PhD Projects
Colleagues from the Centre for Culture, Sport and Events (CCSE) at University of the West of Scotland (UWS) are keen to invite expressions of interest in a number of research topic areas, aligned with our Centre’s themes. If you are interested in discussing your interest in studying for a Phd with CCSE, in the first instance contact Co-Director david.mcgillivray@uws.ac.uk.
Sport (events) and human rights
In this research area we are interested in exploring the institutional governance arrangements that are most effective in respecting, protecting and promoting human rights in the context of major and mega sport events, including the relationship between grassroots organisations and advocacy organisations in representation of human rights concerns around mega sport events. We are also interested in protest and activism related to sport events, including the ways civil society engages with sport and events, from grassroots community groups to international NGOs and coalitions.
Relatedly, we are interested in sportswashing, soft power and cultural diplomacy, investigating the role sport mega-events play in the projection of soft power and how this meshes with discourses of human rights. We are also interested in ways sport organizations and other actors have resisted or can resist sportswashing, particularly in terms of investments and financial takeovers.
Finally, we are interested in PhD topics related to sport events and disability rights. Here, we are interested in investigating what event owners, event managers, and host cities are doing to ensure that policies and practices around their events improve the experiences of persons with disabilities. We are also interested in how various forms of ableism are limiting event stakeholders and owners from recognising disability in their own event context and in exploring what event owners, organising committees and host agencies can do to foreground a disability rights perspective in future events.
Tourism, Heritage and Regeneration
Cultural Heritage and Tourism: We invite research proposals that explore the relationship between cultural heritage and tourism, focusing on how tourism influences the preservation of cultural traditions and practices. Research should address both the challenges and opportunities tourism presents for safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage. We encourage studies that examine authenticity in cultural heritage tourism, the role of education in fostering appreciation among visitors, and community-led initiatives aimed at preserving cultural identity.
Inclusive Strategies for Tourism Development: We invite research proposals that explore participatory tourism planning, highlighting the significance of community engagement in developing tourism initiatives. Research should focus on strategies for involving local stakeholders such as residents, businesses, and government in the planning process to ensure their voices are heard.
Defined projects
Safeguarding human rights at Euro 2028
This project explores the development and implementation of human rights policies and strategies at Euro 2028. Attempts to embed human rights at sport mega-events in recent years have been explored by members of the CCSE (McGillivray et al. 2022; Talbot 2023; McCloskey et al 2025). Euro 2024 was one of the first mega-events to embed human rights in its planning and delivery, and while the Centre for Sport and Human Rights (2024) noted several successes, they also identified areas for improvement for future tournaments. This project will therefore explore how learning from Euro 2024 has been applied at Euro 2028, how human rights are addressed across the multiple host nations of Euro 2028, and the role of civil society in shaping human rights policies as part of the broader ESG strategy for the event. For more information on this project, contact Dr Adam Talbot adam.talbot@uws.ac.uk.