Convened by SPS Professor Filip Kostelka and with the participation of more than 40 scholars from across Europe, the United States, and China, the workshop provided a unique platform for early-career and senior researchers to exchange ideas on political participation, democratic attitudes, protest movements, migration, party systems, and authoritarian legacies. The programme featured 16 thematic panels, with ample time dedicated to discussion and feedback in a constructive, collegial environment.
The event also featured the awarding of the the Jacques Rupnik Prize 2025 to Matej Jungwirth (Northwestern University) for his paper 'Thinking About Going Back Home in War: Survey Experiment Among Ukrainian Refugees in the Czech Republic'. The jury was composed of Professor Natalia Letki (University of Warsaw) and EUI Professor Hanspeter Kriesi, and presided by Professor Kostelka.
A particular highlight of the workshop was the keynote lecture by SPS Part-time Professor, Hanspeter Kriesi, who delivered a powerful reflection on the evolution of populism in contemporary Europe.
Reflecting on the event, Professor Kostelka noted: “The workshop brought together a truly pan-European and global group of scholars. Half of the participants were from Eastern European countries, while the other half came from Western Europe, the US, and even China. The attendees came from diverse backgrounds, but were united by a shared commitment to understanding the political developments of the CEE region. The diversity of perspectives and levels of seniority created a stimulating environment for meaningful and inspiring academic exchange”.
Participants also included SPS researcher Ieva Hofmane, SPS Professor Simon Hix, and Postdoctoral Fellows Michal Gulczynski, Daniel Kovarek, and Alexander Mesarovich, who assumed the role of discussants and panel chairs.
The two-day workshop concluded with an informal reception in the Badia Fiesolana, offering participants the opportunity to network and reflect on future collaborations.
This event was organised in the framework and funded by the EUI Widening Europe Programme. Backed by contributions from the European Union and EUI Contracting States, the workshop’s programme was designed to strengthen internationalisation, competitiveness, and quality in research in targeted Widening countries, and thus foster more cohesive European Higher Education and Research Areas.