The Bristol Business School of the University of the West of England invites applications for a Fully Funded Doctoral Researcher in the MSCA Doctoral Network SOCIAL – Sociology of Authoritarian Law.
Do you want to investigate how corruption and political connectedness shape access to scarce economic resources and opportunities? Institutional quality plays a decisive role in determining who gets access to resources and opportunities. In many authoritarian regimes, corruption and political connectedness can distort the market, disadvantage more productive businesses, and reduce overall economic efficiency. This PhD opportunity is your chance to join an ambitious international research programme exploring these challenges in the context of Central Asia.
Project Overview
This fully funded doctoral position is part of the Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network Sociology of Authoritarian Law (SOCIAL), funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement No 101226419. SOCIAL, a consortium of 14 leading universities across Europe and Canada, will train 17 doctoral candidates to investigate law–society–governance dynamics under authoritarian regimes in Central Asia. SOCIAL has three core aims: advancing empirical and theoretical understanding of how law operates in authoritarian contexts; delivering sustainable, interdisciplinary doctoral training across disciplines and regions; and engaging in policy outreach, transforming research into practical insights via workshops, publications, and policy briefs.
PhD Topic Description
The doctoral project at UWE Bristol forms part of SOCIAL’s second work package (WP2) on the political economy of authoritarian law. It will focus on how corruption and political connectedness influence access to scarce economic resources and opportunities, including access to bank credit, in Central Asia.
The project will examine how institutional quality affects equality of opportunity and economic participation, the ways informal and unethical practices, such as corruption and interpersonal connectedness, shape access to economic resources and opportunities, and the mechanisms through which such practices marginalise more productive businesses, distort resource allocation, and undermine economic efficiency. An empirical approach will be used to analyse these dynamics. Findings are intended to inform both academic understanding and policy interventions.
The doctoral candidate will be based at the Bristol Business School of UWE for most of the three years, undertake funded secondments with SOCIAL partner and associate partner institutions; will collaborate closely with 16 other doctoral candidates across the network, take part in joint training through workshops and summer schools, work with academic supervisors and stakeholders, benefiting from joint supervision and strong transferable skills development.
Further information
If you would like to speak to us to find out more about this role please contact Kobil Ruziev email: Kobil.Ruziev@uwe.ac.uk
This is a full-time, 36 months fixed‑term post, on a 1FTE contract.
We may be able to sponsor qualifying candidates for this role under the Home Office Skilled Worker visa route. Please read our Skilled Worker Guidance to assess if you will be eligible. If you do not qualify or have no current right to work in the UK you may wish to explore other visa options.
Please note that UWE Bristol does not cover any visa or health surcharge costs.
#J-18808-Ljbffr