Oral History, the British Cultural Imaginary, and the Lives of the SOE’s Amateur Agents

Key details:

A full-time funded PhD studentship is available in the Department of History at Durham University on the topic of ‘Oral History, the Cultural Imaginary, and the Lives of Amateur Agents', as part of the Leverhulme Trust Research Project ‘The SOE, Covert Action, and the British Cultural Imaginary’. This studentship will begin in January 2024. 

Formed in July 1940, the Special Operations Executive (SOE) was Britain’s pioneering irregular warfare agency that coordinated Second World War resistance networks and operations, with many of its recruits ‘amateur agents’ drawn from normal civilian life. The SOE’s legacies endured long after its disbandment at the war’s end, with its former members occupying key roles in government, the civil service, and wider areas of British professional and cultural life. 

This studentship will therefore research how the wartime SOE service of selected officers and agents shaped their later lives, and how such careers influenced post-war British institutions and society. It will be centred on the research collections in the Imperial War Museum, London (IWM), and particularly the oral testimonies held in the ‘SOE Sound Archive Oral History Recordings’. The project will also explore other resources and methodologies as appropriate.

While the full shape of the PhD dissertation project will be developed by the student in consultation with the supervisory team, it is anticipated that the research will encompass the following strands:

• Archival and historiographical research (in the IWM and other UK collections) in order to evaluate material available on SOE personnel;
• Identification of a series of suitable case studies on individual SOE members to provide the focus of the dissertation;
• Research into the pre-war background and wartime service of the identified case studies, to understand the cultural assumptions about secret service and covert action that motivated individuals;
• Research into the post-SOE careers of these individuals, analysing the networks formed across different areas of post-war British society and how former SOE members influenced the political and cultural spheres. 

Requirements

All applicants should meet the following essential requirements:

• A good honours degree (at least a 2:1) or its equivalent from a recognised university, and a Masters degree from a recognised university (or in the final stages of completion);
• A strong background in modern history (or closely related field), particularly in British history of the mid/late twentieth century;
• The ability to conduct archival work and deploy the appropriate critical methods to analyse archival materials;
• The ability to travel, as required, to consult relevant material. (NB: funds are available to support this);
• A willingness to work with interdisciplinary approaches and as part of a wider project team;
• Be classified as a home student for tuition fee purposes. 

Benefits

The successful applicant will benefit from:

• A full studentship that covers fees (at UK/home student rates) and a living stipend for three years at the standard UK Research Council rate;
• Further dedicated funds to cover research travel and expenses;
• Expert supervision from Dr Matthew Johnson (lead supervisor and project Co-I), Professor James Smith (project PI), and Dr Guy Woodward (project Research Associate);
• Training and experience as part of a multidisciplinary project team, which will give the opportunity for involvement in developing conferences, seminars, web resources, and project publications. 

How to Apply

You must apply through the University’s applicant portal. You will need to:

• Search for and select V1A001 PhD-History in Course and select starting in 2023/24 (for Jan 24 intake);
• On the funding tab select ‘yes’ to indicate that you are applying for a scholarship, select ‘Other’, write ‘Leverhulme/SOE/Agents’ in the name of the scholarship;
• Upload the following:

1. 1. A CV;
   2. A cover letter (of up to 750 words) discussing skills and experience pertinent to this field;
   3. A research plan (of up to 500 words) describing how this PhD project will be approached;
   4. An academic writing sample of 2000-5000 words, preferably offering analysis relevant to the era or themes of the PhD project;
   5. The system will also request details of referees, degree transcripts, and (if required) a copy of your English language qualifications.

The deadline for applications is Friday 11 August 2023. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to interview (via Zoom), anticipated to be held in the final week of August. 

Informal questions are welcome and can be addressed to matthew.johnson@durham.ac.uk or 
James.smith3@durham.ac.uk 

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