Spatial Resentment and Its Political Consequences

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

The project asks why some places are perceived as neglected and how such perceptions shape political behavior. 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 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 may affect political preferences.

LocFemRep: Female political representation in local governments: stereotypes, institutional rules, policy outcomes

Research project funded by the Polish National Science Center (grant OPUS)

The project explores the representation gaps between local and national levels of government and between legislative and executive bodies, particularly focusing on the participation of women in politics. Despite a general belief that women have better access to local power, local politics can be more male-dominated than national or European politics. The research will involve in-depth surveys of voters and local elites to examine whether direct elections of mayors reduce women’s participation in local government, and to investigate if voters use stereotypes in candidate selection and how they perceive female politicians compared to their male counterparts. The project will also assess whether the gender of local politicians influences public policy, particularly in areas like social policy, infrastructure investments, and budget allocation.

Workshop in Quantitative Political Studies series

The Workshop in Quantitative Political Studies (Warsztat Ilościowych Badań Politycznych) is a series of informal meetings held several times a year since 2023. It provides a platform for quantitatively-oriented social researchers to present work in progress and receive feedback to help advance their projects toward publication. To date, ten workshops have been hosted across academic institutions in Warsaw, Kraków, and Łódź, bringing together a group of researchers from various institutions.

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.