Populism Studies

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Populism Studies

Contactgegevens, kaart en routebeschrijving, contactformulier, openingstijden, diensten, beoordelingen, foto's, video's en aankondigingen van Populism Studies, Non-profitorganisatie, 155 Wetstraat/Rue de la Loi, Brussels.

The European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS) is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organisation, based in Brussels, for research on and analysis of challenges posed by increasing political populism.

08/06/2026

📢 ECPS Interview

🇮🇳 Yamini Aiyar: Young India Is Growing Increasingly Exhausted with Older Forms of Politics

✍️ Interview by Selcuk Gultasli

🚨 In this timely and thought-provoking ECPS interview, Yamini Aiyar ( — Brown University) examines the political significance of India’s 2026 state elections and what they reveal about the future of democracy, federalism, and opposition politics in the world’s largest democracy.

⚖️ While warning of growing democratic backsliding and institutional capture, Aiyar argues that India’s enduring democratic sentiment continues to generate new forms of political resistance and civic mobilization.

📌 The interview explores:
🗳️ Democratic erosion and electoral accountability
🇮🇳 The BJP’s “One Nation” project and federal pluralism
🏛️ Institutional capture and the future of democratic safeguards
🌏 West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and the changing political map of India
👥 Youth politics and the rise of Vijay’s TVK
🪳 The emergence of the “Cockroach Janta Party” and new forms of mobilization
🤝 Civil society as a source of democratic resistance
📜 Constitutionalism, majoritarianism, and the future of Indian democracy

💬 “Young India is becoming exhausted with many of the older forms of politics.”

💬 “The Constitution itself became almost a living political actor in the election.”

💬 “The deep democratic sentiment that continues to exist in the everyday lives of Indians will find avenues to challenge and resist authoritarianism.”

⚡️ An essential conversation on democratic resilience, youth mobilization, federalism, populism, and the future of political opposition in contemporary India.

📕 Read the interview: 🔗 https://www.populismstudies.org/yamini-aiyar-young-india-is-growing-increasingly-exhausted-with-older-forms-of-politics/

06/06/2026

📢 ECPS Interview | VIDEO 🎥

▶️ Rudy deLeon: We’re in a Turbulent Time, Made Even More Turbulent by a Trump Administration That Is Not Strategic

✍️ Interview by Selcuk Gultasli

🎥 Watch the full ECPS interview with Rudy deLeon, former US Deputy Secretary of Defense and one of Washington’s most experienced national security practitioners.

🌍 In this timely and wide-ranging conversation, deLeon examines the mounting challenges confronting the liberal international order amid geopolitical rivalry, democratic strain, technological disruption, and strategic uncertainty.

⚠️ Warning that the world is entering a period of profound transition marked by a vacuum of strategic leadership, deLeon argues that “what America says on Monday is not what it says on Thursday.”

📌 Key topics include:
🛡️ NATO and the future of transatlantic security
🇺🇸 The transformation of American global leadership
🇨🇳 China’s rise and US–China competition
🌐 Populism and the weakening of the rules-based order
🤖 Artificial intelligence and the future of work
🚶 Migration, globalization, and demographic change
🤝 The future of alliances and international cooperation
📉 Strategic drift and geopolitical fragmentation

💬 “The most pressing issue right now is to figure out what the rules are for artificial intelligence and what that means for the nature of work.”

⚡️ An essential discussion on global leadership, democracy, security, and the future of the international order in an increasingly turbulent world.

🎬 Watch the interview: 📺🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHRkeHkBC_U

📕 Read the interview: 🔗 https://populismstudies.org/rudy-deleon-were-in-a-turbulent-time-made-even-more-turbulent-by-a-trump-administration-that-is-not-strategic/

05/06/2026

📢 ECPS Academy Summer School 2026 | APPLY NOW‼️

🌍 Europe Between Oceans: The Future of EU Trade Between the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific

📅 July 6–10, 2026 | 💻 Online (Zoom)

🎓 Calling undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students from around the world!

🚨 Join a truly global academic experience at the intersection of trade, geopolitics, and populism.

❓How are populism, great-power rivalry, and geopolitical tensions reshaping EU trade and Europe’s role in the world? Organized by the European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS), this five-day intensive program offers a unique opportunity to engage with leading scholars and policymakers in a dynamic and interdisciplinary learning environment.

🌏 Topics include:
👉 EU–US trade relations under populist pressure
👉 The Indo-Pacific as an emerging center of global trade
👉 US–China rivalry and its implications for Europe
👉 Trade, security, and geopolitics in a fragmented world
👉 Populist narratives and economic policymaking

👩‍🏫 Lecturers include:
🎓 Arlo Poletti (University of Trento)
🎓 Kent Jones (Babson College)
🎓 Erik Jones ( – European University Institute)
🎓 Alasdair Young (Georgia Tech)
🎓 Reuben Wong ( – National University of Singapore)
🎓 Kristi Govella ( – University of Oxford)
🎓 Axel Berkofsky (University of Pavia / ISPI)
🎓 Manfred Elsig ( – University of Bern, TBC)
🎓 Markus Kotzur (Hamburg University)

⚙️ What makes this program unique?
📌 Interactive lectures and expert-led discussions
🎯 Simulation game on EU trade strategy
📝 Policy-writing and analytical skills development
📕 Opportunity to publish with ECPS
🌐 Build an international academic network
🎓 Earn 5 ECTS credits

📌 Who should apply?
👩‍🎓 Undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students, early-career researchers, and graduates from all disciplines interested in political economy, international relations, geopolitics, trade, and populism.

⏳ Application Deadline: June 16, 2026
📧 Apply: [email protected]
📌 Subject Line: ECPS Summer School Application

🔗 More information: https://populismstudies.org/ecps-academy-summer-school-europe-between-oceans-the-future-of-the-eu-trade-between-the-atlantic-and-the-indo-pacific-july-6-10-2026/

🚀 Join us to better understand—and help shape—the future of Europe in a rapidly changing global order.

05/06/2026

📢 Internship Opportunity🎇

🌍 Join the European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS)

⁉️Are you passionate about expanding your understanding of democracy, populism, authoritarianism, global politics, and public policy?

🎓 ECPS is seeking motivated and talented interns to join our international team for a six-month remote internship.

📚 As an ECPS intern, you will have the opportunity to:
✍️ Conduct academic research and publish commentaries, essays, and articles
🔍 Explore topics such as populism, democracy, authoritarianism, migration, extremism, climate politics, human rights, and foreign policy
📊 Prepare reports and policy briefs
🎙️ Assist in organizing seminars, panels, conferences, symposiums, and summer schools
📱 Contribute to communication activities, newsletters, and social media outreach
🤝 Engage with academics, policymakers, project experts, and stakeholders from around the world
🌐 Gain valuable experience in a dynamic multicultural environment while expanding your professional network and strengthening your research, writing, organizational, and communication skills.

📅 Duration: 6 months
💻 Location: Remote
⏳ Commitment: Part-time (10 hours per week)

📩 Interested candidates should submit a CV and a one-page cover letter to [email protected] by September 15, 2026.

📕 For more information: 🔗 https://www.populismstudies.org/internship-positions-at-the-european-center-for-populism-studies-ecps-3/

🚀 Take the next step in your academic and professional journey with ECPS!

05/06/2026

📢 ECPS Interview

🌍 Rudy de Leon: We’re in a Turbulent Time, Made Even More Turbulent by a Trump Administration That Is Not Strategic

✍️ Interview by Selcuk Gultasli

🚨 In this timely and wide-ranging interview, Rudy de Leon—former US Deputy Secretary of Defense and one of Washington’s most experienced national security practitioners—examines the mounting challenges confronting the liberal international order amid geopolitical rivalry, democratic strain, technological disruption, and strategic uncertainty.

⚠️ De Leon warns that the world is entering a period of profound transition marked by a vacuum of strategic leadership, arguing that “what America says on Monday is not what it says on Thursday.”

📌 The interview explores:
🛡️ NATO and the future of transatlantic security
🇺🇸 The transformation of American global leadership
🇨🇳 China’s rise and US–China competition
🌐 Populism and the weakening of the rules-based order
🤖 Artificial intelligence and the future of work
🚶 Migration, globalization, and demographic change
🤝 The future of alliances and international cooperation
📉 Strategic drift and the risks of geopolitical fragmentation

💬 “The most pressing issue right now is to figure out what the rules are for artificial intelligence and what that means for the nature of work.”

⚡️ A compelling conversation on leadership, global governance, security, democracy, and the future of the international order in an increasingly turbulent world.

📕 Read the interview: 🔗 https://www.populismstudies.org/rudy-deleon-were-in-a-turbulent-time-made-even-more-turbulent-by-a-trump-administration-that-is-not-strategic/

02/06/2026

🎥 ECPS Interview / VIDEO

🇭🇺 Assoc. Prof. Stefano Bottoni: Today’s Democratic Transition in Hungary Is Even More Challenging Than 1989–1990

✍️ Interview by Selcuk Gultasli

🚨 In this thought-provoking ECPS interview, Associate Professor Stefano Bottoni (, University of Florence), one of the foremost historians of contemporary Hungary, examines the unprecedented challenges facing the country following Viktor Orbán’s electoral defeat and the rise of Péter Magyar.

⚖️ Rejecting simplistic narratives of democratic restoration, Bottoni argues that Hungary is not merely returning to a pre-Orbán order but attempting to “invent a new democracy for the twenty-first century.”

📌 Watch the interview to explore:
👉 Democratic reconstruction after authoritarian backsliding
👉 Institutional capture and state depoliticization
👉 Anti-corruption reforms and accountability
👉 Hungary’s reintegration into the European Union
👉 Civic education and democratic culture
👉 Constitutional patriotism and European belonging
👉 The future of higher education and public research
👉 The long-term challenges of democratic consolidation

🗣️ “You cannot build democracy with a state apparatus forged by an autocratic system.”

🗣️ “Building democratic consciousness takes 15, 20, or even 30 years.”

🗣️ “This is not simply about restoring something. Rather, it is about inventing a new democracy for the twenty-first century.”

🌍 An essential conversation on democratic resilience, post-populist governance, European integration, and the formidable task of rebuilding democracy after prolonged institutional erosion.

🎥 Watch the interview: 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oUbXLJiC3M

📕 Read the interview: 🔗 https://populismstudies.org/assoc-prof-bottoni-todays-democratic-transition-in-hungary-is-more-difficult-and-challenging-than-1989-1990/

02/06/2026

📢 ECPS Interview

🇭🇺 Assoc. Prof. Stefano Bottoni: Today’s Democratic Transition in Hungary Is Even More Challenging Than 1989–1990

✍️ Interview by Selcuk Gultasli

🚨 In this timely and wide-ranging ECPS interview, Associate Professor Stefano Bottoni ( — University of Florence), one of the foremost historians of contemporary Hungary, examines the unprecedented challenges facing the country after Viktor Orbán’s electoral defeat and the rise of Péter Magyar.

⚖️ Rejecting simplistic narratives of democratic restoration, Assoc. Prof. Bottoni argues that Hungary is not merely returning to a pre-Orbán order but attempting to “invent a new democracy for the twenty-first century.”

📌 The interview explores:
👉 Democratic reconstruction after authoritarian backsliding
👉 Institutional capture and state depoliticization
👉 Anti-corruption reforms and accountability
👉 Hungary’s reintegration into the European Union
👉 The future of higher education and public research
👉 Civic education and democratic culture
👉 Constitutional patriotism and European belonging
👉 The long-term challenges of democratic consolidation

🗣️ “You cannot build democracy with a state apparatus forged by an autocratic system.”

🗣️ “Building democratic consciousness takes 15, 20, or even 30 years.”

🗣️ “This is not simply about restoring something. Rather, it is about inventing a new democracy for the twenty-first century.”

🌍 A thought-provoking conversation on democratic resilience, post-populist governance, European integration, and the difficult task of rebuilding democracy after prolonged institutional erosion.

📕 Read the interview: 🔗 https://www.populismstudies.org/assoc-prof-bottoni-todays-democratic-transition-in-hungary-is-more-difficult-and-challenging-than-1989-1990/

01/06/2026

📢 ECPS Commentary

📌Survival Populism and the Crisis of Belonging in Post-Apartheid South Africa

✍️ By Dr. Oludele Solaja

🚨 Why does xenophobic violence persist in post-apartheid South Africa despite the promises of democratic inclusion, equality, and liberation?

⚡️ In this thought-provoking ECPS commentary, Dr. Oludele Solaja () argues that anti-immigrant mobilization should not be understood simply as irrational hatred or economic frustration. Instead, he underscores the concept of “survival populism”—a decentralized form of grassroots political reasoning that emerges from structural abandonment, fractured citizenship, and deep socio-economic inequality.

📌 The commentary explores:
👉 Xenophobia as a form of grassroots political mobilization
👉 The enduring spatial and economic legacies of apartheid
👉 Citizenship without material inclusion
👉 Township economies, scarcity, and competition
👉 Informal sovereignty and movements such as Operation Dudula
👉 Decolonial perspectives on exclusion and belonging
👉 Why populism can emerge without charismatic leaders

⚡ Dr. Solaja argues that xenophobia is not the absence of politics but rather “politics under conditions of abandonment.”

🧠 By reframing xenophobic violence as a struggle over citizenship, resources, and belonging, the commentary challenges conventional understandings of populism and offers a powerful account of how exclusionary politics can emerge from below.

📕 Read the commentary: https://www.populismstudies.org/survival-populism-and-the-crisis-of-belonging-in-post-apartheid-south-africa/

01/06/2026

📢 ECPS Commentary

📌 When Lies Become Political Identity: Populism, Disinformation, and the Emotional Logic of Contemporary Politics

✍️ By Yacine Boubia

🚨 Why does disinformation continue to thrive even when fact-checkers, journalists, and democratic institutions work tirelessly to expose falsehoods?

⚡️In this insightful ECPS commentary, Yacine Boubia argues that contemporary disinformation is no longer merely a problem of inaccurate information. Instead, it increasingly functions as a mechanism of political identity formation, reinforcing collective belonging, emotional attachment, and distrust of institutions.

📌 The commentary explores:
👉 Populism and the construction of alternative political realities
👉 Why fact-checking often fails to change minds
👉 Emotional mobilization and affective polarization
👉 Social media algorithms and the amplification of outrage
👉 Donald Trump and the politics of permanent spectacle
👉 The fragmentation of democratic public space
👉 The erosion of shared truth and democratic deliberation

⚡ Boubia argues that in today’s digital environment, political identity increasingly shapes perceptions of truth more powerfully than truth shapes political identity.

🌍 A timely reflection on democracy, media, populism, political communication, and the growing challenge of preserving a shared public reality in an age of polarization and disinformation.

📕 Read the commentary: https://www.populismstudies.org/when-lies-become-political-identity-populism-disinformation-and-the-emotional-logic-of-contemporary-politics/

30/05/2026

📢 ECPS Interview

⚖️ Dr. Ümit Kardaş: Turkey Has Returned to a Form of Pre-1876 Absolutism

✍️ Interview by Selcuk Gultasli

🚨 In this wide-ranging ECPS interview, veteran Turkish scholar, legal expert, author, and poet Dr. Ümit Kardaş () argues that Turkey is experiencing not merely democratic backsliding but a profound constitutional rupture that has transformed the nature of the regime itself.

📌 Reflecting on the judicial intervention into the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) congress, the imprisonment of opposition figures, and the growing use of courts as instruments of political control, Dr. Kardaş contends that:
🔹 “There is a constitution, but it is not being implemented.”
🔹 “Turkey has become a ‘might makes right regime.’”
🔹 “Opposition parties are allowed to oppose only within prescribed limits.”
🔹 “The regime has exhausted its capacity to produce legitimacy.”
🔹 “Authoritarianism in Turkey is drifting toward totalitarianism.”
🔹 “The future lies in reconstruction, not restoration.”

🗳️ The interview explores:
👉 Constitutional breakdown and judicialized politics
👉 The CHP crisis and political engineering
👉 Competitive authoritarianism vs. “civil absolutism”
👉 Democratic backsliding and legitimacy
👉 The Kurdish question and decentralization
👉 KHK victims, rule of law, and human rights
👉 The need for a new democratic social contract

📌 An essential conversation on constitutionalism, authoritarianism, democratic resilience, and the future of democracy in Turkey.

📕 Read the interview: https://www.populismstudies.org/dr-umit-kardas-turkey-has-returned-to-a-form-of-pre-1876-absolutism/

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Website

https://populismstudies.org/

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