Gabriela-Elena Plăpămaru
Amid rising illiberalism, Romanian democratic institutions face growing pressure. Gabriela Plăpămaru reveals how the traditional right tried to undermine Romania’s education sector — and how progressives responded with institutional resilience Read more
Paula Iacobescu
In countries the world over, the patriotic man is the face of illiberal masculinity. Paula Iacobescu explores the illiberal male ideal in contemporary Romanian politics, through its figurehead, George Simion Read more
John Chin
Since 2024, Slovakia has witnessed democratic backsliding and major political unrest. The future of populist nationalism in Slovakia – and Slovakia’s position in Europe – are at stake. John Chin and Daniel Hayase contextualise this unrest, reviewing the challenges posed by Prime Minister Robert Fico’s efforts to consolidate power and to build a bridge between […] Read more
Konrad Szatters
Under Xi Jinping, nationalist right-wing rhetoric drives China’s leftist and socialist state ideology. Konrad Szatters describes how elements of this rhetoric echo the far-right populist narratives in numerous European countries Read more
Odelia Oshri
How do national stories shape voting behaviour? Odelia Oshri, Eran Amsalem, and Shaul Shenhav reveal that voters who view their nation through an exclusionary lens are more likely to support populist radical-right parties, especially those marginalised in society. Their findings highlight the powerful role of national narratives in driving political polarisation. Read more
Ilana Hartikainen
Tribalism has emerged as a key term in political discussions — often used, but not clearly defined. Ilana Hartikainen and Zea Szebeni propose reconceptualising ‘tribalism’ to differentiate forms of political mobilisation. Tribalism, they argue, forms exclusive groups around shared values — and it’s gone global Read more
Abdullah Esin
The ruling regime in Turkey has created its own unique nationalistic security discourse. Abdullah Esin and Mehmet Yaşar Altundağ argue that Turkey’s rising defence industry, while increasing Turkey's military capacity, also uses techno-nationalist rhetoric to consolidate its voter base and legitimise authoritarian practices Read more
Antonia May
The rise of right-wing populist parties in Europe led some mainstream parties to attempt to regain voters' support by adopting pro-nationalist and anti-immigrant rhetoric. However, new research by Antonia May and Christian Czymara suggests that this strategy unintentionally benefits far-right parties and not the political mainstream Read more
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