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Critical Approaches to the History of East and Southeast Asian Contributions in the British Screen Industry

 

 

 

We seek a passionate researcher/practitioner with relevant professional and/or lived experience to undertake a doctoral project that examines East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) contributions to British film and television, focusing on organisational and production practices, individual lived experiences, institutional initiatives and creative activism that addresses invisibility and marginalisation.

Through placement, training and mentorship by the British Film Institute (BFI) and British East Asians in Theatre and Screen Industries (BEATS), this project generates an unparallelled opportunity to analyse the contributions of the ESEA community to British screen through researching industrial practices, the roles of public media organisations and broadcasters, and the experiences of ESEA creatives.

Key research questions:

  • How and to what extent do institutionalised diversity and discourses around ESEA groups in Britain contribute to the under-representation of ESEA creatives in the British screen sector?
  • How has on- and off-screen representation engendered the discursive constructions of these minoritised groups in Britain?
  • What are the policy implications for the British screen industry of ensuring sustainable contributions by ESEA creatives?

You will be based in the Department of Cultural, Media and Creative Industries and supervised by Dr Wing-Fai Leung, Reader in Cultural and Media Industries, and Professor Jeanette Steemers, Professor of Culture, Media & Creative Industries.

We encourage candidates who have knowledge and deep understanding of the ESEA community and their creative and cultural contributions in Britain, and those from non-traditional and under-represented backgrounds at doctoral level research.

We welcome applications from people with:
- Professional experience in the screen industry
- An interest in the societal impact of research and influencing future screen policy
- Academic qualifications in relevant fields (film and media industry research, creative labour, race and representation, sociology, political science and social policy)
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the British media sector.

Only UK based (Home Fee) applicants are eligible for this studentship.

This studentship is only open to new applicants. Current postgraduate research students are not eligible to apply.

Funding will be for 3.5 years (full-time) or 7 years (part-time)
· Full tuition fees covered
· Annual stipend (UKRI rate: £22,780 (including LWA) full time for 2025/26) plus additional CDA allowance (£600 for 25/26)
· Research training and support
· Access to dedicated postgraduate researcher workspace on the Strand campus
· Access to additional funds to support research travel, fieldwork and conference attendance

Applications will be assessed by the following criteria:
· Quality of the research proposed in response to the CDA brief (50% weighting)
· Preparedness of the applicant (25% weighting)
· Feasibility of the proposed research (15% weighting)

· Fit with the aims of King’s Doctoral School for Arts & Humanities (10% weighting). The project’s capacity to:
- transcend traditional disciplinary, geographical and/or cultural boundaries; and/or
- bring sustainable benefits to society at any level or scale; and/or
- develop new and innovative approaches to subjects within our fields.

 

How to Apply

Application deadline: 31 March 2026 - 5pm GMT
Outcomes of applications: Mid-April 2026
Start date: 1 October 2026

To apply, please complete the steps below. 

PDF versions are available here to help with planning but submissions must be made using the forms above, emailed PDFs will not be accepted.

Doctoral School for Arts & Humanities

Doctoral School

Study in a leading centre for the advancement of arts and humanities research.