The Making of European Society: Towards a Sociology of European Integration
We would like to cordially invite you to the IFiS PAN European Studies Unit seminar titled „The Making of European Society: Towards a Sociology of European Integration”.
Our next meeting will take place on the 19th of November 2024 at 2 p.m.
This time, dr Katarzyna Grzybowska-Walecka of the Oxford School of Global Studies at the University of Oxford will present her paper titled:
“The Rise of the Right and Political Realignment: Trends from Four Editions of Voting Advice Applications”
The seminar will take place in person at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology PAN, Nowy Świat 72, in room 154.
Please, see the abstract and the speaker’s bio note below (and attached)
Please, confirm your participation to joanna.fomina@ifispan.edu.pl
Abstract
This talk presents a preliminary analysis based on data from four editions of the Voting Advice Application (VAA), which systematically codes the political programmes of parties across the European Union. VAAs are a powerful tool, offering voters personalised guidance by matching their preferences with political party platforms. By leveraging this data, long-term trends in European political landscapes can be identified, particularly following recent elections marked by the significant rise of right-wing parties. The analysis focuses on 16 recurring questions across the four VAA editions (2009, 2014, 2019, 2024), allowing us to map shifts in mainstream political parties along the left-right spectrum. It also highlights the emergence of new political parties, mainly on the right, and their strategies for sustaining voter support. Additionally, the talk will explore differences in issue prioritisation between older and newer EU member states, offering insights into regional variations and their implications for European politics.
Bio note
Dr. Katarzyna Walecka‘s research lies at the intersection of political science and political sociology. Her work focuses on the international activities of European political parties, illiberal trends in Central Eastern Europe, and youth participation in right-wing movements. Her current major project investigates youth involvement in right-wing gatherings in Poland. Since the 2009 European Parliament elections, Dr. Walecka has contributed to the development of Voting Advice Applications (EU profiler, eu&I, euandi), tools designed to help European citizens make informed voting decisions. She is the editor of The Oxford Handbook of Polish Politics, set to be published by Oxford University Press. Dr. Walecka holds a PhD from the European University Institute in Florence and has held visiting positions at prestigious institutions, including the Robert Schuman Centre at EUI, the University of Nottingham, and Wadham College at the University of Oxford. She is currently affiliated with the Oxford School of Global Studies at the University of Oxford.
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