First approved for financing by the European Research Council, the TRUE research project is supported by a UKRI Frontier Research grant during its five-year duration. To create the first comprehensive account of trust in user-generated evidence, TRUE will employ a unique multidisciplinary technique that combines a legal study of trials, extensive internet experiments, and mock jury trials.
The ideal candidate will have significant autonomy in determining the direction of their study within the framework of the overarching project and its research goals, which are to:
- Develop and validate a scale of trustworthiness for user-generated evidence by identifying the factors that feed into that evidence’s perceived credibility, reliability, and probative value. And comparing it to other types of evidence from both lay and professional fact-finders’ viewpoints.
- Put the scale to the test by analyzing the public’s knowledge of deepfakes and how their perceptions of deep fakes affect the perceived trustworthiness of user-generated evidence.
- Assess the likely future function of user-generated evidence critically in this context and what efforts can be made to protect the utility of objective, trustworthy, user-generated evidence for future human rights accountability processes.
- Analyze the extent to which ‘plausible deniability’ arguments, allegations of deepfakes, and narratives of mistrust have appeared in cases involving user-generated evidence to prove widespread human rights breaches.
The successful candidate may choose to:
- Examine user-generated evidence within a specific jurisdiction or set of jurisdictions.
- Use argumentation mapping techniques to determine how often “plausible deniability” arguments or allegations of deepfakes were used in cases.
- Conduct interviews with judges, lawyers, investigators, or other relevant actors.
Suppose you have a solid academic background and a Master’s degree in Law or a closely related field (e.g., the Social Sciences). In that case, we encourage you to apply for a fully supported Ph.D. post.
Submit a 500-word study proposal detailing a potential research question (within the parameters of the TRUE project) and the methodology you would employ to answer it.
Information On The UKRI PHD Scholarship
Paying Entities: Funding from the UK Research and Innovation Frontiers Program
Content areas: Law
Faculty advisors:
- Professor Yvonne McDermott Rees
- Dr Katy Vaughan
Complementary Coursework: Doctorate in Law
Schedule: Full-time
Eligibility
Applicants must typically hold a 2.1 undergraduate degree (or non-UK equivalent as specified by Swansea University), with no failed modules at the undergraduate level, and a ‘merit’ in their master’s degree. Please go here for country-specific information for European and international applicants.
If necessary, you must have a minimum of 6.5 on the IELTS (with no section below 6.0) or an equivalent recognized by Swansea for English language proficiency. You may learn more about Swansea University’s English Language Requirements here.
Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply for this scholarship.
Contact pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk if you have any questions about your academic or fee eligibility.
Benefits
- This award provides a full year of study and a yearly stipend of £17,658.
- More money will be made available for research costs.
How to Apply?
- Fill out the following fields on the online application form to apply,
- Choose your desired program of study: Ph.D. in Law; Full-Time; Three Years; Beginning in October
- If the online application system flags your submission as duplicate, indicating that you have already applied to the program you selected, don’t hesitate to contact pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk, where staff will be pleased to assist you in completing your application.
- Please choose 2023 as your starting year.
- Sources of Financing (page 8) If you are asked, “Are you supporting your education yourself?” and you answer “No,” then.
- Under the section labeled “Name of Person or Organization Providing Funding for Study,” type “RS190 – Ph.D. TRUE.”
Applicants must include all the required information in their applications; incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Form For Tracking Progress In Promoting Diversity And Inclusion
Please do not email any of the following documents; instead, upload them as part of your online application.
- Resumes and transcripts/certificates of completion
- A 500-word research proposal.
- Two references (academic or prior employer) on headed paper or via the Swansea University reference form.
- An example of academic writing is an essay or an excerpt from a dissertation.
- A brief cover letter outlining your qualifications for the post.
Please be aware that they cannot consider any recommendations submitted via personal email services like Hotmail. The referee’s email address at their place of employment must be included in the reference check process.
- Required proficiency in English demonstrated by: (if applicable).
- A scanned copy of your current UK residence visa (if applicable)
