PHD in American Studies
The PhD programme is 3-4 years Full Time. Entry is in either September or January.
We offer a structured PhD programme that includes the writing of a doctoral thesis based on original research and training in research methods. PhD students are assigned a supervisor and also have meetings with a Research Studies Panel composed of academic staff with expertise related to the student’s interests. In addition, students have the option of auditing additional postgraduate modules.
Applicants to the PhD programme must have completed and earned a minimum of a 2.1 grade (GPA: 3.6) in a taught Masters (MA, MSc, MLitt, etc.) programme in a suitable field and articulate a research interest that fits with the expertise of the Clinton Institute’s faculty. If you are interested in exploring your research plans further with a member of staff, please contact that individual by email.
Scholarships
IRC Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme
The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is an established national initiative, funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and managed by the Council.
The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is unique in the Irish research landscape and complements other channels for funded postgraduate education in the Irish ecosystem. Among its features are:
individual, prestigious awards for excellent research in the name of the applicant;
an objective selection process using international, independent expert peer review;
funding across all disciplines, from archaeology to zoology; and
awards for bottom-up, non-directed research, with the exception of those funded by our strategic funding partners.
Pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research or those introducing creative, innovative approaches are welcomed. Proposals of an interdisciplinary nature are also encouraged as it is recognised that advancing fundamental understanding is achieved by integrating information, techniques, tools and perspectives from two or more disciplines.
The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is highly competitive, with an average success rate of 18% over the past five years. Successful awardees under the programme are recognised as demonstrating world-class potential as future research leaders.
Further information and application details available through the Irish Research Council
PhD Graduates
Daksh Sharma
Research topic “Dynamics of International Alliances in the Context of Cyber Warfare”
In the intricate world of international relations, alliances have always played a pivotal role. But as we venture deeper into the digital age, cyber capabilities and threats are introducing unprecedented challenges. My research seeks to shed light on these evolving dynamics, grounded in foundational alliance theories spanning from the realist perspectives of thinkers like Stephen Walt to constructivist and liberal interpretations.
By unraveling how alliances form, flourish, and sometimes falter, I aim to decipher the inherent vulnerabilities they might possess. Beyond just understanding these vulnerabilities, I’m keenly interested in how adversaries could potentially exploit these alliance dynamics in the cyber age. However, instead of solely pinpointing exploitable weaknesses, I focus predominantly on understanding the defensive strategies that alliances might employ to fortify themselves.
NATO serves as a focal point in this exploration. As a longstanding pillar of international collaboration, how has NATO evolved in the face of cyber threats? What strategies have they employed, and where might there be gaps?
Eoin Ó’Gaora
Having transferred from an M.Litt programme to a PhD within the Clinton Institute, I have continued my research into manifestations of care and individualism in contemporary Irish screen media, under the supervision of Professor Diane Negra. With the aid of a research grant from the Clinton Institute, I attended the Bavarian-American Academy’s International Summer School, hosted by the University of Kentucky, in Lexington, Kentucky, and enjoyed several days of seminar discussions, presentations, keynote addresses from international speakers, and a variety of cultural engagements, from touring the Henry Clay estate, to a live recording of WoodSongs Kids.
Further support from the Clinton Institute and UCD Global allowed me to participate in an Erasmus+ Exchange with New York University, affording me the opportunity to spend a month in New York under the supervision of Professor Dana Polan of the newly inaugurated Martin Scorsese School of Film, which was an invaluable experience.
In 2022, I published an article entitled “People who get up early in the morning: Irish political capital and the resonances of Iarnród Enda (2021)” in Irish Studies Review, and also published a review of television series Kin (RTÉ, 2021-) for Estudios Irlandeses’ yearly review of Irish film and television. I also delivered papers on constructing an alternative to neoliberalism and An Cailín Ciúin at the Irish Screen Studies Seminar’s 25 th Anniversary Session in Trinity College, and a paper on Joe Biden’s 2023 Presidential Visit to Ireland, at the Modalities of Irishness Symposium at Boston University.