Research program

Work Package 1: Literature Review

Work Package 1 is being led by the Norbert Elias Centre (NEC) at the EUF.

The aim is to conduct a systematic review of the relevant and up-to-date, predominantly German-language academic literature on national-authoritarian populism in relation to its interconnections with policies of (non-)sustainability. Particular attention will be paid to the emergence of new social disparities and to the question of how, and whether, this interplay is embedded within new social disparities. In addition to a comparative analysis of different research perspectives and findings, key gaps in this relatively new field of study will be identified in order to determine further research needs.

Work Package 2: Secondary data analysis

Work Package 2 is being led by the Institute of Sociology at TU Dortmund University.

The aim is to use representative data to determine whether patterns of correlation can be identified between attitudes towards climate protection and the environment, on the one hand, and nationalist-populist orientations, on the other. Furthermore, the study will examine the relationship between social status characteristics and attitudes towards social inequality and the presumed connection. To this end, three secondary data sets (ESS and GESIS Panel) will be consulted and utilised to shed light on the research question.

Work Package 3: Preparing the results for policy-makers and the interested public

Work Package 3 is being carried out primarily by the NEC in collaboration with the Institute of Sociology at TU Dortmund University.

The project aims not only to enrich the academic discourse on the complex of phenomena described, but also to bring it to the attention of a wider public. To this end, the results of the pilot study will be compiled in a separate publication – with the aim of making the content accessible to a non-academic or general public. In addition, proposals are being discussed on how the link between national-authoritarian populism and policies of non-sustainability can be addressed socially and politically.

Based on the project findings, a three-part podcast has also been produced, which presents the findings to an interested specialist audience.