Institutional Change? Navigating the Relationship Between Populism, Political Polarization and (In)Tolerance

The recent 2024 European Parliament Election cracked open what was already suspected: as more and more citizens express their disaffection with the democratic political institutions, their economic woes – the losers of globalization -, the more populist attitudes grow, with far-right parties and candidates capitalizing on this context. Deepening the crisis of representation, this time of political, institutional, and economic crisis, is tied with the rejection of mainstream politics and even of the democratic regime, with growing political polarization, far-right populist electoral success, and underlying increase of social and political intolerance. In particular, the growth of voting for the far-right and concomitant growth of antipathies towards migrants and other minorities serves as an indicator on how intolerant the European societies, previously some of the most open in the World, are now becoming, showing to be progressively more closed off, intolerant, and xenophobic.
We welcome papers that focus the interaction between the functioning of democratic political institutions, and these diverse current challenges that liberal democracy are now facing, namely the crisis of representation of mainstream politics, far-right populism, ideological and political polarization, and social and political intolerance. Papers should broadly aim at exploring and debating these interconnected themes. We seek contributions that delve into the complexities of governance structures, the rise of political polarization, the challenges to tolerance and inclusivity, the advent and impact of populist far-right parties and movements, and relating this emerging political scenario with the crisis of representation. By critically examining these themes, we aim to deepen our understanding of contemporary political landscapes and contribute to ongoing debates on democratic governance, political culture, and social inclusivity.