Funded AHRC Phd opportunity at UCL / TNA (UK) User generated content, Archives 2.0 & description

[Andrew Flinn]

Sorry to everyone who sees this several times in the next couple of days but it is I hope a really good opportunity to do a fully funded PhD on a subject that interests many of us. So please bring this (see below) to the attention of anyone who you think might or should be interested.

We are interested in receiving applications from across the heritage and information disciplines and beyond. Please note very short deadline for applications. Further details are available from
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/infostudies/research/icarus/cda-2009/

If anyone has any further questions please get in touch.

Many thanks, Andrew ([e-mail])

'We think, not I think' Harnessing collaborative creativity to archival practice; implications of user participation for archival theory and practice.

Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded PhD studentship Collaborative Doctoral Award to be held jointly by UCL and The National Archives (TNA), 2010-2013

A three year full-time collaborative doctoral award has been awarded by the AHRC to UCL and TNA for a research student to explore the impact on archival theory and practice of embracing greater user participation in professional practice. The research will be jointly supervised by Drs Andrew Flinn and Elizabeth Shepherd, at the Department of Information Studies (DIS), UCL, and Dr Louise Craven at TNA.

This is a unique opportunity for a graduate (1st or good 2.1) in any discipline, with an MA and/or relevant work experience in archives and records management. The student will benefit from exposure to current archives and records practice and evolving trends and challenges. They will develop working relationships within TNA (the largest employer of archivists in the UK, which has a broad range of expertise relevant to this project) and undertake doctoral research in a key academic and professional topic at a top UK research university. The successful applicant will be positioned for a fast track professional career or an academic career in an emerging international discipline.

The aim of this collaborative project is to investigate the potential and limits of collaborative creativity and user participation in the archive sector and beyond, explore the reality behind claims made regarding experts and crowds, and suggest what might be the impacts of such developments on professional thinking, training, and practice in
the 21st century. The project will explore these issues in a UK context but it will also give priority to examining developments elsewhere, and consequently have a relevance and applicability worldwide. The collaboration with the TNA will allow the doctorate student to observe these developments at first hand, at an institution which is a
world-leader in trialling these approaches. The research is intended to inform professional debate and influence changes to archival practice in the UK and more widely.

Applicants must be UK or EU nationals. The award covers standard tuition fees, and (for UK nationals only) a maintenance grant of around £16,500 pa, including contributions from TNA. It is available for three years
from January 2010. Applicants must apply directly to UCL in the first instance but for further details on the AHRC’s collaborative doctoral award scheme, including eligibility requirements and funding arrangements please consult
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/CollaborativeDocto...

If you are interested in applying, please submit your application by email (letter of application, CV and names of two referees (at least one academic)) to Dr Flinn ([e-mail]) at DIS, before the closing date of 5 November 2009, making clear that you are applying for the Collaborative Doctoral Award. Applications received after this date will
not be considered. Your application should explain why you are interested in and qualified to research in this subject, what benefits you see in the collaborative nature of the award, and how you would plan the research methodology. Interviews will be held at UCL in the week beginning 16 November 2009.


For further information and more details about the proposed research please contact Dr Andrew Flinn, senior lecturer in archives and records management, [e-mail], Department of Information Studies, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT


--
Dr Andrew Flinn,
Lead researcher, AHRC 'Community Archives and Identities: documenting
and sustaining community heritage' project
Lecturer & programme director, MA in Archives and Records Management (ARM)
and MA in Records and Archives Management International (RAMI)
Department of Information Studies (formerly School of Library, Archive
and Information Studies)
University College London
Gower Street
London WC1E 6BT

direct tel: [phone] (non-UK: [phone])
Extension (internal UCL only): 32479
fax: [phone]
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/infostudies/andrew-flinn/
Project website:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/infostudies/research/icarus/community-archives/
Project blog: http://archivesandidentities.com/