03/07/2026 09:00
- 19:30
HALL: Pola - AT13
Contact:
Papastathis K.
Chair:
Ozzano L.
This panel explores the intersection of religion, right-wing populism, and democratic backsliding or authoritarianism. While much research has focused on the rise of populist radical right (PRR) parties and their religious dimensions, less attention has been paid to how religion is mobilized to support illiberal governance and undermine democratic norms. The panel invites comparative and empirical papers that analyze how religion understood as belief, authority, or civilizational identityis are used as a political tool in populist projects.
Topics may include: the instrumentalization of religion in PRR discourse and governance; religious justifications for exclusionary or nationalist policies; alliances between religious institutions and populist regimes; the role of religion in gender politics, digital populism, and education; as well as resistance by religious or secular actors. Contributions should engage with concepts like civilizational populism, moral panic, and authoritarian populism, and assess the real-world policy outcomes in areas such as minority rights, immigration, and democratic resilience.
