CfP: Populism, Nationalism and Right-Leaning Parties in Europe

As part of the 8th Euroacademia International Conference 

‘The European Union and the Politicization of Europe’ 

Ghent, Belgium, 25 – 26 October 2019

Deadline: 25th of September 2019

Panel Description: 

European Union emerged as an economic cooperation platform and aimed gradually and ambitiously at becoming much more than a common market. Pursuing the path of a community of values, the EU grew in proportions and deepened the political processes that define integration. Aiming to become an ‘ever closer union among the peoples and Member States’, EU seems to aliment simultaneously post-national ideals and national criticisms. Moments of enthusiasm were challenged by realism or sometimes regressed into skepticism. Europeanization became a process of norm diffusion even if coined often as an elitist project while the Europeanization of the masses seemed to have failed in many aspects. The estrangement of politics in Brussels from the median voter translated often in a perception of ‘occult’ European politics and constrains to national choices. The persistent nature of secondary level elections for the European Parliament left place for conserving the focus at the level of national politics on matters of popular saliency. Europe emerged simultaneously as an organization with a strong level of integration and fragmented by national perceptions. 

The crisis deepened a north/south division pointing to a lack of solidarity in times of hardness for its members. The Greek crisis emphasized a perceived axiological hierarchy in Europe and a preference for particular economic models of austerity. All over Europe the economic crisis brought about social anxiety and opportunities for populist anti-globalization parties to reach for an increase in the number of supporters and voters. Eurosceptic agendas found ways to advance in the populist environment. The refugee crisis and the growing perceived threat of terrorism led to a search for more security at the national level while creating a momentum of re-intersection between nationalist parties’ agendas with Eurosceptic discourses. Brexit added more tension to all that by pointing to the disenchantment of not fully democratic politics at the level of EU and advancing the renewal of popular claims from national governments to defend their self-determination. Populist-nationalism leaning towards the far right has significantly increased in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Croatia. They capitalize on anti-globalization and perceived threats of multiculturalism, immigration and perceived political corruption. Even if they all lack any substantive and credible economic policies and act as misleading, oversimplifying political actors with electoral ambitions, the proportions are nowadays emphatic and can produce significant change in political agendas.

This panel aims to address the diverse implications of the growing proportions of populism and right wing leaning nationalism in Europe. Papers discussing the ideological features of such developments as well as historical contributions, parties’ platform analysis, electoral politics or comparative analysis are equally considered.

Some of the topics to be considered non-exclusively for the panel include:

–          European Politics: From Real to Constructed Threats

–          European Identity versus National Identities: Recent Challenges

–          Brexit: Populism and Reclaims of Sovereignty

–          EU – Multinational, Supranational or Post-National?

–          Theoretic Perspectives on the Return of Nationalism(s)

–          Populism and Perceived Threats in Europe

–          Nations and Nationalism: The Return of National Identities into Focus

–          EU, Nationalism and Challenges to Post-National Ideals

–          European Nations – Unfinished Projects?

–          Electoral Behavior, Populism and Nationalism

–          Political Parties, Populism and Eight Wing Leaning Nationalism

–          Populism and the Crisis of Contemporary Politics

–          Refugee Crisis and its Impact on Right Wing Leaning Nationalism

–          East/West Nexuses and Nationalism in Europe

–          Populism and Anti-Globalization

–          Country Specific Studies of Populist and Right Wing Leaning Nationalist Parties

–          Populism and Nationalism in European Media

–          Trump’s Election and Impact on Populism in Europe

–          Recent Elections in Austria and Germany

–          The Crisis of European Solidarity

–          Populism, Nationalism and Euroscepticism

–          Euro-Enthusiasm and the Future of European Integration

For complete information before applying see full details of the conference at:

http://euroacademia.eu/conference/8eupe/  You can apply on-line by completing the Application Form on the conference website or by sending 300 words titled abstract together with the details of contact and affiliation until 25th of September 2019 at application@euroacademia.org