The Vegan Society is pleased to announce a unique opportunity to undertake a fully funded Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA) as part of the prestigious Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP).
In collaboration with The Open University, this doctoral research project, titled “The Birth of Veganism: Documenting the emergence and organisation of the vegan movement in Britain in the 20th century,” will explore the rich history of the vegan movement in Britain.
This collaborative project encompasses how the vegan movement was established, organised and nurtured (including through the activities of The Vegan Society itself). It is anticipated that the research will provide insights into how the discourse of veganism has evolved to critique and respond to nonhuman animal exploitation and associated environmental and public health harms.
As well as drawing on existing research literature into the history of veganism, research questions will be formed in relation to a unique archive of historical documents, access to which will be provided by The Vegan Society and the supervisory team, as well as oral histories via interviews with long-standing vegans and descendants of vegan pioneers. Contact with interviewees will also be facilitated by The Vegan Society. The PhD may therefore utilise a mixed methods approach, such as combining documentary analysis with in-depth interviews, with a focus to be determined by a successful applicant’s knowledge and expertise.
This fully funded studentship is available from October 2025, with applications closing on January 2025, at midday UK time.
For more details and how to apply, visit the Open-Oxford-Cambridge DTP website.
