Senior Research Associate: Plants, Enslavement, and Public History
The School of Humanities invites applications for a postdoctoral Senior Research Associate (SRA) specialising in environmental histories of enslavement to support the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, “Plants, Enslavement, and Public History: Re-imagining green spaces as places of heritage and healing” (2024-2028). The SRA will work with the Principal Investigator, Dr Jessica Moody, in running and delivering this fellowship and will be part of a collaborative team including a second Senior Research Associate, a Project Manager, and project partners such as a Project Curator.
The fellowship, in partnership with the National Trust for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the International National Trusts Organisation, aims to explore historical connections between plants, people, and histories of enslavement. It will analyze the public memory of plants and enslavement at Atlantic heritage sites, develop ethical research methods, and reveal the commemorative potential of plants and green heritage spaces. The project will also develop interpretative test sites at partner locations.
This is a full-time, three-year fixed-term position starting October 1, 2025. The role requires regular in-person meetings in Bristol and at Heelis (National Trust, Swindon), as well as travel to archives and heritage sites.
What will you be doing?
* Lead work package 2: ‘Plants as counter-memory of enslavement’ researching historical connections between plants and enslavement
* Undertake a 0.4 (two days per week) secondment with the National Trust to develop networks, facilitate communication, and conduct scoping research
* Conduct archival research on plants, gardens, and histories of enslavement, particularly related to partner sites
* Collaborate with the Project Curator and team to support the development of interpretative materials
* Publish research findings and present to diverse audiences
Qualifications and experience
* PhD in History or a relevant arts/humanities field
* Experience in environmental histories of enslavement
* Expertise in 17th and 18th-century archival sources and country house history
* Ability to communicate across sectors (academic, heritage) locally, nationally, and internationally
* Capable of working collaboratively and managing independent research
Applicants should include in their cover letter how the Plants, Enslavement, and Public History project aligns with the new National Trust strategy.
Additional information
For informal enquiries, please contact Jessica Moody via email at Jessica.moody@bristol.ac.uk.
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