Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 46 000 students and 8 500 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.
The Research Project
Studies on access to justice suggest that people living under uncertain conditions refrain from using the law to resolve their legal problems. Instead, they “do nothing.” This phenomenon involves handling legal problems outside conventional legal pathways. Despite extensive literature on this topic, there is limited research on how and why individuals, according to their own accounts, deal with legal issues outside legal avenues. The project investigates the following research questions: How do people practice and understand “doing nothing” when dealing with legal problems? What can the practice of “doing nothing” teach us about the relevance of formal legislation in legal strategies among people living in precarious conditions? The project examines these questions in a marginalized residential area in Sweden. It offers a new bottom-up approach to studying access to justice and dispute resolution, challenging existing paradigms about how and why individuals in vulnerable situations engage with the law.
Duties
The primary task is to organize and conduct at least 20 qualitative interviews relevant to the project, transcribe them, translate them (if necessary), and participate in coding and analysis. Before the interviews, project assistants will receive thorough training in interview techniques and methods, and throughout their employment they will be guided by the project researchers. Project assistants will participate in biweekly meetings and three full-day workshops during the employment period.
The working languages are Arabic, Somali, or Dari, and Swedish/English.
Qualifications
Requirements
- Very good ability to communicate orally in Arabic, Somali, or Dari
- Ability to translate from Arabic, Somali, or Dari into Swedish or English
- Strong motivation and ability to work independently under time pressure
- Good collaboration and communication skills
Advantages
- Lived experience from so-called disadvantaged areas
- University/college-level education
- Experience with qualitative interviews
- Outgoing and sociable
Assessment Criteria
In the selection process, primary emphasis will be placed on the qualifications described above. Very good oral communication skills are of great importance. Good collaboration and communication skills are also key criteria, as are strong language skills, both spoken and written. We strive to ensure diversity. Gender equality will be taken into account in this recruitment.
Application
The application should include:
- a cover letter in Swedish or English, up to 1,000 words, including a brief presentation of yourself and your qualifications, as well as a short description of why you are interested in working as a research assistant at the Sociology of Law Department, Lund University;
- a CV in Swedish or English;
- copies of degrees and transcripts in Swedish or English;
- names and contact details of two referees;
- any other documents the applicant wishes to submit for this position.
Applicants will be assessed based on the above criteria, and top-ranked candidates will be invited for interviews.
Fixed-term employment, four months at 50% of a full-time position.
Start date: 2026-10-01.
Other Information
For questions about the recruitment process, contact Anna Melin at [email protected]. For questions about the position, contact Ida Nafstad at [email protected].
The Faculty of Social Sciences at Lund University is one of the leading education and research institutions in Sweden and operates both in Lund and Helsingborg.
Sociology of law at Lund University is a subject within Social sciences focusing on the relationship between law and society, such as the tension between the formal legislation of the government and the informal emergence of norms in civil society, among other contexts. Research is conducted in fields such as gender and discrimination, AI and machine learning, children's rights, welfare, legal cultures, corruption, migration, financial security and crime. The department offers courses at all levels. The department also runs the bachelor's program in criminology in collaboration with the Department of Sociology. The Sociology of Law Department is keen to engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration and has good contacts with professionals and public authorities.
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Anställningsform: särskild visstidsanställning | Anställningens omfattning: deltid | Antal lediga befattningar: 1 | Sysselsättningsgrad: 50 | Ort: Lund | Län: Skåne län | Land: Sweden | Referensnummer: PA2026/2352 | Kontakt: Anna Melin , Anna Melin , Ida Nafstad , Ida Nafstad , | Facklig företrädare: SACO:Saco-s-rådet vid Lunds universitet 046-2220000, SACO:Saco-s-rådet vid Lunds universitet 046-2220000, OFR/ST:Fackförbundet ST:s kansli 046-2229362, OFR/ST:Fackförbundet ST:s kansli 046-2229362, SEKO: Seko Civil 046-2229366, SEKO: Seko Civil 046-2229366, | Publicerat: 2026-08-10 | Sista ansökningsdag: 2026-08-28
