The EUPopLink COST Action (CA23102) invites applications from master’s students, doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scholars to attend a Training School dedicated to the study of the linkage between populism and Euroscepticism. These two phenomena can be seen as two sides of the same coin. Both typically denote feelings of resentment against remote and unresponsive elites, and a dislike of undemocratic and untransparent decision-making procedures. It is no surprise, therefore, that the two phenomena are theorised to co-occur, both among political parties on the political ‘supply side’, as well as voters on the ‘demand side’. At the same time, the various crises the EU has witnessed over the past decades (financial, migrant, climate, public-health, geopolitical, Brexit) ostensibly created fertile grounds for populist mobilisation. Participants will first be familiarized with the different conceptions of populism and Euroscepticism, before interrogating whether the symbiotic relationship between the two, often assumed in theory, is equally prevalent in practice. Building on recent studies, the Training School will demonstrate that populist and Eurosceptic actors are not necessarily “anti-European,” but rather frame “Europe” in ways that align with their ideological orientations and strategic objectives.
Building on this concise theoretical overview, the Training School will then focus primarily on methodological approaches and practical research training on a variety of research techniques used to study populism and Euroscepticism. In particular, it will focus on:
- Working with survey data
- Survey design and implementation of online surveys focusing on populism and Euroscepticism
- Survey experiments
- Examples of data harmonization using different waves of Eurobarometer surveys
These skills are crucial for advancing the empirical dimension of EUPopLink’s research agenda and in particular for the goals of the “Data” Working Group of this Action.
General Objectives
- To deepen conceptual clarity about Euroscepticism, populism, and their nexus.
- To strengthen methodological capacity and promote best practices in data collection.
- To enable participants to contribute to the empirical work of Working Group 2 (Data Collection) of EUPopLink.
- To foster cross-national and comparative perspectives, including longitudinal designs, for studying the dynamics of Euroscepticism and populism across contexts.
Duration and location:
The Training School will take place at Iscte Knowledge and Innovation (Iscte KI) & Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES-Iscte) in Lisbon, on March 19–20, 2026.The local host is Professor Ana Maria Belchior.
Who Should Apply
- Master level students, PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career researchers affiliated with universities or research institutions in the COST Member Countries participating in this Action.
- Applicants with demonstrated interest or ongoing research on populism, Euroscepticism, or related topics, especially those using empirical methods.
- Preference will be given to the members engaged with Working Groups 1 and 2, as well as those from Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs).
Structure and Content
Lectures, workshops, and methodological tutorials led by EUPopLink experts and invited external scholars.
- Tutorials on theory and concepts.
- Practical sessions on survey design, questionnaire translation, data collection, and data processing.
- Break-out sessions where participants present their own research design or data collection plans.
- Networking activities fostering collaboration across the members of the Action.
Financial Support:
Eligible participants may receive travel, accommodation, and subsistence support according to COST rules.
Reporting and claim for payment of the grant:
Upon the conclusion of the training school, within 30 days after the end of the activity, the grantees have to submit the claim for the reimbursement via the e-COST system.
Timeline:
Open of call: December 10, 2025
Deadline for application: January 9 16, 2026, 12:00 PM Brussels time.
Decision process and announcements of results: January 19, 2026
How to apply?
Interested candidates are invited to send an email to eupoplink@polsci.auth.gr with the following information and documents:
A) Name, institution, country
B) A motivation letter (max. 500 words)
C) A one-page CV
D) A short outline of their research or data collection project related to the topic of the training school
E) Their contribution (if any) to the tasks, deliverables and dissemination of EUPopLink
Proposals will be reviewed by the Action’s Core Group. Selected participants will receive confirmation on 19th of January 2026
For questions, please feel free to contact us: eupoplink@polsci.auth.gr
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