PhD Studentship: Far-right Mobilization and Community Responses in Ireland

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin - Department of 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?

Closing date: 30th April 2026