Institution: Charles University (CU), Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Studies
Project: Research in Societal Extremism (RISE)
Funding: Competitive base salary in the Czech Republic, with opportunities for additional funding
Application Deadline: 28 February 2026
Expected Start Date: September–October 2026
The Institute of Political Studies at Charles University invites applications for a fully funded PhD position within the Research in Societal Extremism (RISE) project. This opportunity is aimed at highly motivated candidates interested in advancing cutting-edge research on contemporary forms of extremism and their entanglement with everyday social, cultural, and digital life.
About the RISE Project
RISE is a newly established interdisciplinary research initiative that examines how extremist ideologies are embedded within, shaped by, and reinforced through mainstream social and digital environments. Rather than conceptualising extremism as marginal, isolated, or detached from everyday life, the project focuses on the structural, cultural, and technological mechanisms that link ordinary online experiences to extremist beliefs and communities.
The project pays particular attention to the ways in which digital platforms, popular cultures, and shared narratives facilitate the diffusion and normalisation of extremist ideas. By situating extremism within broader social ecosystems, RISE aims to generate empirically grounded and theoretically innovative insights relevant to both academic research and public debate.
The successful PhD candidate will be fully integrated into this research environment and will benefit from close supervision, collaborative research opportunities, and structured academic mentoring.
Research Environment and Methodological Approach
RISE brings together scholars working with a wide range of qualitative and interpretive methodologies. The project places strong emphasis on methodological reflexivity, researcher safety, and ethical engagement with sensitive research fields.
Key methodological approaches include:
- Digital ethnography and online fieldwork
- Discourse and narrative analysis
- In-depth qualitative interviews
- Platform and community analysis
- Comparative and interdisciplinary research designs
The PhD candidate will receive training in these methods and will be encouraged to develop a methodologically robust and innovative doctoral project aligned with the broader aims of RISE.
Key Research Pillars
Applicants are invited to design a PhD project aligned with one or more of the following four research pillars. Interdisciplinary and comparative projects spanning multiple pillars are particularly encouraged.
Gender
- Online misogyny, masculinities, and gendered grievance
- Connections between mainstream gender norms and extremist worldviews
- Gendered dynamics of radicalisation and mobilisation
Gaming
- Gaming cultures, platforms, and pathways to extremist mobilisation
- Gamification, play, irony, and the normalisation of violence
- Identity formation, recruitment, and community-building within gaming spaces
Conspiracies
- Conspiracy narratives as shared belief systems across extremist movements
- Alternative knowledge systems, epistemic distrust, and counter-publics
- The role of platforms, memes, and storytelling in conspiracy diffusion
Ideology and Identity
- Identity, belonging, and affective community-building in extremist milieus
- Ideological convergence between far-right, misogynist, Islamist, and other extremist environments
- Boundary-crossing narratives and hybrid extremist identities
Funding and Institutional Support
The position offers a competitive PhD salary in accordance with Czech funding standards, alongside a strong package of institutional support.
This includes:
- Stable PhD employment with opportunities for additional project-based funding
- Dedicated resources for research activities, training, and publication
- Access to Charles University mobility grants and conference travel funding
- Structured support mechanisms addressing researcher safety, mental health, and well-being
- Integration into international research networks and collaborative projects
Candidate Profile
Applications are welcomed from candidates with academic backgrounds in, or closely related to:
- Political science
- Security and terrorism studies
- Sociology
- Media and communication studies
- Digital anthropology or internet studies
- Cultural studies or related disciplines
Ideal candidates will demonstrate:
- A strong and clearly articulated interest in online extremism research
- Openness to learning and applying qualitative and digital research methods
- Motivation for interdisciplinary, collaborative, and international research
- The ability to work independently within a structured research environment
Application and Submission Guidelines
Applicants are required to submit the following materials:
- An up-to-date academic CV, including references
- A 2–3 page research proposal aligned with one or more RISE research pillars
- A 1-page motivation letter outlining research interests and suitability for the project
Applications should be submitted by email to [email protected] by 28 February 2026. Informal inquiries and questions about the position or project are welcome.
