Brunel Anthropology is a team of internationally recognised researchers, producing ground-breaking work rooted in ethnographic fieldwork spanning Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania. Academic staff, post-doctoral researchers and PhD students alike work within a single Social Anthropology research grouping, designed both to capitalise on our historic strengths—in the anthropologies of global health; childhood and youth; histories and concepts of anthropological knowledge; and performance, politics and violence—as well as enabling a proactive embrace of new global challenges. The latter includes exciting new work that engages with international environmental crises, human-animal relations, and contemporary imaginings of the future. Research opportunities for students Research students are welcomed to Brunel as valued members of our thriving, research-intensive community. Browse PhD opportunities below and find out about the funding available for students. Doctoral research information How to apply for a PhD View list of PhDs in this area Research in Anthropology Find people, projects, groups and publications in Anthropology and read more about related research to this area. Browse research projects Meet our experts Anthropology Research Archive Browse our collection of research outputs including PhD theses Renowned expertise in key areas of social anthropology Brunel Anthropology is renowned for its pioneering research in international medical anthropology and in the anthropology of childhood, youth and education. Embracing new global challenges In addition to our embedded expertise in well-trodden areas, retaining our reputation as being on the cutting-edge of developments in anthropological research is also facilitated through the proactive embrace of new global challenges. Independent assessment of our research quality (REF 2021) View REF 2021 details for Anthropology and Development Studies (UoA 22) Rwanda’s ‘Uber for motorbike taxis’ triumph REF 2021 Research groups and centres African Studies This research group brings together Brunel’s growing research community that is engaged with the study of Africa Anthropological Research on Childhood Youth and Education Cross-cultural understanding of the notions of the ‘child’, ‘youth’ and ‘education’ Arts Health and Social Change This Research Group is dedicated to fostering art-based initiatives that drive social change towards inclusivity and equality in healthcare. Culture and Evolution Evolution and culture are the two most fundamental and powerful influences on human behaviour, and their effects are what we study at the Centre for Culture and Evolution. Histories and Concepts of Anthropological Knowledge Research into historicity, emotion, ignorance, and memory, as well as on the fundamentals of anthropology: ethnographic practice and writing. Human Geography Aims to develop and consolidate interdisciplinary research around space, place and society at Brunel. We provide a forum for engagement with geographical research, for sharing and receiving feedback on writing and developing new collaborations nationally and internationally. Institute of Communities and Society The Institute focuses on the social, community, and cultural aspects of pressing contemporary issues including migration and movement, social unrest, intersectional inequalities, and institutionalised poverty. International Medical Anthropology Alleviating inequality, suffering from disease and contributing to debates on global health medical anthropology and Disability Studies Performance, Politics and Violence From symbolic, mystical and structural violence to genocide and other forms of physical violence, and from far-reaching State and international political control to the micro-politics of everyday life. Religion research group The Religion Research Group (RRG) is a transdisciplinary group of scholars working on diverse dimensions of religion. Social Justice Concepts of social justice and understanding of climate change, health and wellbeing, digitalisation, poverty, conflict, and inequality. Our focus is on a broad social justice agenda that is alert to and critical of inequalities. South Asia Studies We provide a research base for the development of new South Asia specific programmes and teaching, and bring together scholars from across the University working on South Asia from different disciplinary perspectives. Browse our research projects The role of ICT in supporting Sri Lanka's indigenous communities Public imagination of the Himalayas through the lens of indigenous communities Spirits and Sources: How spiritual seekers embrace belief and build community Parenting across cultures in contemporary England Understanding rural youth identities in India The global lives of the orangutan Into the 'Hotspot': A play about refugees, capitalism and anthropology Evolution of religious and secular medical treatments Does migration contribute to health inequality? Mitigating plastic waste in Indonesia Understanding the causes of atheism in Mauritius Education, Childhood and Social Mobility in India Understanding the transnational influence of YWCA of the USA Equipping Lesotho’s teachers for rural primary schools Explaining the causes of atheism and non-belief Education systems, aspiration and learning in remote rural settings Rwanda’s ‘Uber for motorbike taxis’ triumph Social cash transfers, generational relations and youth poverty trajectories Pause Courses Anthropology PhD Culture and Evolution PhD View all courses Fully-funded studentships Our funded studentships become available at different times of the year. Please keep checking our page regularly to see the latest funded opportunities. We also advertise all our funded studentships as soon as they become available on the @BrunelResearch twitter account. View all studentships