Political Narrative Building in Australia's Past

About the research project

Recent political historiography has identified a need to pay closer attention to the role of individual and collective narrative-building among politicians and leaders in shaping Australian political, social and cultural history across the twentieth century.

Contributing to this body of literature, the successful candidate will explore the narrative building efforts of Australian politicians, decision-makers and/or political leaders, with particular emphasis on the interactions of particular individuals with their constituents over varied geographical and temporal scales.

Possible project ideas could include analysing the:

• Influence of media and/or technological development on politicians’ relationships to their constituents across time and place;
• Role of specific historical events/case studies in shaping everyday Australians’ relationships to and with certain politicians and political figures;
• Types of narrative-building activities deployed by specific individuals in relation to discrete political debates, issues, and/or events;
• Comparative nature of various political figures’ narrative building efforts over time, with particular emphasis on public perceptions.
• Impact of geopolitics on Australian politicians’ relationships with those inside and outside Australian borders.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop their project alongside their supervisor, with the chosen topic contingent upon supervisor expertise, available archives (with an eye to local Tasmanian archives), viability of the project, and originality of the research idea in relation to extant literature.

Primary supervisor

Meet Doctor Jessica Urwin

Funding

Applicants will be considered for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRS) which, if successful, provides:

• a living allowance stipend funded by University of Tasmania of $34,315 per annum for 3.5 years
• a relocation allowance of up to $2,000
• a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only)

As part of the application process you may indicate if you do not wish to be considered for scholarship funding.

Other funding opportunities and fees

For further information regarding other scholarships on offer, and the various fees for undertaking a research degree, please visit our Scholarships and fees on research degrees page.

Eligibility

Applicants should review the Higher Degree by Research minimum entry requirements.

Ensure your eligibility for the scholarship round by referring to our Key Dates.

Additional eligibility criteria specific to this project/scholarship:

First-class Honours in History or cognate discipline, including the completion of a first-class research thesis of <10,000 words and worth at least 50% of overall Honours grade.

Selection criteria

The project is competitively assessed and awarded. Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College.

Application process

1. Select your project, and check that you meet the eligibility and selection criteria, including citizenship;
2. Contact Doctor Jessica Urwin to discuss your suitability and the project's requirements; and
3. In your application:
   • Copy and paste the title of the project from this advertisement into your application. If you don’t correctly do this your application may be rejected.
   • Submit a signed supervisory support form, a CV including contact details of 2 referees and your project research proposal.
4. Apply prior to 1 October 2026.

Full details of the application process can be found under the ' How to apply ' section of the Research Degrees website.

Following the closing date applications will be assessed within the College. Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome by email by the advertised outcome date.

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