The Non-Human in the Arts and Humanities

PhD start date: September 2026

Full time: 3 years
Part time: 6 years

‍The crisis of the Anthropocene alongside ecofeminism, posthumanism and new materialism have demanded a reconsideration of the role of the human-animal in its environment. A different form of post-anthropocentric relationality and a reprisal of those we deem to be kin has emerged.

Themes that might be of interest include:

·     the human/animal in contemporary art practice and visual culture, ideas around landscape, the role of hybridity and animality, and co-mingling across species;

·     the rise of posthumanism as a form of readdress in feminist thinking;

·     the role of myth and folklore in contemporary practice.

 The non-human is a cross-disciplinary concern that links into anthropology, philosophy, human/animal studies, as well as critical art theory. We welcome projects thatare inter and cross-disciplinary which address timely and contemporary concerns. We particularly encourage proposals that explore Scottish landscape in relation to the inquires outlined above.

About the PhD programme in the School of Fine Art

Doctoral researchers benefit from a range of facilities and opportunities at The Glasgow School of Art—one of Europe’s leading centres for the study of postgraduate practice-based education and scholarship.

Research within the School of Fine Art is an intellectual and creative environment for innovation in contemporary fine-art practices. Drawing on a legacy of the radical imagination and on conceptual practices, it seeks to enact possibilities for art as it meets with heritage, feminist histories, remote landscapes, queer modalities, moving image research, curating, interdisciplinary and art writing and publishing initiatives. SoFA research is comprised of staff, doctoral students and non-academic researchers engaged in high quality individual and collaborative research. Researchers contribute to an inclusive, non-hierarchical approach to research environment engaging local and international partners.

The Glasgow School of Art has a distinctive specialist, practice-led research culture which is widely recognised internationally. The generation of new knowledge and understanding through creative practice, scholarship and criticism in Fine Art, Design, Craft, Architecture and related fields is central to the concept of research. Our researchers include internationally renowned artists, designers, architects, historians and critics. All GSA degree programmes are validated by the University of Glasgow.

Graduate Teaching and Fellowship opportunities

All our PhD students have the opportunity to apply for Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) roles from their second year onward. The aim of the Graduate Teaching Assistant scheme at The Glasgow School of Art is to enable PhD students to gain experience of Higher Education teaching while undertaking their research. The scheme also aims to provide undergraduate and postgraduate taught (PGT) students (and associated teaching staff) at the GSA with an insight into theresearch projects undertaken by PhD students.

All PhD researchers at The Glasgow School of Art also have the opportunity to work toward the Associate Fellowship of Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy).

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