Introduction Populism appears to be sweeping across the world. In a wide variety of countries, it is primarily right-wing populist parties that are winning elections. Once in power, they proceed—with greater or lesser success—to erode...

For the spanish version of this article, click here. In recent years, parties such as Vox in Spain and Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Germany have entered the national political arena, achieving a level of...

For the Spanish version of this article, click here. Populism has become one of the major challenges facing contemporary Western democracies, reshaping political competition, public discourse, and citizen engagement (Kriesi et al., 2008; Müller, 2014)...

Just like in numerous other Western countries, democracy in Germany is coming under increasing pressure. In 2026, legally mandated elections are scheduled in two western and three eastern federal states, and elections are looming in...

Right-wing populism has also become a dominant political factor in the Netherlands. The parliamentary elections of October 2025, however, were frequently portrayed in the international press as a defeat for this populism—a defeat that would...

For several years now, Social Science Works has been conducting in-depth interviews with refugees, asking them about their backgrounds, future plans, and problems. Their lives in temporary refugee shelters (Übergangswohnheime”), where they often stay for...

By international standards, Germany is a highly bureaucratized country. Even German-speaking natives regularly get lost in a forest of laws, regulations, and responsible administrative bodies. German civil servants are also known to be prone to...

Since 2016, Social Science Works has carried out dozens of integration projects with and for refugees for a wide range of clients. In addition, we have conducted extensive quantitative and qualitative research, particularly in Brandenburg...

At the end of 2024, there were approximately 3.5 million refugees living in Germany, including 1.2 million people from Ukraine. Around 20% of these people, or roughly 700,000 individuals, were housed in so-called Gemeinschaftsunterkünften (shared...

Talking Politics and Society Again: Reengaging with Fellow Citizens is the title of the new book of Hans Blokland. It will be published by Transcript Verlag in Bielefeld and will be available from March 27...

If one term can describe Algeria’s political system from its inception to today, it is populism. For social, cultural, and historical reasons, populism served as the ideological foundation for the national liberation movement and, later...

 The last elections (legislative and European) in France have highlighted more than ever the success of populist parties and strategies in French politics, on the left as well as on the right. The aim of...