Sociology of Authoritarian Law: Insights from Central Asia (SOCIAL)
Project idea
SOCIAL DN trains 17 doctoral candidates (DC) in the sociology of authoritarian law, with a regional focus on Central Asia. Its three core goals are:
1. Empirical & theoretical innovation on law–society–governance dynamics under authoritarian regimes.
2. Sustainable interdisciplinary doctoral training across disciplines and regions.
3. 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 PhD candidates admitted to the programme are required to undertake fieldwork and secondment in Central Asia as part of their doctoral training and research activities.
Mandatory requirements for all 17 PhD Positions:
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.
Doctoral Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (i.e. work, studies) in the hosting country for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.
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.
Vilnius University Institute of International Relations hosts DC15 – Legal Education Reform:
• Focus: Critique post-socialist legal education and promote critical/sociological approaches.
• Description: This DC project focuses on legal education in Central Asia, investigating its role in promoting critical thinking and socio-legal inquiry. The candidate will analyse the nature and forms of legal education in the context of authoritarian regimes assessing curricula, pedagogy, and institutional resistance to reform.
Overview
Admission takes place in two stages and focuses on the quality and feasibility of your prospective research project. Who Can Apply:
• Holders of a Master’s degree (or an equivalent higher education qualification).
• Applicants with a strong academic record and a clear, viable research agenda aligned with SOCIAL DN topic of Legal Education Reform
How to Apply:
Stage 1 — Preliminary Submission
Email the following documents to vilius.mackinis@tspmi.vu.lt:
1. Prospective Research Project (see “Project Guidelines” below)
2. Motivation/Cover Letter (max 2 pages)
3. Curriculum Vitae (up to 3 pages)
4. Copies of Master’s diploma (or equivalent) and transcript/supplements
5. List of research outputs (and copies, if available): publications, conference presentations, awards
6. Contact details for two academic referees
Email subject: “PhD Application — [Your Name]”. All documents should be in PDF.
Stage 2 — Full Application (for shortlisted candidates)
Shortlisted candidates submit the Stage 1 package plus:
• Application addressed to the Rector
• Copy of passport or national ID card
• Completed questionnaire with a photo
• Academic qualification assessment certificate from the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education (if requested)
Register the full application (with all enclosures) in the Admission System:
Selection & Evaluation
• Research Project Quality clarity of aim, alignment with the doctoral programme, novelty, and suitability of methods
• Motivation & Fit: as reflected in your cover letter and recommendations
• Interview Performance: you may be asked to discuss and defend your proposal
Process
1. The Admission Commission evaluates the submitted research project and documents.
2. Interview: shortlisted candidates discuss their project and answer questions.
3. Decision based on the combined evaluation of the project and interview.
Project Guidelines (Prospective Research Project)
Your research project is the core of the application. Prepare it in English, 8–10 numbered A4 pages*(≈ 15,000 characters, line spacing 1.5, font size 12 pt).
Structure:
• Aim & Tasks: clearly defined (preferably as research questions); include preliminary hypotheses if relevant
• Literature Review & Novelty: position your work within prior research and explain the contribution
• Methods: suitable and feasible for the aims
• Key References: ~10 major sources
Contact
For questions, please write to vilius.mackinis@tspmi.vu.lt
Participating institutions
Lunds Universitet (coordinating institution, Sweden); University of the West of England, Bristol (United Kingdom); Marmara University (Türkiye); Sihtasutus Estonian Business School (Estonian); The University of Birmingham (United Kingdom); Geisteswissenschaftliche Zentren Berlin EV (Germany); Malmo Universitet (Sweden); Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (The Netherlands); Sodertorns Hogskola (Sweden); The Governing Council of The University of Toronto (Canada); SIA Biznesa augstkola Turiba (Latvia); Univerzita Karlova (Czechia); Vilniaus universitetas (Lithuania).
