Dear CGF subscribers, Please see message below circulated on behalf of Chris Philo and Hester Parr, Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow. Do circulate to anyone who might be interested in applying for the available ESRC CASE studentship. Many thanks, Hayden Lorimer ______________________________ Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences University of Glasgow ESRC CASE Studentship in collaboration with Epilepsy Scotland * * 'The everyday social geographies of living with epilepsy: diagnosis, episodes and longer-term implications.' *(+3 years funding)* Applications are invited for a full-time (3 years) ESRC CASE PhD studentship entitled 'The everyday social geographies of living with epilepsy: diagnosis, episodes and longer-term implications' in collaboration with Epilepsy Scotland. The student will be based in the Geographical and Earth Science Department with Professor Chris Philo and Dr Hester Parr and will have close links with the collaborative partner, Epilepsy Scotland. Epilepsy affects 1 in 130 individuals. It entails episodic disturbance in the brain’s normal electrical activity that prompt seizures of various kinds and durations. Little has been done on the geography of epilepsy, and so the potential value of a geographical perspective on this condition is presently unrealised. The PhD will research the social geographies of living with epilepsy, aiming to produce a detailed ‘archive’ of as-yet little-known information about how epilepsy enters into the time-space fabric of everyday lives, particularly following diagnosis and the experience of epileptic episodes. The research questions focus upon how, for individuals living with epilepsy, their time-space fabric is constantly (re)constituted to cope with: *the embodied changes affecting individuals during and after epileptic episodes, as well as on a more ongoing basis; *the relative unpredictability of episodes and social and spatial implications; * attempted management of episodes from social and medical perspectives; * experiences of peer and family support and/or stigmatising community relationships; * the relevance of sources of support: professional or informal, physical or virtual; * the shaping of longer-term time-space biographies in light of chronic conditions, medical interventions and social dimensions of coping. Overall, the aim of this PhD project is to examine the links between epilepsy and social geographies of everyday life, and to contribute to literatures on chronic illness in academic Human Geography and the wider Social Sciences. There is limited research on spaces of epilepsy and this project will fill that gap. While this research is sensitive to current theoretical interests in emotional and embodied geographies and contributes to emerging conceptual agendas about ‘ill relationality’, the project will also provide policy relevant research that will actively contribute to support strategies for Epilepsy Scotland. The study will involve the use of different research methods, but predominantly semi-structured interviewing and focus group work. For full details of the studentship, please go to the Departmental website at http://www.ges.gla.ac.uk:443/, and follow link from ‘Latest News’ (the right-hand column of our homepage). Applications are welcome from candidates with, or expecting to complete, a Masters degree from an ESRC-recognised postgraduate research training programme (or equivalent) in a relevant social science discipline for + 3 studentship by September 2009. Informal enquiries about this studentship should be directed to Professor Chris Philo ([log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> or 0141 330 4787), but, apologies, he will not be able to reply until the week commencing Monday 15th June, 2009. Applicants should submit a CV and a covering letter with two academic references of support to Prof. Chris Philo, Geographical and Earth Sciences, East Quadrangle, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ. Short-listed applicants will be invited for interview. *Closing date for applications is 5pm, Monday, 22nd June, 2009* *Provisional date for interviews is Friday 31st July, 2009*