PhD Researcher in Sociology

PhD Position in Sociology: “Far-Right Contention and Community Responses in Ireland”

Post Status: 48 months, Full-time

Research Group / Department / School: Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin 

Location: Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland 

Reports to: Assistant Professor Larissa Meier

Stipend: Maintenance stipend €18,500 per annum plus full tuition fees (EU/non-EU). In addition, the Department offers a teaching assistantship as non-stipend pay. 

Closing Date: 23:00 (GMT), 30 April 2026

Post Summary 

Doctoral Researcher in Sociology 

The Department of Sociology at Trinity College Dublin recruits a highly motivated and outstanding doctoral researcher for a period of 4 years (48 months). 

The person appointed will conduct an innovative PhD project on far-right mobilization and community responses in Ireland. The research consists of systematic case studies of how local communities respond to far-right mobilizations and how different types of responses shape local conflict dynamics and forms of belonging. 

The project is structured around two core sub-topics and addresses the following research questions: 

1. Trajectories and variation in far-right mobilization 

How do responses by different social actors shape far-right mobilization in local communities? Which actors respond—or do not respond—and in what ways? What factors influence whether and how actors engage with far-right mobilization? How do patterns of social response vary across communities? 

2. Consequences of far-right mobilization for local communities 

What effects does far-right mobilization have on local communities? How does it shape cooperation among local actors (e.g. civil society, media, institutional actors) and community experiences of inclusion, exclusion, and belonging? How do these effects vary across communities? 

The successful candidate will be integrated into a PhD project that develops an innovative mixed methods approach to the study of far-right mobilization and community responses in Ireland. The project will provide the student with the opportunity to carry out independent case studies of local conflict dynamics, generating new knowledge on how communal and institutional actors respond to the challenges posed by divisive far-right politics, and how these local contestations shape emerging forms of exclusion and belonging. The PhD candidate will be encouraged to develop their own analytical perspective and empirical research strategies, provided these remain within the scope of the planned project. Over the course of the PhD, the candidate will gain skills in collaborative project management, research communication, and community-oriented research practice. The Department of Sociology at Trinity College Dublin will provide logistical, academic, and intellectual support by integrating the PhD candidate into a large and vibrant community of social science doctoral students at Trinity College Dublin. 

Major research activities conducted by the PhD candidate will involve (1) reviewing the literature on far right politics and societal responses; (2) developing a comparative qualitative research design for the systematic analysis of local conflict dynamics; (3) designing and implementing qualitative and mixed-methods research instruments including semi-structured interviews, focus groups and social network analysis; (4) engaging in analysing and interpreting results for social science audiences; (5) reaching out and sharing results with civils society and community actors, as well as policy makers; (6) presenting work in front of different audiences at local, national and international level in conferences or networks; and (6) publishing articles arising from the study together with the Principal Investigator.

Qualifications 

• MA, MSc or MPhil in Sociology, Political Science or in any cognate fields (thesis should be either defended or submitted)