Are you interested in the ideas that drive anti-autocratic movements in Africa?
Do you want to pursue a fully funded PhD Studentships that combines rigorous academic research with real-world policy and practitioner engagement?
The University of Sussex is offering two fully funded PhD studentships under the NEWREPUBLIC project, a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant examining the intellectual foundations of anti-autocratic movements in Africa and beyond.
📌 About the Studentship
- Programme: PhD in Politics
- Duration: 3.5 years (full-time)
- Start Date: September 2026
- Number of awards: 2
- Funding body: European Research Council (ERC)
💰 What the Funding Covers
Successful candidates will receive a comprehensive funding package, including:
- Full tuition fees (UK or international - funding available for up to one international student)
- A tax-free living stipend in line with UKRI rates (currently £20,780 per year, with annual increases)
- A generous research budget, including support for at least six months of fieldwork
- Funding for conference travel
- Travel and participation in NEWREPUBLIC academic workshops and practitioner-focused dissemination events
🔍 About the NEWREPUBLIC Project
NEWREPUBLIC asks a central but under-researched question:
What ideas animate anti-autocratic movements in Africa?
Led by Dr. Dan Paget, the project explores how movements across the continent conceptualise power, domination, democracy, and political struggle. While some movements articulate strong "people power" philosophies-as seen in contexts such as Tanzania and Zimbabwe-NEWREPUBLIC seeks to:
- Extend this analysis to other anti-autocratic movements across Africa
- Enrich it by examining complementary ideas, practices, and influences
- Complicate it by analysing contradictions and tensions within these movements
The project aims not only to advance academic understanding but also to produce practitioner-oriented insights relevant to activists, policymakers, and democracy stakeholders.
🧠 Your Research Focus
As a PhD researcher on the NEWREPUBLIC team, you will design and lead an independent research project aligned with the project's core goals. You will be supervised by Dr. Dan Paget, Dr. Hannah Richter, and/or Professor Paul Taggart.
Possible research questions include:
- How do anti-autocratic movements in Africa critique autocracy and envision democracy?
- How are these ideas expressed through speeches, performances, practices, and symbols?
- How do movements draw on political theory, popular discourse, online cultures, or activist traditions?
- How do movements conceptualise and enact alliances with other actors and organisations?
Your work will centre on interpretation and analysis of meaning, using qualitative methods such as interviews, ethnography, netnography, discourse analysis, or visual/textual analysis.
🤝 Collaborative Contributions
In addition to your own research, you will contribute to:
- A rule-based content analysis of movement speeches
- The organisation of academic workshops with scholars and activists
- Policy seminars engaging anti-autocratic movements and stakeholders
- The wider intellectual and public mission of the NEWREPUBLIC project
🎓 Why Study at the University of Sussex?
The University of Sussex is home to a highly ranked, research-intensive Politics Department, placed 10th nationally in the most recent Research Excellence Framework. Sussex is also known for:
- Strengths in autocratisation, political ideology, and democratic struggle
- The Centre for the Study of Corruption (CSC)
- Close links to the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), consistently ranked #1 globally
- Access to the School for the Progressive Futures
PhD researchers benefit from world-class training and support through the Sussex Researcher School, serving over 1,300 postgraduate researchers.
The campus is set in the South Downs National Park, just outside Brighton-ranked by Time Out (2025) as the UK's happiest city, while Sussex itself has been voted the happiest university in the UK.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
Essential requirements:
Applicants must:
- Be able to begin a full-time PhD in September 2026 (deferrals not permitted)
- Reside in the UK for the duration of the programme (except for fieldwork)
- Hold (or be close to completing) a Master's degree and undergraduate degree in politics, philosophy, African studies, or a related discipline (ideally at distinction/first-class level)
- Demonstrate strong knowledge of anti-autocratic movements in Africa
- Submit an original, well-aligned research proposal
- Show expertise in African politics (regional or country-specific)
- Demonstrate proficiency (at least B2 level) in an African language other than English
(French and Portuguese, particularly in relation to Cameroon, Uganda, Angola, and Mozambique, are especially advantageous)
Desirable experience includes:
- Discourse or ideological analysis
- Political philosophy or theory
- Independent field research in Africa
- Work on autocratic regimes or democratic struggles
- Engagement with civic groups, NGOs, or democracy movements
- Public communication (blogs, media, social media)
📝 How to Apply
Applications must be submitted via the University of Sussex Postgraduate Application System.
- Select PhD in Politics
- Entry date: September 2026
- In the Finance & Fees section, indicate that you wish to be considered for the
"PhD Studentship in the Ideas of Anti-Autocratic Movements in Africa"
Your application must include:
- Statement of interest (max. 1,000 words)
- Research proposal (max. 2,000 words, excluding references)
- CV (max. 2 pages)
- Degree transcripts and certificates (including language qualifications, if applicable)
- Two academic references
⏰ Key Dates
- Application deadline: 6 March 2026 (23:45 GMT)
- Shortlisting通知: by 20 March 2026
- Interviews: Week of 13 April 2026
- Final decision: End of April 2026
📩 Contact Information
- Admissions & eligibility enquiries: [email protected]
- Research-related enquiries: Dr. Dan Paget - [email protected]
