Rafał Smoczyński is a sociologist and Associate Professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, where he heads the Department of Religious Studies. His research interests include Central and Eastern European studies, political philosophy, economic sociology, the sociology of elites, social control studies, and the sociology of religion.

He has authored and co-authored numerous publications featured by leading international publishers such as Oxford University Press and De Gruyter, and in high-impact journals including Ethnic and Racial Studies, East European Politics and Societies and Cultures, Current Sociology, and Theory and Society. His work often explores the intersections of social hierarchy, moral regulation, and identity formation within post-communist societies.

Dr. Smoczyński has led or participated in multiple international research projects supported by institutions such as the European Commission, the Research Council of Norway, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Polish National Science Centre, the Visegrad Fund, and the Korea Foundation. He has also served as a visiting professor at several universities worldwide, including Monash University, Seoul National University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.