University West awarded SEK 15 million for strategic recruitment in political science
22 Jun 2026
University West has been awarded SEK 15 million from the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet, VR) under the call Strategic Recruitment of Associate Senior Lecturers. The grant enables the recruitment of researcher Haley McEwen, who will contribute to strengthening and developing research in the field of political science and international relations.
Katarzyna Jezierska at University West.
A total of 109 applications were submitted to the Swedish Research Council in this call, of which 22 were funded. Notably, University West was the only university college among the funded institutions.
– This is both an important and very welcome decision. The recruitment strengthens our Politics and Society research cluster at a crucial stage. We are bringing in new cutting-edge expertise in an area that is central to understanding contemporary geopolitical transformations, while also creating opportunities to develop internationally competitive research, says Katarzyna Jezierska, Professor of Political Science at University West and leader of the Politics and Society research cluster.
The initiative will also enable the subsequent recruitment of postdoctoral researchers and a PhD candidate.
Focus on anti-gender movements
Haley McEwen will lead the research project Gender and Sexual Politics in a Transforming International Order, which examines gender and sexual politics in a changing global order. The research is centred on the rise of so-called anti-gender movements - transnationally coordinated and strategically organised actors that challenge established norms related to gender equality, reproductive rights, and sexual orientation and gender identity.
The project aims to analyse how these movements shape international politics, diplomacy, and global power relations by constructing alternative imaginaries of international order. Through the development of a new AI-assisted dataset tracking initiatives that restrict gender equality, reproductive rights, and above described rights, the project will, among other things, examine how narratives of “traditional family values” are mobilised to contest and renegotiate international norms, and how new geopolitical alignments emerge in this context.
– This project addresses one of the most pressing and complex issues in contemporary international politics. It enables us to better understand how gender and sexual politics shape global societal developments and transformations, says Katarzyna Jezierska.
Haley McEwen has an international academic background and has been active in the United States, South Africa, and Sweden. Her established collaborations with researchers and institutions worldwide provide strong foundations for new international partnerships.
The new position as Associate Senior Lecturer will run for five years and is co-funded by the Swedish Research Council and University West, with a planned start in summer 2026.
Contact:
Katarzyna Jezierska, Professor of Political Science, University West
katarzyna.jezierska@hv.se