"The Road Ahead: Charting the Course for the Future of Populism Studies"
OPUS Young Scholars Initiative on Populism is thrilled to announce its first Emerging Scholars Workshop, "The Road Ahead: Charting the Course for the Future of Populism Studies." The workshop will be held in a virtual setting to align with OPUS's inclusive and diversified nature and is scheduled to take place on September 19-20, 2023, with participants joining from various locations around the globe. It aims to bring together early-career researchers (PhDs and post-docs as well as advanced Masters students) who have extensive experience with populism as a subject. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and regions to apply.
Focus
Over the past two decades, the rise of populist movements in many parts of the world, particularly in Europe and the Americas, has attracted scholars from various disciplines. As scholars have delved deeper into the study of populism, they have developed new definitions of the concept, adopted various theoretical approaches emphasizing the role of culture and identity or economic and institutional factors, and expanded their focus to include more actors, parties, countries, and regions. A great deal has been said about populism's complex relationship to democracy, radicalism, nationalism, migration, globalization, and more.
Additionally, new areas of interest have emerged in the post-pandemic era, including the study of crises, disinformation, and conspiracy theories, and scholars even started debating the end of "populism" following the electoral defeats of populists, for instance, in the US, France, and Brazil. As such, the study of populism has become a diverse and multidisciplinary field with an immense body of literature, offering a wide range of avenues for research and exploration.
So where do populism studies go from here? As exciting as it is, this oversaturation has led to a complex and cacophonous landscape that can be difficult to navigate. This workshop will focus on the future of populism in light of these developments and how emerging scholars can navigate this complex landscape to develop new and innovative research approaches. In addition to the traditional panel sessions with presentations and discussions, the workshop will offer "Populism Masterclasses" in an interactive World-Café style. Participants will get the unique opportunity to engage with some of the most prominent scholars in the field, share their insights in a small-group setting, and have their questions answered.
By the end of the workshop, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the most current academic debates surrounding the phenomenon of populism, gain exposure to a range of novel research ideas about its future trajectories, be equipped with the tools and knowledge to contribute to this important and rapidly-evolving field of study, and network with not only with other emerging scholars but also established academics.
Submission
To apply for the workshop, interested individuals must submit a 250-word abstract that includes the research topic as well as the theoretical and methodological approach of their proposed paper. Additionally, a short bio of maximum 250 words is required along with author's affiliation, research interests and remarks on how this research aligns with that of OPUS.
Accepted applicants are required to submit an original research article with a maximum of 8000 words, including references, by September 1st at the latest. Co-authored articles are accepted, but the early-career researcher must give the presentation of the paper at the workshop. The application should be submitted using the following link or the QR code below by June 9th, 2023: https://bit.ly/opusworkshop2023.
Key Dates
- June 9th, 2023 - Deadline for Application
- June 30th, 2023 - Notification of Acceptance
- July 28th, 2023 - Deadline for Registrations
- September 1st, 2023 - Deadline for Full Paper Submission
- September 19th-20th - Workshop
If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at initiativeopus@gmail.com. We are here to provide any assistance you may need throughout the submission process.
You may find the poster for the workshop attached. We would greatly appreciate if you could help us publicize this even more by disseminating the call among your networks, colleagues, and student who might benefit from attending. We look forward to receiving your abstracts and welcoming you to this workshop!
Sincerely,
Didem, Ece, Eduardo, and Semir