Spatial Resentment and Its Political Consequences

Research project funded by the Polish National Science Center (grant SONATA BIS 15)

The project examines the political consequences of spatial resentment in Poland and other European countries. It focuses on the “geography of discontent”—areas where residents feel economically, socially, or politically left behind, such as rural regions and small towns facing decline, limited public services, and weak political representation.

The project asks why some places are perceived as neglected and how such perceptions shape political behavior. It investigates how feelings of territorial disadvantage influence voting patterns, support for populist or radical parties, and attitudes toward public policies. It also explores how appeals to local identity and place-based pride affect political preferences.

Empirically, the project combines cross-national comparative analysis with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. It examines how urban–rural and center–periphery divides relate to electoral outcomes, how access to public services affects political decisions, and how electoral institutions shape territorial representation.

Methodologically, the project integrates large-scale survey research (over 8,000 respondents), in-depth interviews, and the analysis of detailed electoral and spatial data. It also uses survey experiments and develops new tools to measure spatial resentment.

Quantitative Political Research Workshop series

The Quantitative Political Research Workshop series consists of informal meetings held several times a year, during which quantitatively-oriented social researchers present work in progress and receive feedback to advance their projects toward publication. To date, nine workshops have been organized at academic institutions in Warsaw, Kraków, and Łódź, bringing together researchers from various Polish universities as well as invited international guests.

ISESS – Interdisciplinary Seminar in Empirical Social Science

The Seminar is hosted by the Centre for Excellence in Social Science (CESS) at the University of Warsaw and funded through the University’s Excellence Initiative – Research University (IDUB) programme. Since 2020, it has served as a forum for researchers across the social sciences, providing a space to present ongoing projects, discuss preliminary results, and receive feedback.