One doctoral studentship in Political Science as part of the Sociology of Authoritarian Law in Eurasia

Södertörn University is a higher education institution in Stockholm that conducts education, research, and collaboration for sustainable societal development. We have around students, 80 programmes and 300 courses, and we conduct education and research in the humanities, social sciences, technology and natural sciences. The university also offers police education and teacher education with an intercultural profile. A great deal of our research relates to the Baltic Sea region and Eastern Europe. We combine subjects, perspectives, people and experiences, and are worldminded, curious and questioning, searching for surprising syntheses, challenges and development.

Södertörn University welcomes doctoral proposals in Political Science, to be conducted within the Sociology of Authoritarian Law in Eurasia (SOCIAL) MSCA Doctoral Networks research project. The SOCIAL doctoral network will train 17 doctoral candidates in the sociology of authoritarian law, with a regional focus on Central Asia. Its three core goals are:

• Empirical & theoretical innovation on law–society–governance dynamics under authoritarian regimes;

• Sustainable interdisciplinary doctoral training across disciplines and regions;

• Policy outreach, converting research into actionable intelligence via workshops, publications, and policy briefs.

Doctoral candidates will be hosted at one of 14 partner organisations within the network. Doctoral candidates will benefit from joint supervision, inter-sectoral secondments, strong transferable skills development, and a bridge between academic research and policy practice. Fieldwork and secondments constitute integral components of the SOCIAL Doctoral Programme. Accordingly, all doctoral candidates admitted to the programme are required to undertake fieldwork and secondment in Central Asia as part of their doctoral training and research activities.

The project is funded by Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska Curie Doctoral Networks with additional contributions from the Swiss Secretariat for Research, Education and Innovation.

The project is based in the Department of Political Science, Södertörn University, where research covers a wide range of topics, including institutions, political parties, parliaments, governments, governance, democracy, citizenship, justice, security, migration and community-building. Many of our projects focus on Eastern and Central Europe, Russia, the Nordic countries and the European Union. This project will introduce Central Asia as a new research area and an innovative focus for future departmental research. The department's staff and doctoral students are actively involved in national and international research networks and engage in multidisciplinary collaboration.

For more information, please click here. For a Swedish version, click here.

Doctoral studies at the Department of Political Science are conducted within the research area of Politics, Economy and the Organisation of Society (PESO), a dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment that brings together the subjects of Business Studies, Journalism, Public Administration, Political Science, Social Work, and Sociology.

For more information, please click here. For a Swedish version, click here.

Description of the doctoral position

The successful applicant will write their thesis as part of the Sociology of Authoritarian Law in Eurasia (SOCIAL) research project, which seeks to advance global and national efforts to promote democratisation and good governance in non-Western societies through an interdisciplinary doctoral network programme.

At Södertörn University, this doctoral project will examine the diffusion and harmonisation of legal norms across authoritarian regimes in Central Asia, emphasising the growing influence of regional organisations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEC), and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). These regional actors contribute to legal convergence through non-democratic mechanisms, challenging Western liberal-democratic legal norms and fostering a contested and evolving legal landscape in the region. The project foregrounds the tensions inherent between authoritarian legal models and Western governance frameworks.

Situated within the research framework of the Sociology of Authoritarian Law in Eurasia (SOCIAL), the project involves collecting original empirical data to investigate the interactions between law, society, and governance in authoritarian contexts. It prioritises theoretical development and comparative analyses within the fields of political regime studies and authoritarian law scholarship.

Given the empirical nature of the research, which includes fieldwork and background interviews concerning the operation of legal and governance institutions in authoritarian settings, familiarity with qualitative research methodologies is considered beneficial.

For more information about SOCIAL, please contact the project manager (see below).

Entry requirements

The general entry requirements are:

1. a second-cycle qualification, or

2. fulfilled requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or

1. substantially equivalent knowledge acquired in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

The Faculty Board may permit an exemption from the general entry requirements for an individual applicant, if there are special grounds. (Ordinance 2010:1064)

Specific entry requirements

Specific entry requirements for third-cycle education in Political Science are met by those who:

• have 90 credits in Political Science, and

• have successfully completed an independent dissertation covering at least 15 credits, or

• have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge to that specified in items 1 and 2 in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

The ability to assimilate academic material in English and a command of the language necessary for work on the thesis are prerequisites for admission to the degree programme.

Grounds for assessment that are applied during selection:

• The applicant's formal qualifications: course/degree certificates, grades and diplomas.
• The applicant's expertise, documented in the form of essays and other autonomously written scientific work, and the proposed research plan, as regards
• subject knowledge
• knowledge of scholarly theory and method
• analytical ability.
• The quality, feasibility and relevance of the proposed research for the research subject and area and research project.
• The ability to comply with given timeframes.
• Any documented experience from relevant professional activities.
• The applicant's merits and competence are assessed in terms of creativity and scientific maturity, their ability to be rigorous and formulate problems, their independent judgement and critical analysis, and communication and cooperation skills.

During assessment, the following circumstances are also considered:

• whether there are adequate supervisory resources
• whether the planned research is deemed feasible given the available financial resources
• whether the planned research is deemed feasible from the standpoint of research ethics.

For one doctoral studentship in Political Science as part of SOCIAL, the following grounds for assessment are also applied:

• Knowledge of political science, sociology, law, and regional studies relevant to authoritarian regimes and regional organizations in Eurasia.
• Experience and skills in data collection, categorization, and coding related to legal and political empirical research.
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including, but not limited to, interviews and field studies, though specific experience in these areas is advantageous.
• Fluency in academic English, both written and oral, to ensure effective scholarly communication and publication.

Project specific requirements

To be eligible, Doctoral Candidates must have obtained a degree which formally entitles them to start a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the researcher is recruited.

In addition, Doctoral Candidates cannot have been awarded a doctoral degree and/or completed more than four years of full-time equivalent research experience.

MSCA mobility rule: Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies) in Sweden for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the date of recruitment. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to submit a signed Mobility Declaration covering the last 36 months, together with supporting documents (e.g., residence registration/tax certificate, employment or study attestations).

The successful candidates will be required to work in a team, to travel to conferences and network training events, and to take part in an academic and non-academic secondment abroad.

All Doctoral Candidates are required to undertake two secondments abroad, one academic and one non-academic, of between two and six months duration.

For further information on eligibility criteria and on Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks in general, please refer to: Doctoral Networks - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Admission and employment

This position includes admission to third-cycle education, i.e. research level, and employment on a doctoral studentship at the School of Social Sciences at Södertörn University. The intended outcome for admitted students is a PhD. The programme covers 240 credits, which is the equivalent of four years of full-time study. The position may be extended by a maximum of one year due to the inclusion of departmental duties, i.e. education, research and/or administration (equivalent to no more than 20% of full-time). Other grounds for extension could be leave of absence because of illness or for service in the defence forces, an elected position in a trade union/student organisation, or parental leave. Provisions relating to employment on a doctoral studentship are in the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 5, Sections 1-7.

Date of employment: 1 September 2026

General Syllabus for third-cycle programmes in Political Science: English version or Swedish version.

Information about admission regulations including selection criteria, and third-cycle education at Södertörn University: English version or Swedish version

Application procedure

For more details, see this website under FAQ. Please use Södertörn University´s web-based recruitment system "ReachMee". Click on the link "ansök" (apply) at the bottom of the announcement.

Your application may be written in English or Swedish/Norwegian/Danish and must include:

• an application letter

• curriculum vitae

• degree certificate and certificates that demonstrate eligibility to apply for the position (if not written in English or Swedish/Norwegian/Danish, you must enclose translated versions)

• Bachelor's essay and dissertation at second-cycle level in the field in accordance with the entry requirements (if not written in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English, you must enclose a summary of 5-6 pages, approx characters, to the copy of the essay).

• a research plan (project plan) of between 1000 and 1500 words. The project's relevance to Political Science, SOCIAL and PESO must be clear.

• two references, with contact details.

If available, a maximum of three publications may also be attached.

Incomplete applications will not be processed.

Application deadline: January 31, 2026 at 23:59

Further information

Professor Joakim Ekman

Professor Ann-Cathrine Jungar, head of department, ann-

Professor Karin Borevi

Liudmila Voronova, Director of Studies (third cycle),

Lovisa Uttman, Human Resources Officer,

Welcome with your application

Publications referred to must be attached to the application.

An application that is not complete or arrives at Södertörn University after the closing date may be rejected.

Union representatives:

SACO:

ST:

SEKO:

and Robert Lindberg

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