AU
Credibility Without Disclosure: Secrecy and Linguistic Strategy in UK Espionage and Covert Action Accusations
✓ Fully Funded
⏰ Closing Soon
🎓 Criminology
🎓 English Language
🎓 Languages
🎓 Linguistics
🎓 Literature and Culture
🎓 Sociology
corpus linguistics
discourse analysis
espionage
forensic linguistics
national security
political communication
Fully funded PhD at Aston University examining how UK authorities construct credible public accusations under conditions of secrecy using linguistic and discourse analysis.
Project Description
This interdisciplinary PhD investigates how governments make credible public accusations of espionage and covert action when evidence cannot be fully disclosed.
Focusing on UK cases such as the Litvinenko and Skripal poisonings, the project analyses how officials construct and defend claims through linguistic and discursive strategies. The research will combine corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis with elite interviews to examine how credibility, authority, and narrative framing are established.
The project sits at the intersection of forensic linguistics, political communication, and security studies, contributing to understanding how national security narratives are communicated and contested.
Entry Requirements
First or Upper Second Class undergraduate degree and a Master’s degree (Merit or Distinction) in a relevant field
• Experience with critical discourse analysis and corpus-assisted methods
• Understanding of research on intelligence, covert action, and government communication
• Familiarity with forensic linguistics (desirable)
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative discourse research (desirable)
• English language proficiency (if applicable)
• Experience with critical discourse analysis and corpus-assisted methods
• Understanding of research on intelligence, covert action, and government communication
• Familiarity with forensic linguistics (desirable)
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative discourse research (desirable)
• English language proficiency (if applicable)
How to Apply
Submit a full application including transcripts, research statement, personal statement, CV, references, proof of English proficiency, and passport copy.
Eligibility
UK/Home
EU
International
Supervisor Profile
DT
Dr Thomas Eason; Dr Nicci MacLeod
Aston University, College of Business and Social Sciences
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