Over the last decades, politics has changed dramatically. After a brief 90s-early 2000s ‘honeymoon’ of democratisation and political integration, illiberal trends, populism, corruption, and economic crises swiftly challenged the quality of democracy in all jurisdictions. The acceleration in political dealignment was anticipated by specific processes, such as rapid and sui generis constitutional revisions, executive centralism, and the prevalence of non-elected institutions. Other factors are at play. The ‘digitalisation’ of politics via social media (e.g., TikTok campaigning) as well as unprecedented social and affective polarisation reshape political cleavages and challenge our knowledge of politics. Such major crises have often unfolded in sync with the emergence of unseen/overseen political (or politicised) actors that redefine the meaning and functioning of democratic politics.

So far, responses have been weak at the national and supranational levels. Soft forms of conditionality, including ‘financial nudging’ and emerging ‘militant democracy’ instruments could only have shallow effects, taming the compression of timeframes in the number, intensity, and speed of antagonistic rifts characterizing contemporary decision-making processes.

The conference invites young scholars to discuss the recent political and social tensions emerging in contemporary liberal democracies. In so doing, it seeks to revisit the theoretical and methodological assumptions currently used in the science of politics, and more broadly in social sciences.

Starting from their fieldwork/research background, we encourage PhD students to address

theoretically- or methodologically-driven questions, focusing on either case studies or comparative perspectives. Papers should respond but are not limited to the following questions:

• What are the main theoretical shortcomings in understanding contemporary challenges to liberal democracy?

• What are the main conceptual conflicts and revisions needed to understand the basic principles and value systems?

• What are the main methodological and empirical challenges to analysing current changes in politics/policy/polity?

The workshop will be held at the Faculty of Political Science (University of Bucharest). Selected papers will be included, should one wish to contribute, in an edited book published with University of Bucharest Press. They can also be published independently, in which hypothesis an acknowledgment is appreciated. Please submit your proposals by filling out the following form by June 15, 2025. https://forms.gle/CRuJapGGWZ9KP2yN9

Key deadlines: The notice of acceptance will be given by June 30, 2025. Drafted papers should be uploaded online by September 10th. There is no conference fee. A small number of grants are available for travel and accommodation.