PhD Studentship: Unorthodox health activism in Britain after 1948

Alternative approaches to health, and the communities and activists who promote them, grew in prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have always been an important aspect of health in Britain.

This project aims to further our historical understanding of these unorthodox approaches to health in Britain after 1948. What was it like to be part of these health movements? How did people become involved? What effects on everyday experiences of health did membership of unorthodox health movements create? How have public health practitioners, health policy makers and health workers responded to these movements?

This studentship will be affiliated with Wellcome-funded project: ‘A Transnational History of AIDS Denial:
Origins, Manifestations and Persistence, 1981 to the present’, and projects which examine similar unorthodox approaches to health in the 20th and/or 21st Century are encouraged.

While we encourage candidates to design their own programme of research, possible foci for the PhD studentship could be:

• historicising the late 20th century British anti-vaxx movement
• historicising cancer denial
• a history of CAMs (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) and everyday health
• media representations of alternative health movements
• regional unorthodox health activism
• spiritual/religious health communities
• 'wellness’ movements

This project is funded by The Wellcome Trust.

Dr Hannah Elizabeth

Professor Matthew Smith

This scholarship award covers Home fees and equivalent UKRI stipend for the duration of study, to be completed within three years.

The stipend rate for commencing study on 1 January 2027 is £16,354 (pro-rata of £21,805) – paid in monthly instalments of £1,817 (tax-free) and likely to increase each year.

International applications are welcomed but if successful, would need to fund the difference between Home & International fees per annum for the duration of study.

For more information on this project, please contact H

Application enquiries can be sent to hass-p

Programme fees plus annual £16,354 stipend.