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The award-winning National Centre for Research in Children’s Literature is internationally acclaimed for its work in this field, offering students the opportunity to specialise in an area where original research is flourishing.

The NCRCL currently has 12 doctoral students engaged on a wide range of research projects. PhD studies at Roehampton are conducted by research - the only taught component of the programme is a Research Methods module run by the Research Office which provides general research training. More information about research degrees at the University can be found on the .

As we have such a large number of students, we are able to provide a lively environment with conferences, cluster talks, summer schools, and a congenial cohort. Though several of our students are based outside the UK, through the active discussion list they keep in touch with each other as well as their supervisors and collaborate on projects. All NCRCL PhD students are invited to an annual PhD event, at which they are asked to give a short paper on some aspect of their research. Doctoral students meet at least twice a year as a group with tutors to present papers or work in progress to fellow children’s literature PhD students.

All doctoral students have at least two supervisors with appropriate areas of expertise. The relaxed and friendly environment in the Centre means that there are regular opportunities for discussion with all those who work in and visit the Centre.

NCRCL PhD Students (January 2010) 

Polymnia Lakiotaki  

DoS: Dr. Gillian Lathey   Co-supervisor: Dr. Susan Hancock

Family images in contemporary children’s fantasy fiction in the UK and USA (1990-2006)

Jenny Kendrick             

DoS: Dr. Gillian Lathey    Co-supervisor: Dr. Pat Pinsent

British equine literature for children in the interwar period

Judy Bainbridge           

DoS: Dr. Gillian Lathey     Co-supervisor: Dr. Liz Thiel

Storybook Schools: representations of schools and schooling in British children’s fiction, 1820-1880

Ruth Vecchione   

DoS:  Dr. Gillian Lathey     Co-supervisor: tba

Domestic Architecture in American Children’s Picture Books from 1942 to 2010

 Simon Machin

DoS: Simon Edwards     Co-supervisor: Dr. Lisa Sainsbury

‘The Privileged Reader’: Code-breaking and the masculine examination in British tales of adventure, 1855 -1925’.

Resources

Students have access to Roehampton’s excellent resources in the field of children’s literature. These include the Children’s Literature Collection, which is devoted to the critical/theoretical body of work which has grown up around the subject. In addition, the University has several centres and collections relating to Early Childhood and Childhood Studies.

Conferences

NCRCL PhD students have made their own contribution to research culture by establishing a Postgraduate Children’s Literature group. The group has organised a series of conferences entitled ‘The Child and the Book’ that provide doctoral students working on children’s literature with an international forum for presenting papers; the first was held at Roehampton in 2004, the second at the University of Antwerp in April 2005, the third at the University of Newcastle in April 2006, the fourth at Bogaziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey, from 30 March-1 April 2007. The 2008 event was held in May at Buffalo State University in upstate New York, USA.

Applications

Application procedures and forms are provided by the Research Office.

Specific queries about research projects can be directed to Dr. Gillian Lathey, email: G.Lathey@roehampton.ac.uk