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Summer School of the Standing Group on Extremism and Democracy

Concepts and Methods for Research on Far-Right Politics

1 – 5 July 2024, C-REX, University of Oslo, Norway

 @ecpr_ed

Would you like to learn how to study and interpret the manifestations of far-right politics across time, arenas, and contexts? Applications now closed.

Our Standing Group on Extremism and Democracy is thrilled to present the 4th edition of its Summer School focusing on the study of the far–right in its radical, populist, and extremist manifestations. The programme is crafted to deepen your understanding of the theoretical, empirical, and methodological frameworks that underpin contemporary far-right politics.

About

Despite the growing attention received by far-right political parties, social movements, and groups, we still lack a comprehensive conceptual and methodological toolkit to investigate its diverse expressions in the multi-organisational field.

Organised by our Standing Group on Extremism and Democracy and supported by the Center for Research on Extremism, this Summer School is expertly curated for PhD students. The event will focus on the application of established research techniques to the study of far-right politics.

During the five-day programme, you will be introduced to the concepts and theories explaining the conditions affecting far-right mobilisation and performance, and methods to tackle this phenomenon empirically. You will also cover the retrieval and effective management of diverse data sources.

What to expect

  • Five teaching days (a total of 25 hours of didactic activities)
  • Two keynote speeches
  • Eight classes on the main theories and methods for the study of far-right politics
  • Daily sessions for student presentations
  • A day trip to the Hegnhuset learning centre in Utøya

What you will learn

  • Grasp the conceptual and theoretical foundations of far-right politics;
  • Draw on comparative empirical expertise on far-right mobilisation, electoral performance, and violence;
  • Understand the rationale and practices of a number of methods employed to study far-right politics, at the micro, meso, and macro levels;
  • Learn to confidently rely on mixed-method approaches and methodological pluralist practices in your own research project;
  • Present your research and receive feedback from leading scholars in the field;
  • Network with junior and senior scholars.

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Questions? Contact our Events Team

Research methods

The Summer School will compare and combine diverse theories, critically assessing the merits of extant theoretical and empirical studies, and posing new research questions and deducing testable hypotheses.

It will also give special attention to the following research strategies and methods:

  • Introduction to quantitative data sources for the study of far-right attitudes and violence;
  • Elite interviews and life histories to address far-right activists’ perceptions and interpretations;
  • Ethnographic approaches to investigate far-right activism;
  • Protest event analysis to measure far-right mobilisation across time and space;
  • Field experimental designs for the study of political attitudes;
  • Social network analysis for the study of far-right connective structures online and offline.

Who can apply

The Summer School is open to all students enrolled in a PhD programme.

To apply, you must submit the following no later than 25 January 2024:

  • Your CV
  • Cover letter explaining how your research fits the scope of the Summer School (max 500 words)
  • Abstract of a proposed scientific paper to be presented during the Summer School (max 300 words)

Partial or incomplete applications will not be processed. Late applications will not be accepted.

You will be informed about the outcome of your application by email in February 2024.

Expectations of the participants

You will be asked to write and submit a 6,000 to 8,000-word paper no later than 1 June 2024. The paper will be presented during the Summer School, providing a unique platform for discussion and feedback from senior scholars.

You will also be required to complete mandatory readings for morning lectures and to actively engage in discussion during morning and afternoon sessions.

The Summer School will be delivered in English; you will therefore be expected to have a good command of written and spoken English.

Registration fee

A registration fee of €250 applies and includes light lunches, dinner vouchers, and one social dinner, as well as academic material, facilities, and the return trip to Utøya. Travel and accommodation costs are not included. Registration link will be sent to successful applicants directly.

Please note that your registration is not confirmed until your application has been accepted and your payment received in full.

Funding

To encourage students from different backgrounds and universities to participate, a fee waiver will be granted to two successful applicants.

To apply, please submit within your application to the Summer School a letter from your institution to confirm you are not in receipt of any other funding for the event.

Keynote speakers

Instructors

Directors

Testimonials

See below what previous participants of the Summer School of the Standing Group on Extremism and Democracy thought of their experience.

'An important reminder of the benefits gained from working together'

In an academic world that can sometimes resemble a lion’s den, this Summer School served as an important reminder of the benefits gained from working together ... and provided opportunities for young scholars, to exchange ideas, have fruitful discussions, foster collaborations and improve their own work.

2018 Summer School participant

'The highlight of my PhD education'

This course was the highlight of my PhD education. Both in theoretical and methodological terms, it gave me a detailed overview of the field, with targeted and well-chosen readings. The teachers were enthusiastic about their own field, and that was contagious. If you’re doing anything remotely related to the researching extremism or the far right, I cannot recommend this course enough!

2021 Summer School participant

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