Project description
A bottom-up analysis of populism
Central and Eastern Europe have witnessed an unprecedented surge in populism, illiberal nationalism, and the emergence of increasingly authoritarian forms of governance. However, it is important to recognise that the so-called populist regimes in these regions and the specific types of mnemonic populism they employ exhibit significant variations. The ERC-funded MEMPOP project aims to challenge the prevailing analyses in populism studies, which often characterise Central and Eastern European populism as a consequence of post-socialism. Instead, the project proposes a bottom-up approach that focuses on investigating the everyday mnemonic practices and populist sentiments of ordinary individuals residing in the transnational borderland periphery. MEMPOP seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the manifestations of populism in the region.
Objective
Political polarisation with rising support for populist movements is one of the most pressing global issues that we are facing worldwide. Yet, it is usually Central and Eastern Europe that are singled out for examples of unprecedented resurgences of populism, illiberal nationalism, and increasingly authoritarian forms of government. However, considering how divergent the so-called populist regimes of Central and Eastern Europe are, as well as the types of mnemonic populism they employ, ‘populism’ has become a label that is as empty as it is fashionable. To scrutinise the notion of Central and Eastern European populism and provide a novel perspective on this phenomenon, the project proposes a radical shift from the two units of analysis that are taken for granted in populism studies: the temporal unit that presumes Central and Eastern European populism is a post-socialist consequence; and the geographical unit that essentialises contemporary nation-states of Central and Eastern Europe. By adopting a bottom-up approach and investigating the everyday mnemonic practices and populist sentiments of ordinary people living in the transnational borderland periphery, namely, Burgenland, Galicia, Istria, and Silesia, this pioneering study moves away from the elite, top-down investigation of populism as well as the tendency to treat the state as the primary unit of analysis. Instead, it shifts the centre of focus to the post-imperial transnational borderlands where, in fact, both antagonistic memories and support for populist movements are arguably the strongest.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsHost institution
11000 Praha 1
Czechia