The William Godwin Diary

Potential supervisor: Prof Mark Philp (mark.philp@warwick.ac.uk)

We are looking for students interested in undertaking a URSS project to help in rescuing, updating, and editing material that was developed for the William Godwin Diary website at the Bodleian Library. Editorial skills, proof-reading and the ability to write clearly are essential and the work will involve research as well as merely editing. We are also interested in involving students with some digital/web skills – such as experience with XML and TEI , and/or HTML, CSS and JavaScript. And we’d also be interested in hearing from people with experience of Git and GitHub for version control, and Python for data representation. Or, at least, some of those things! Up to 6 posts will be established under the terms of the URSS scheme through which applications will be made.

Theatre Societies at Warwick

Potential supervisors: Dr Ronan Hatful (Ronan.Hatfull@warwick.ac.uk) and Dr David Coates (D.J.Coates@warwick.ac.uk)

In 2025 Theatre and Performance Studies at Warwick marks its 50^th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, we’d like to spotlight student research. We’re looking for one (or more) students to research the histories of theatre societies at Warwick. We’d like you to think about the ecology of theatre and performance on campus through extracurricular societies. It may be that you’d like to focus on one particular society, such as Music Theatre Warwick (MTW), Tech Crew, Freshblood, Codpiece or the Warwick University Drama Society (WUDS). Or perhaps you’re more interested in their connectivity, the performance spaces, or the history of students taking work beyond Warwick, such as to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This URSS project will include research in the University of Warwick’s archive and could also include connecting with alumni. We’d like some of your research to feature in an exhibition, taking place in the FAB between the end of June and mid-October 2025 celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Theatre and Performance Studies.

A History of Theatre and Performance Studies at Warwick

Potential supervisors: Dr Ian Farnell (Ian.Farnell@warwick.ac.uk) and Dr David Coates (D.J.Coates@warwick.ac.uk)

In 2025 Theatre and Performance Studies at Warwick marks its 50^th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, we’d like to spotlight student research. We’re looking for one student to research the history of the discipline of Theatre Studies at Warwick. This could include looking into former staff, students, modules and course descriptions and thinking about how the discipline has evolved over time. It could also include interviewing former staff members, finding out about what the course was like from the 1970s to the 2000s and capturing key memories from their time working here. The project will include research in the University of Warwick’s archive and could also include connecting with alumni. We’d like some of your research to feature in an exhibition, taking place in the FAB between the end of June and mid-October 2025 celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Theatre and Performance Studies.

From China or Stoke? Chinoiserie in the Spode collection

In collaboration with the Spode Museum - contact Dr Margaux Whiskin (M.Whiskin@warwick.ac.uk)

Chinoiserie refers to Western copies of Chinese original patterns. Chinese porcelain was world leading and Europe scrambled to find the right recipe and decoration techniques to mimic Chinese porcelain and capitalise on the replacements market, when shipping from Asia was embargoed, time consuming and expensive. Spode did this well, developing a creamy white earthenware and blue transfer printing that could copy hand-painted Chinese exports for a fraction of the cost. The aim of this project is to examine the extent to which the chinoiseries in the Spode collection indicate a circulation and a recycling of patterns. What images of China are being created? How much of a distortion are they?

Landscaping Italy – Spode’s Italian Pattern c.1816

In collaboration with the Spode Museum- contact Dr Margaux Whiskin (M.Whiskin@warwick.ac.uk)

The Italian pattern looks to move away from outright Chinese copies and tap into a new market that idealises the European rural landscape by taking a Chinese border and placing an Italian landscape at the centre. The aim of this project is to discover where Spode’s Italian pattern originated from and how in turn it contributed to shaping popular depictions of Italy. You will be examining inter-iconic references through the influence of paintings of Italy in Britain during that period, and their role in the creation of patterns and scenes. You will also be looking at how Spode brought in Italian designers and craftsmen, and their architectural legacy in Stoke.

The British Empire on Display – Spode’s Indian Sporting Pattern c.1815

In collaboration with the Spode Museum- contact Dr Margaux Whiskin (M.Whiskin@warwick.ac.uk)

Introduced in the early 19th century, Spode’s ‘Indian Sporting’ pattern is a series copied from the travel books of a wealthy English captain. In this project, you will explore representations of colonialism and exotic landscapes whilst thinking of the enduring popularity of such representations and their evolution over time.

Travelling from the comfort of your home: Spode designs from the Grand Tour

This project is no longer available

In collaboration with the Spode Museum- contact Dr Margaux Whiskin (M.Whiskin@warwick.ac.uk)

In the 18^th century, it became fashionable for wealthy young men to take the ‘Grand Tour’ which encouraged travel to France, Italy, Greece or as far as the Ottoman Empire to see what they had learned from their tutors. This project focuses on the Spode designs representing the Grand Tour. Whist thinking of who was buying these sets, you will look at how travel is perceived, how a sense of foreignness/familiarity is conveyed, and how a dialogue is established between the modern and Classical world.

Flowers, Vases and Cabbages: Spode’s manufacturing of nature in the age of industrialisation

In collaboration with the Spode Museum- contact Dr Margaux Whiskin (M.Whiskin@warwick.ac.uk)

Stoke-on-Trent in the 19th century, at the peak of its ceramic output, was a smog-filled and industrial landscape that completely contrasted the scenes and delicate floral designs seen on finely decorated pieces leaving the factory site. In this project, you will examine how the tension between artificiality and realism is balanced in Spode’s potteries. You will look at the history of bringing nature indoors, at how pottery (vases, fruit bowls, potpourri, etc.) is used to display natural products, and the sourcing of artists, such as Charles Ferdinand Hurten, from the Continent.

Playing house: Childhood in Spode’s potteries

In collaboration with the Spode Museum- contact Dr Margaux Whiskin (M.Whiskin@warwick.ac.uk)

In the 19^th century, we see a shift in the perception of childhood. Once cheap labour, children became the inspiration for later patterns and by the 20th century small tea sets and patterns to rival Noddy and Peter Rabbit were being marketed towards them for play. This project invites you to look at the history of childhood and think of the impact of social class on how children are depicted and targeted as consumers. You will examine the function of this pottery, ranging from everyday use to fancy toy sets, what image of childhood it projects, how it participates in gender construction, and it influenced adult designs.

The miserable lot of sailors, soldiers and their families in Staffordshire, 1650-1820

In collaboration with the Spode Museum- contact Dr Margaux Whiskin (M.Whiskin@warwick.ac.uk)

This project looks at life stories of people serving in the armed services in the 17^th-19^th centuries who appear in the pauper records, specifically records relating to settlement and support from Staffordshire parishes. Working with the Staffordshire Settlement Index to locate settlement examinations of soldiers, sailors and their families, you will research their life stories using the settlement papers, parish registers and online resources re the armed services during this period. Using case studies from the collections, you will explore the issues of poverty, geographical mobility and settlement of soldiers, sailors and their families.

Dying of Laughter: exploring horror parody

Potential supervisor: Dr Reece Goodall (Reece.Goodall@warwick.ac.uk)

This project examines parody film and TV in the 21st century (specifically the Scary Movie films and The Simpsons' 'Treehouse of Horror' episodes). Through an analysis of this media in relation to the limited work on horror parody, this project will explore how laughter and fear comingle.

Figuring out the puzzle game

This project is no longer available

Potential supervisor: Dr Reece Goodall (Reece.Goodall@warwick.ac.uk)

This project examines the puzzle game, and aims to create a timeline of key games and dates in the development of the genre. It also hopes to create a new way of thinking about the puzzle game genre, developing language and contexts to unite such a different selection of games.