Since the early 2000s research on microbes – whether in social sciences or in life sciences and biomedicine – is undergoing dramatic changes. A boom of microbiome research since the early 2000s has shown that microbes are vastly more abundant in the environment and inside our bodies than previously thought. In contrast to a Pasteurian notion of bacteria as merely pathogenic, microbes are seen to have important supporting roles for health and well-being. A deficit of microbes is now associated with everything from mental health to autoimmune diseases. There is also increasing awareness of microbes’ vital role in different ecosystems and ecological relations to the extent that imbalanced microbial ecologies are associated with global warming, soil depletion, and biodiversity loss. This shift in understanding human-microbe relations is pushing the emergence of renewed social forms such as fermentation and composting, often anchored in century-old practices. These developments highlight that microbes are not biological objects only, but highly social beings that tangle up with human and more-than-human entities. In comparison to scientific tools for studying microbes, we lack methods and concepts that can account for the complex, interdependent, and multi-scalar sets of relations that characterise microbial inquiry. In response, the Centre for the Social Study of Microbes has been developing theories and methods that explicitly and specifically target the sociality of microbes.
Aims and objectives
The aim of this seminar is to support doctoral students and early-career scholars to develop their ongoing research in the area of the social studies of microbes. Understood to be an inter- and transdisciplinary subfield, the social studies of microbes champion the cross-pollination of various approaches to taking microbes as the central subject/object of analyses. Together, we will explore current and forthcoming developments in theories and methods to studying human-microbial relations, primarily drawing on the social sciences and humanities. Additionally, the doctoral and early-career seminar will accommodate the building of international networks for academic collaboration and informal peer groups for future support.
Participants will be mentored by a team composed of CSSM and international researchers.
Format and Preliminary Dates
The seminar will run during October 2026, encompassing four online meetings OR three online meetings plus one in-person meeting depending on participant’s ability to travel to Helsinki. We highly encourage participants to join the in-person component of the seminar, as it runs parallel to the CSSM Conference 2026 (see below). Joining the seminar in-person not only waives your conference fee but also provides you with a unique opportunity to present your research to a wider audience and receive valuable feedback. Moreover, if you participate in person, you are eligible to apply for travel subsidies (see section “economic support”).
Participants are expected to attend all sessions:
- The first online session on October 5 will consist of introductory remarks, code of conduct, and a keynote lecture about the social studies of microbes including foundational themes and approaches.
- The second online session will be a discussion of participants’ pre-circulated manuscripts in small groups with a mentor. The session will take place during the week starting on Monday October 12. Closer to the date, each group will agree upon their own specific meeting date and time according to group members’ schedules.
- The third session will take place on October 19 with a focus on methods. Participants who are physically in Helsinki for the CSSM Conference will attend this session in-person for a site-specific and immersive version of the methods workshop. More information on travel support is available below. An online version of the methods workshop will take place in parallel on October 19 for those who cannot travel to Helsinki.
- The fourth and final session will take place online on October 26 and consist of small group discussions on key concepts, as well as feedback and reflections to better plan for future research endeavours.
The seminar is free of charge.
As this year’s seminar runs parallel to the CSSM Conference 2026, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit an abstract to the conference call for papers. Seminar participants whose conference abstracts have been accepted will have their conference fees waived. Please note that participants will have the opportunity to apply for small travel stipends, but accommodations and per diems will need to be self-funded.
Applications
Who can apply?
We welcome applications from PhD students or graduates with a maximum of two years since their defence interested in the social studies of microbes. Applicants from the Global South and members of minorities are especially welcome to apply.
Applications should contain:
- Cover letter with a statement of interest that explains what you hope to garner from the seminar (max 1 page),
- Abstract of your PhD/post-graduate project, including an explanation on how the research project engages with theoretical and/or methodological developments for the social study of microbes (max 1 page),
- CV (max 2 pages).
Accepted participants are asked to submit a paper or chapter draft (5000-8000 words) by September 15, 2026. Please respect the word count and the due date so that mentors can focus on providing the best feedback possible.
Submission
The application should be sent using this form by May 24, 2026.
Successful applicants will be notified latest by June 19, 2026.
Economic support
To encourage participation in the in-person methods workshop session and the CSSM conference, we will offer small travel subsidies (around 100-500€ per person depending on the number of in-person participants ). Applicants interested in this or who have already submitted their abstracts to the conference should indicate so in their statement of interest.
For more information, please contact: cssm@helsinki.fi