Evaluating Meat and Alt. Meat-eating habits

Evaluating Meat and Alternative Meat-eating habits in Europe and supporting Alternative Meat industry responses (2024)

What you get

The PhD studentship is offered for a maximum of five years, beginning in September 2024, renewable on a yearly basis, subject to satisfactory performance on the doctoral degree. The successful candidate will receive:

• Full fee waiver
• Stipend equivalent to the UKRI doctoral stipend, currently £18,622 per annum.
• The possibility of teaching and/or marking activities in the School (maximum of six hours per week during term time).
• Opportunity to apply for any part-time Research Assistant roles available.
• Teaching work will be paid in addition to the stipend.

Type of award

PGR Studentship-Evaluating Meat and Alternative Meat-eating habits in Europe and supporting Alternative Meat industry responses.

PhD project

Researchers want to know more about the sustainability of different diets in advanced economies, in particular to better understand how to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from food consumption as well as to better understand health implications of dietary choices. The evidence that plant-based or plant-dominated diets are healthier than meat-intensive diets is now overwhelming. Furthermore, GHG emissions from food are dominated by animal meat production and consumption. The only credible policy option for future governments on both health and environmental grounds will be to encourage a reduction in meat consumption. This does not imply any significant change in vegetarianism. Meat consumption in Europe grew from the late nineteenth century, when changes in refrigeration and transportation technologies broadened the market, through to the 1970s and 1980s, since when it has declined. Throughout this long period the population of non-meat eaters (vegetarians and vegans) has remained roughly constant across Europe at between 5-10% of the adult population. Significant changes in meat consumption are driven by changes in the share of meat in the diet of carnivores, not through any changes in the population of non-meat eaters like vegetarians. Despite this little is understood about the varied motives for meat- and non-meat-eating among the majority (carnivore) population of Europe. Until a more detailed understanding of the different motives for meat eating emerges, it is unlikely that policy makers will be able to form effective policy instruments for encouraging a reduction in meat eating among the majority, non-vegetarian population.

This PhD project will focus on:

1. Surveying the evolution of meat consumption habits among different groups in the population in Europe from 1950 to the present  
2. Identifying and analysing the different motives, enablers and barriers facing meat-eaters to change their meat-eating habits in the 2020s
3. Assessing and evaluating different policy instruments that might support meat-eaters to eat less meat.
4. Working with different plant-based meat industry stakeholders to develop strategic responses to the research outcomes.

Eligibility

• 2:1 honours degree,
• Master’s degree in a related subject (or studying for this) with a good level pass, or non-UK equivalent.
• Proof of proficiency in English i.e., an IELTS certificate taken within the last two years. (At least 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each of the four sections.)

Number of scholarships available

One.

Deadline

How to apply

You need to apply for a PhD in Management at the University of Sussex, including a research proposal addressing one of the research topic above. Guidance on applications is available here:  http://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/phd/apply

Contact us

• For questions relating to the application process, contact business-researchstudents@sussex.ac.uk.
• For informal enquiries in relation to ideas for research topics, contact Andrew Godley A.Godley@sussex.ac.uk.

Timetable

• Deadline for applications – January 15 2024
• Shortlisting – January 18 & 19 2024
• Interviews (online panels) week of January 29 2024
• Offers made week of February 5 2024.