
Post-doc at the SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
Specialist Research Areas:
Radical Nationalism, Poland, Social Movements, Biographical Research, Discourse, Pathways to Radicalism, Radical Right Populism
Justyna Kajta is currently a post-doc at the SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, in the project "ULTRAGEN: ‘Becoming an adult in times of ultra-uncertainty: intergenerational theory of 'shaky' transitions’". She is a Research Assistant in the Centre for Regional and Borderlands Studies (since 2016), President of Wroclaw Branch of Polish Sociological Association (since 2021), and Secretary of Sociology of Ethnicity Section of Polish Sociological Association (since 2019).
She holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Wrocław (obtained in 2017) where she conducted a research on the identity and discourse of radical nationalist movement in Poland. Using biographical-narrative interviews with the activists, and discourse analysis of materials published on the organizations’ websites, the dissertation examined the biographical pathways to the movement, the activists’ motives, processes of becoming a nationalist as well as discursive strategies used in the construction of the movement identity.
In 2019-2021 Justyna was involved in the Polish-German research project „Right-wing populism among young Germans and Poles. The analysis of biographical motives for support for right-wing political parties and organizations” (funded by the Polish-German Foundation for Science) as well as in the research project “(De/Re)Constructing borders – narratives and imaginaries on divided towns in Central Europe in comparative perspective” (funded by National Science Centre). Now she also works on her new project dedicated to the biographical experiences of upward mobility (“Crossing (in)visible boundaries. Experiencing upward mobility in the individuals' biographies”, Miniatura 4, National Science Centre).
She is the author of the book: “Young radicals? On the identity of Polish nationalist movement and its participants” [Młodzi radykalni? O tożsamości polskiego ruchu nacjonalistycznego i jego uczestników] (Nomos, 2020, in Polish). Her work has been published, among others, in Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics, European Review, or Qualitative Sociology Review.
Available for consultation in the following areas:
Research, policy formation/reports, opinion essays and editorials
Latest posts authored by Dr Justyna Kajta
- “Independence not for sale”? Nationalist Independence Day March in Poland December 3, 2021
- The deadly political game being played at the EU’s eastern border September 23, 2021
- In Poland, public funding is given to those threatening liberal democracy July 23, 2021
- From street to state: How radical nationalists gained power in Poland April 9, 2021