Histories of Sexual Health Research at Aston: Tracing Sexual History through the Aston University Archives

Dr Ilaria Scaglia

Prof Mark McCormack

Project summary: Archives have become key sites to uncover hidden histories of sexuality, gender, emotions, and social movements. Interdisciplinary approaches blend with theoretical diversity to enhance knowledge of the complexity, vibrancy, and politics of social life, both past and present. This doctoral research will contribute to the burgeoning literature that uses archives as vehicles for various types of analysis, connecting micro and macro levels, and also local and global dimensions.

Aston University played a central role in the history of sexual health in Birmingham and beyond. The appointment of sexologist Dr Martin Cole (1931–2015) in 1962 and Dr Philip Cauthery (1925–1995) in 1965 led to the establishment of a landmark student health centre. In 1969, a study on 'Student behaviour and attitudes and their relatedness to sexual behaviour' was published. Other notable developments were the “Know Thyself” lectures, later adopted by other universities, the screening of Dr Cole’s film Growing Up, the publication of Philip Cauthery and Martin Cole’s The Fundamentals of Sex in 1971, and the involvement of the latter in the running of the Birmingham Pregnancy Advisory Service in 1968 soon after the approval of the Abortion Act the year before.

The PhD student will identify analyse relevant archival material at the Aston University Archives and to investigate:

R1: What research on sexual health occurred at Aston between 1960 and 1989?

R2: How was this research reported contemporaneously as evidenced through AUA and what impact did this have on the research activity?

R3: To what extent was this research connected to broader social movements on sexuality occurring in this period?

The result will be a contribution relevant not only to sex studies, archives, and the history of this period but also to broader fields of inquiry including education, culture, politics, and society.

International applicants are welcome to apply for this position.

This project covers all tuition fees and includes an annual stipend.

Please note that the successful candidate will be responsible for any costs relating to moving to Birmingham and/or visiting the Aston campus. International students must meet the financial requirements for the visa, flights, and NHS Surcharge. Applicants should be confident that they can meet these costs before applying.

Further information can be found by viewing our Financial Requirements page.

The successful applicant should hold, or expect to achieve:

A First or Upper Second Class Honours undergraduate degree, and a Masters degree with Merit or Distinction, both in relevant subjects.

Qualifications from overseas institutions will be considered, but performance must be equivalent to that described above, and the University reserves the right to ascertain this equivalence according to its own criteria.

Desirable / Essential Skills or Experience

Some experience with archival and/or historical research and writing, though ample support is provided to candidates who do not possess it.

We can only consider applications that are complete and have all supporting documents. Applications that do not provide all the relevant documents will be automatically rejected. Your application must include:

1. English language copies of the transcripts and certificates for all your higher education degrees, including any Bachelor degrees.
2. A Research Statement detailing your understanding of the research area, how you would approach the project, and a brief review of relevant literature. Be sure to use the title of the research project you are applying for. There is no set format or word count.
3. A personal statement which outlines any further information which you think is relevant to your application, such as your personal suitability for research, career aspirations, possible future research interests, and further description of relevant employment experience.
4. A Curriculum Vitae (Resume) which details your education and work history.
5. Two academic referees who can discuss your suitability for independent research. References must be on headed paper, signed and dated no more than 2 years old. At least one reference should be from your most recent University. You can submit your references at a later date if necessary.
6. Evidence that you meet the English Language requirements. If you do not currently meet the language requirements, you can submit this at a later stage.
7.  A copy of your passport. Where relevant, include evidence of settled or pre-settled status.

For enquiries about this project, contact Dr Ilaria Scaglia.

This position will be based on the Aston Campus in Birmingham, UK. The successful candidate will need to be located within a reasonable distance of the campus, and will be expected to visit in person regularly.

Interviews will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. If you are shortlisted, you will be contacted directly with details of the interview.

Apply for this position

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If you require further information about the application process, please contact the Postgraduate Admissions team.