Total Liberation – Amy’s English Literature PhD

by Student Ambassador Team | Jul 9, 2024 | English Literature and Creative Writing, Postgraduate research | 0 comments

Amie is a first year PhD English and American Studies researcher. Her project focuses on the contemporary resonance of Red Rag: A Magazine of Liberation (1972-1980) and subsequenty her doctoral thesis will form the most substantial account of this significant but largely forgotten feminist periodical to date, intervening into debates around contemporary feminist theory, periodical studies, women’s history, labour history and cultural studies.

Magazine cover of Red Rag, featuring women with pickaxes and shovels

Cover of Red Rag – ‘A magazine of women’s liberation’

Journey to PhD

My PhD follows on from master’s study, with a break inbetween where I was working. After a few years, I wanted to carry on research and started looking for opportunities that would support my interest in cultural history of the 1970s. At the time, I would have considered anywhere with a funded position but ultimately I was lucky enough to be chosen for a CDA offered by Manchester and People’s History Museum.

Manchester is a great location for my work as I have access to the Working Class Movement Library and the People’s History Museum as resources.

Communicating My Research

I present in conferences and I also partake in public engagement work with additional funding from NWCDTP. This is mainly through writing blog material for the Peoples History Museum. Additionally, I also deliver workshops with targeted groups in the archives showcasing the socialist feminist material in the archives.

I have also written for external publications such as Workers Liberty.

Amy’s Essential Skills for Future PhD Students

Knowing how you work best;
Taking on feedback;
Individual time management;
Organising skills generally – diarising, note-taking etc;
Being able to look at the bigger picture whilst being in minute detail sometimes.

What would be the soundtrack of your PhD?

Some days it’s ‘Break Stuff – Limp Bizkit’ other’s I’m peacefully listening to John Prine and the Carpenters whilst snuggled up with my cat and a book.

Article about Sharing childcare in Spare Rib magazine

Spare Rib is another feminist magazine guiding Amy’s research

Balancing Research and Social Time

Every other week I meet with my tutor and produce work to review with her. Between these times, I am usually writing material based on my research to be worked into one of my chapters. I write from home, and travel to the library to use resources I might need. Every Wednesday I am at the Peoples History Museum – working in the archive.

In the week I do my freelance work, amongst my writing. I don’t work at specific times or days, Monday-Friday every day but some days I do more than others. Usually, I try to give myself time to relax if I don’t have a deadline to meet, as I know there are always going to be days where I am doing three different things at once.

Challenges vs Highlights

The main challenges of my PhD study so far have been:

Not understanding the culture of academia and its expectations and behaviour;
Not understanding how much to participate in the university culture, and how much to focus on your own specific work;
Crafting the relationship and boundaries between you and your supervisor;
Understanding the expectations of the first year PHD review;
Being infantilised as a student again after being a professional.

The highlights from my first year of PhD study are:

Passing my first year review!
Positive feedback from supervisors;
Creating public engagement workshops and events with the Whitworth and the People’s History Museum;
Delivering conference papers.

Find out more about PhD English and American Studies

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