PhD-Position in Gender Studies: Gender Struggles in the New Conjuncture

PhD-Position in Gender Studies: Gender Struggles in the New Conjuncture

Gender studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lund University

We are now recruiting a PhD-student in Gender Studies for conducting research within the frames of the project Gender Struggles in the New Conjuncture.

Work description

The research program Gender Struggles in the New Conjuncture investigates contemporary gender struggles in Europe, analyzing how feminist and LGBTQI+ mobilizations interact with rising anti-gender movements. At a time of democratic decline, the project aims to understand the tactics, agendas, and social visions shaping these movements and their impact on human rights, democracy, and civil society.

As PhD-student, you will be conducting independent research on the topic within an interdisciplinary team, and explore gender struggles both online and offline.

As PhD Student, you will be included in the overarching research project Gender Struggles in the New Conjuncture. Gender, Sexuality and the Future of Human Rights in the 21st Century, funded by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. We welcome research proposals that set out to analyze both feminist/LGBTQI+ initiatives and anti-gender movements, situated in western Europe (languages including Dutch, German, French) or in southern Europe (languages including Italian, Spanish, Portuguese). This requires advanced knowledge of the socio-political contexts and at least one of the languages in respective region.

 The aim of the overarching research project is to examine how struggles over gender and sexuality shape contemporary political and social landscapes in Europe. The project investigates both feminist and LGBTQI+ movements struggling for expanded rights and anti-gender movements opposing these advancements.

By analyzing their tactics, agendas, and social visions, the project seeks to understand how these opposing forces reshape democratic values, human rights, and civil society. Ultimately, the research will provide new insight into the emergence of new normative foundations for society in the wake of today’s divergent mobilizations. We are now inviting applications for one position as PhD-student, appointed to conduct research within the project, individually as well as in collaboration with the research team.

We seek to recruit a PhD-student with a motivation to conduct high quality research and with previous knowledge of ethnographic fieldwork or digital network analysis, and advanced knowledge of the languages and socio-political contexts of Western or Southern Europe.

Find more information about the project here Gender struggles in the new conjuncture. Gender, sexuality and the future of human rights in the 21st century - Lund University

The PhD program in Gender Studies runs full time and the PhD-student will pursue the requirements of the PhD degree and actively participate in the activities in the Division of Gender Studies and the Department at large.  

The main language of the PhD program is English. However, non-Swedish speaking students are expected to acquire basic skills in Swedish during the period of employment. There are opportunities to participate in language courses taught at the University. The doctoral studentship will commence on 1 September 2025. The general syllabus and other information about the PhD program in Gender Studies is available at https://www.gender.lu.se/research-0/doctoral-studies

More information regarding the Division of Gender Studies and our research: here

Eligibility

Students with basic eligibility for third-cycle studies are those who have completed a second-cycle degree, have completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, or have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad. Special eligibility for admission to postgraduate education in Gender Studies is completed course requirements of at least 30 credits in Gender Studies at advanced level, of which at least 15 credits consist of graduate work at advanced level or equivalent knowledge acquired within or outside the country.

Only those who are or have been admitted to PhD-studies may be appointed to doctoral studentships. When an appointment to a doctoral studentship is made, the ability of the student to benefit from PhD-studies shall primarily be taken into account. In addition to being devoted to your studies, when appointed a doctoral studentship, you may also be required to work with educational tasks, research and administration, in accordance with specific regulations in the ordinance.

The employment of doctoral students is regulated in the The-Higher-Education-Ordinance

Assessment criteria

Only applicants who are eligible for third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Admission is primarily to be based on the applicant’s ability to benefit from the third cycle program.

The applicants will be ranked based on an overall assessment of the quality and originality of their submitted papers and research plan, and their personal suitability.

As PhD-third cycle studies in Gender Studies are very demanding, the applicant must be highly motivated and able to work independently under time constraints. Good collaboration and communication skills are also required, as is proficiency in both written and spoken English.

The most important basis for assessment is the ability and potential in conducting qualified research. The applicant shall have a graduate degree (MA, MSc etc.) in Gender Studies or equivalent, and previous knowledge of ethnographic fieldwork or digital network analysis, and advanced knowledge of the languages and socio-political contexts of Western or Southern Europe. Advanced knowledge of at least one of the languages Dutch, German, French or Italian, Spanish, Portuguese is a required skill for being able to conduct the research. 

Interviews will be conducted with a shortlist of applicants during the final stages of the admission process. The applicants may be asked to provide work samples also after the application has been submitted.

Application procedure

Applications are to be submitted electronically via the Lund University application portal. The application must include:

• Cover letter in Swedish or English of max 1 000 words, which contains a brief presentation of yourself and your qualifications, as well as a brief explanation of why you are interested in PhD-studies in Gender Studies at Lund University, and of working within the project “Gender Struggles in the New Conjuncture”.
• CV in Swedish or English that demonstrated your qualifications for PhD-studies in Gender Studies.
• Degree and grade certificates in Swedish or English.
• Essays/other publications possibly other qualifications relevant to employment.
• A research plan, presenting the proposed area of research, located within the framework of the overarching project “Gender Struggles in the New Conjuncture” , a maximum of 5 pages, in Swedish or English, excluding references.
• A work sample where you select a feminist/gender studies text (article, book chapter or book) that has been particularly important to you. Analyze the text based on the following questions:

1) What are the author’s main points?

2) How would you exemplify the reasoning in the text, using your own example?

3) What are the strengths and weaknesses in the text? Discuss how the text has influenced your intellectual work (your essay, your research idea).

Your paper should be a maximum of 1500 words and can be written in English, Swedish, Danish or Norwegian.

• Contact information from two references.
• Other documentation of relevance to the position

Please note that incomplete applications will not be processed.

Type of employment

Temporary employment, four years according to HF 5 kap 7§

Join Us

We seek candidates with expertise in gender studies or related fields to contribute to this groundbreaking study. The role offers opportunities for international fieldwork, collaboration within an interdisciplinary research team, and engagement with leading scholars in gender and civil society research.

Warm welcome with your application!