medicine Project and the Department of Philosophy at King’s College London.

For further questions, please contact Elselijn Kingma ([email protected]).

*Stipend only, but it is hoped that the student can be offered enough hourly paid administrative, teaching and research assistance work to earn the amount of annual home fees.