Seminar series

The globalisation backlash in rural areas

Price shocks, far right support, and the limits of agricultural subsidies

Add to calendar 2026-04-09 17:00 2026-04-09 18:30 Europe/Rome The globalisation backlash in rural areas Sala del Capitolo Badia Fiesolana YYYY-MM-DD

Scheduled dates

Apr 09 2026

17:00 - 18:30 CEST

Sala del Capitolo, Badia Fiesolana

Organised by

Department of Political and Social Sciences

This session of the Comparative Politics Seminar Series features a presentation of a paper by Diane Bolet, an Assistant Professor at Sciences Po. The paper is co-authored with G. Malet.

In recent years, the world has witnessed a growing backlash against globalisation, yet the policy responses to this shift remain poorly understood. This paper examines how economic volatility shapes political behavior in rural farming areas and whether redistributive policies can moderate its effects. We argue that sharp declines in the prices of locally produced agricultural goods increase support for radical right parties among rural residents, reflecting a shift toward protectionist preferences. We test this argument in France (2008–2022) using a shift-share instrument that leverages global commodity price trends and local production patterns to identify the causal effect of agricultural price shocks on electoral outcomes. We then assess the moderating role of farmers' subsidies under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). We find that while CAP funding helps cushion economic insecurity, it does not fully offset the political consequences of price declines. An original survey of 1,542 farmers shows that place-based grievances and perceived status loss are strongly correlated with concerns about price declines, underscoring the limits of redistribution alone. The study contributes to debates on the political fallout of globalisation by demonstrating that effective responses must address both the economic and cultural dimensions of rural discontent. Register