Anna Schwenck

Anna Schwenck is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Siegen's Department of Social Sciences (summer term 2025) and affiliated with the Institute for Eastern European Studies (Osteuropainstitut) at Freie Universität Berlin. Her research bridges cultural and political sociology, focusing on intersections between authoritarianism and neoliberalism, pandemic skepticism in German-speaking regions, and re-traditionalization in popular music cultures.

• University of Siegen: Department of Social Sciences (2025)
• Freie Universität Berlin: Institute for Eastern European Studies, Department of Sociology

Her work examines how cultural frameworks shape political behavior, including liberation aesthetics in global social movements and symbolic power in protest contexts. Key themes include authoritarian governance, cultural resistance, and legitimacy formation through music and digital platforms.

Anna's recent publications include the 2024 monograph Flexible Authoritarianism: Cultivating Ambition and Loyalty in Russia (Oxford University Press), which won the 2024 American Sociological Association’s Mary Douglas Prize for Best Book in the Sociology of Culture. Her articles span topics like pandemic protest symbolism, populist music strategies, and digital surveillance in authoritarian regimes.

Scientific Awards:

• American Sociological Association’s Mary Douglas Prize for Best Book in the Sociology of Culture (2024)

Anna employs qualitative social research methods, emphasizing engagement with everyday struggles to develop grounded sociological concepts. She has contributed to debates on state-sponsored youth programs, cultural legitimation, and the role of mainstream music in political movements. Her current work explores liberation aesthetics and their mobilization in global protests.