New WRoCAH funded Collaborative Doctoral Award
Applications now open for WRoCAH funded Collaborative Doctoral Award between the Department of Philosophy, University of York and AIMS (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services) entitled Consent Under Non-Ideal Circumstances
This WRoCAH funded collaborative doctoral award provides funding for 40 months full-time study. Awards must be taken up in October 2025.
The project will investigate what makes consent important, what morally valid consent consists in, and the importance of how consent is communicated. It will do so with a view to understanding how consent can be supported and respected in non-ideal circumstances. These include unjust social structures which affect individuals’ decision-making, and/or experiential elements which make the conditions of giving and communicating consent challenging. A chief aim is to inform better practices for respecting consent in non-ideal circumstances, including where these arise during pregnancy, labour and birth.
Expressions of interest must be received by 12 noon Wednesday 5 March 2025.
WRoCAH funded collaborative doctoral award 2025 (PDF 
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Notes to editors:
About AIMS
AIMS (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services) works towards better births for all by campaigning and information sharing, protecting human rights in childbirth, and helping everyone to know their rights, whatever birth they want, and wherever they want it.
AIMS’ mission statement is “We support all maternity service users to navigate the system as it exists, and campaign for a system that truly meets the needs of all.” This is supported by the following three pillars of work:
- Providing objective, accessible, evidence-based information tailored to the needs of maternity service users and those who support them
- Providing individual support and tools for self-advocacy
- Campaigning and lobbying at national level for the service improvements that we believe are needed