Populism's Rise in Eastern and Central Europe: Causes and Implications

Political science in the 21st century has increasingly focused on the study of populism, a phenomenon manifesting across diverse global contexts often alongside authoritarian and illiberal tendencies. This Research Topic delves into such manifestations, especially in Eastern and Central Europe, where populism intersects with unique historical and geopolitical factors. These factors merit a detailed investigation to comprehend how they shape regional political landscapes. The urgency to theorize and contextualize populism has made it a pivotal research theme, considering it as an ideology, discourse, or political style across comparative or nationally focused studies.

This Research Topic aims to deepen understanding of populism in Eastern and Central Europe by examining its specific and varied manifestations within this region. It seeks to explore how the legacies of past political regimes, the nuances of democratic transitions, and proximity to geopolitical powers like Russia influence current populist trends. This comprehensive analysis will enhance the general understanding of populism and contribute to broader political science discourse.

To gather further insights in the specific geopolitical and historical landscape of Eastern and Central Europe, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Theoretical perspectives on populism in the context of Eastern and Central Europe
• In-depth research on national case studies from the region
• Analysis of populism's relationship with Euroscepticism within the region
• The influence of geopolitical proximity to Russia on the rise of populism
• Comparative studies between national cases in Eastern and Central Europe.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Populism, Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Geopolitics, Comparative Governance, Euroscepticism

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.