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Between Script, Synthesis and Canon: Czech Textbooks on the History of Political Thought in Political Science Education
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 2
Abstract
This article analyses Czech textbooks and synthetic texts on the history of political thought in political science education. Using qualitative content and genre analysis, it distinguishes five models in the Czech textbook landscape: the chronological-canonical model, political science-didactic...
European Youth Perceptions of EU Strengths and Challenges: Implications for Optimism About the Union’s Future
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 2
Abstract
This study investigates the determinants of optimism about the future of the European Union (EU) among young adults by integrating perceptions of EU strengths and challenges with socio-demographic characteristics and cross-national variation. Drawing on data from the European Commission Flash...
Mainstream Labels, Radical Practice: A Theory of Disguised Parties
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 2
Abstract
Disguised parties are electorally competitive organisations that preserve a mainstream label while durably advancing radical-right projects through programmatic shifts, institutional engineering and ecosystemic capture. We theorise disguise as a strategic equilibrium that widens electoral appeal...
How Opposition Strategies Interact under Electoral Autocracy: Evidence from Hungary’s TISZA Party
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 2
Abstract
Theories on political opposition and democratic backsliding have identified factors associated with opposition success under authoritarian and semi-authoritarian regimes. Yet, they have paid limited attention to how these factors interact over time. This article applies insights from this literature...
Democratic Erosion in Central Europe: A Comparative Analysis of Autocratic Mechanisms in the Visegrád Group Countries
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 2
Abstract
Central Europe, long considered a model of successful post-communist democratic consolidation, has undergone a dramatic transformation in the early twenty-first century. This study analyses democratic backsliding in the Visegrád Group countries in the period 2023–2026, identifying four key...
Why Does Backsliding Depth Vary? Legal Populism, Abusive Constitutionalism, and the Differential Trajectories of Democratic Erosion in Hungary and Poland
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 2
Abstract
Why did democratic backsliding reach fundamentally different depths in Hungary and Poland, two states that shared comparable institutional legacies, European Union membership and right-wing populist governments? This article argues that existing comparative accounts – centred on executive aggrandisement...
Populist‑patriotism in Hungary: ‘A Conservative Island in this Liberal European Ocean’
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 1
Abstract
The growth of illiberal and authoritarian political parties and governments has given the notion of patriotism fresh political impetus. This article explores how Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, used patriotic discourse during Hungary’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union...
Story of the Czech Senate Elections: What Roles of the Upper Chamber Voters Expect and Which Candidates They Vote For
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 1
Abstract
Although upper chambers play a key role in democratic systems, little is known about how citizens actually perceive their functions. The Czech Senate offers an instructive case due to its ambiguous institutional position and relatively low public visibility. This paper examines how Czech voters...
Gender Quotas and Women’s Access to Viable List Positions: Evidence from the European Parliament Elections in Poland
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 1
Abstract
The article contributes to the scholarly work on factors influencing women’s parliamentary representation by exploring the relationship between gender, gender quotas and the assignment of electorally viable list positions. Drawing on the insights from the existing scholarly work and feminist...
Political Regimes and Institutional Design as Factors in War: World, Regional and National Contexts
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 1
Abstract
The article investigates the political and institutional factors that shape the initiation, participation and outcomes of interstate wars. It highlights the importance of political regimes and systems of government, or institutional design. While democratic peace theory has long argued that...
Why Should I Defend my Country? Psychological, Moral and Cultural Factors in the ‘Willingness to Fight’
Issue:
Volume 22, Issue 1
Abstract
The psychological willingness to fight for one’s country has become an increasingly important issue in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and the ongoing war near the eastern flank of Europe. This article presents three new analyses of the seventh wave of the recently...
Gradual EU Integration of the Western Balkans in Times of War in Europe: Security and the Politics of EU Enlargement in the 2020s
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 4
Abstract
This article contributes to debates on the politics of European Union (EU) enlargement to the Western Balkans (WB) in the 2020s. During the 2010s, the enlargement process stalled due to a lack of progress on the EU's fundamental requirements of 'rule of law' and 'democracy'. Since 2022, Russia's...
Public Attitudes and Societal Influences on Hungarian Foreign Policy
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 4
Abstract
This study examines Hungarian foreign policy attitudes and assesses the influence of public perceptions and societal interests on policymaking. Using theoretical frameworks, secondary sources and an opinion poll, it analyses Hungary’s foreign policy orientation since 2010, decision-making structures,...
Dimensions and Effects of Poland's Socio-Economic Support for Ukrainian Women in the Face of the War in Ukraine
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 4
Abstract
The article explores Poland’s socio-economic support for Ukrainian women during the war in Ukraine, emphasising how this assistance has enabled their integration into the workforce. The article explores Poland’s socio-economic support and presents the socio-economic dimension of Poland's support...
How Czech Politicians and Parties Securitise Refugees: Comparing the MENA and Ukrainian Crises
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 4
Abstract
This comparative analysis scrutinises the distinctive features of the 2015 MENA and 2022 Ukrainian refugee crises in the Czech Republic, revealing notable differences in threat perceptions and stakeholder engagement while answering who was finally portrayed as the victim and by whom. Hence,...
Converging Narratives on the European Green Deal: Polarised Homogeneity in Central European MEPs’ Facebook Discourse
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 4
Abstract
This study examines political narratives surrounding the European Green Deal (EGD) in seven Central European countries, revealing four separate dominant framings of the EGD, as well a pattern of strategic narrative convergence and interpretative polarization. Analysing 351 Facebook posts from...
Concepts and Dangers of Authoritarian Law and Politics
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 4
Abstract
The rise of authoritarian populism and hybrid regimes has become a pressing challenge to liberal democracy, raising urgent questions about the role of law in these political transformations. This paper examines how authoritarian regimes reshape legal systems by creating and deploying what will...
Democratic Innovations as a Tool to Restore Trust and Citizens’ Participation: A Comparison between Stakeholder Groups in Italy
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
Recent changes in European countries have stimulated the search for multilevel policy interventions to restore citizens’ trust and engagement, focusing specifically on democratic innovations. Our paper presents the results of a survey conducted in 2025 as part of the Horizon TRUEDEM project,...
The Effect of Collective Narcissism, Populism and Trust of Older Adults on Conspiracy Mentality: Evidence from Poland
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
The article examines the impact of collective narcissism, trust and populism on conspiracy mentality among citizens aged 65 and older in Poland. Understanding their behaviours and attitudes is crucial for at least two reasons. First, demographic shifts are leading to a growing proportion of...
Personality Traits, Trust in Institutions and Interpersonal Relationships Insights from Slovakia
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper examines the association between personality traits and trust. In this paper, trust is divided into two types: interpersonal and institutional. Both are fundamental for cohesion, reduction of social fragmentation, effective governance and institutional legitimacy....
The Political and Economic Context Contributing to the Problem of Political (Dis)Trust in Slovenia
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
The article analyses the political and economic context of the growing distrust in politics in Slovenia over the last 15 years. Focus is given to the changes in the power relations, policy changes and roles of different national and international institutions. It is established that the fundamental...
Democratic Innovations in Central and Eastern Europe – The Perspective of Policymakers and Civil Society Organisations
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
Political representation and democracy in several European countries have faced considerable challenges in recent decades. Especially worrying are the decline in electoral turnout and party membership, along with the decline in political trust and growing dissatisfaction with the functioning...
Artificial Intelligence and Political Trust
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
This article is based on understanding political trust as a relational concept. In the frame of liberal democratic thought, the article refers to the relationship between citizens and political institutions, and the role played by political trust as the crucial glue that holds it together,...
Engagement or Expression? A Comparative Study of Facebook Politics in Twelve European Countries
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
This article examines how citizens engage with political actors on Facebook across twelve European countries, focusing on the nature and intensity of user interaction. Drawing on a dataset of over 70,000 Facebook comments on posts by national-level political leaders, we conduct a comparative...
Editorial: Political Trust, the Challenges Faced by Democracies, and Democratic Innovations
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
This special issue focuses on trust in political institutions, the challenges faced by democracies, and democratic innovations. Modern representative democracies encounter multiple challenges and criticisms associated with the quality of democracy and representation. Even though public opinion...
The Integration of the Eastern Partnership Countries’ Digital Markets into the EU Digital Single Market
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The aim of the article is to analyse the motives for integrating the digital markets of the Eastern Partnership countries into the EU Digital Single Market, as well as the challenges and opportunities that this integration creates. The EU Roadmap ‘Digital Compass 2030’, i.e. the Union’s strategic...
EU Energy Transformation and Diversification: Energy Security in the Context of Geopolitical Changes
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The presented topic deals with the transformation and diversification of the EU energy sector. Energy security is examined in the context of geopolitical changes and viewed through the lens of the interdependence between the EU and Russia in the import and export of fossil fuels. The...
Building Resilience Against Populism: The Crucial Role of Education in Promoting Human Dignity
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
In an era marked by the rise of populist movements, this article examines the role of education in reducing the effects of this phenomenon, particularly their often-detrimental impact on the concept of human dignity. The study investigates the ways incorporating 'education on human dignity'...
The Advantage of Incumbency among Czech Mayors: Analysis of Election Results in the 128 Largest Cities in the Czech Republic
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The incumbency effect, where incumbents have a higher likelihood of electoral success, is a well‑documented phenomenon globally but remains under‑researched in the Czech Republic. This article investigates whether and to what extent the incumbency effect is present among Czech mayors. Using...
Possibilities of Implementing an E‑Voting System in Ukraine
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
There are constant risks and threats to fair elections against the background of the current crisis of democratic civic engagement and the global pursuit of convenience in the digital age. The political and institutional context in Ukraine, including wartime displacement, occupation of territories...