PhD Studentship: Meritocracy as Political Culture – Comparative Analysis of Structures, Attitudes, and Meanings Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin in Ireland

[£16,091.23 per annum plus £500 allowance and full tuition fees (EU/non-EU) for 48 months.]

The Department of Sociology at Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, is offering a fully funded PhD studentship for a project titled 'Meritocracy as Political Culture: A Comparative Analysis of Structures, Attitudes, and Meanings.' This opportunity is ideal for candidates interested in exploring the complex role of meritocracy in shaping political culture and attitudes across different societies.

The project investigates meritocracy as a dynamic political culture, examining how it responds to structural transformations and influences political attitudes. Meritocracy is often seen as a cornerstone of fair societies, promoting equality of opportunity and intergenerational mobility. However, recent research highlights its paradoxical role in legitimising social inequalities, as meritocratic ideals can encourage individuals to view wealth and poverty as fair outcomes of ability and effort, thus normalising unequal social structures and reinforcing liberal notions of individual responsibility.

Recent political developments in the United States and Europe suggest that the legitimacy of meritocratic ideals is increasingly fragile. Despite expanded access to education, the promise of upward mobility through individual effort is less attainable for many, leading to a gap between meritocratic ideals and lived experience. This gap may undermine trust in liberal institutions and contribute to political discontent, including resentment toward elites and hostility toward immigrants and minority groups.

The PhD project will employ multiple methodological approaches. Cross-national macro-level data will be used to examine the structural conditions under which meritocratic culture emerges and intensifies. Cross-national survey data will analyse the relationship between meritocratic climate and individuals’ exclusionary attitudes, including anti-immigrant and anti-minority sentiments. Qualitative interviews in Ireland and South Korea will further explore how individuals interpret the meaning of merit and meritocracy in different national contexts.

The studentship provides £16,091.23 per annum, a £500 allowance, and covers full tuition fees for both EU and non-EU students for 48 months. Applicants should have a strong academic background in sociology, political science, or a related social science discipline, with experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. English language proficiency is required.

Applications must be submitted by 1st May 2026 (23.00 GMT) via the Trinity College Dublin Sociology Department application link. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research on meritocracy and its impact on political culture and social attitudes in a global context.