PLEDGE Horizon project

How do emotions shape political polarization? From climate change denial and immigration to taxation and public distrust, political grievances are increasingly driven by emotions such as fear, resentment and perceived injustice. 🧠In this interview, Professor Nicolas Demertzis from National & Kapodistrian University of Athens team explains how the PLEDGE project examines the emotional politics of grievance and democratic governance. ➡️ Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/daW5TuuR #PLEDGEProject #Democracy #GrievancePolitics

Who is shaping our perception of migration? 📲Modern propaganda doesn’t always look like propaganda. Sometimes, it looks like content.   Spain’s case showed something bigger than a migration policy debate. It showed how easily fear can be amplified online.   🧠PLEDGE research explores the emotional politics of grievance and democratic governance — examining how emotions like fear, injustice and resentment shape political perception, public debate and social cohesion. ➡️Watch the full video by UVEG-University of Valencia team. #PLEDGEProject #Democracy #GrievancePolitics #immigration 

📢Only 2 days left until the HEPP6 Conference! The Helsinki Conference on Emotions, Populism and Polarisation will take place on 18-20 May 2026 at the University of Helsinki and online, bringing together researchers, experts and professionals from across Europe. Organized in collaboration with the PLEDGE Project and co-funded by the European Commission, the conference will explore key discussions around emotions, populism and polarised politics, media and culture. More information: 🔗https://lnkd.in/dHnPvUh9 Stay tuned, we’ll see you soon in Helsinki & online!🇫🇮 #HEPP6Conference #PLEDGEProject #HorizonEurope #UniversityOfHelsinki

What does the recent elections in Hungary teach us about how blame narratives influence democratic processes in the digital era? 📢 New blog post #20 by CSS team, Centre for Social Sciences, ELTE, Budapest Developed in the context of the PLEDGE Project, the article explores how guilt assignment and emotional rhetoric shape political perception and engagement in the digital era. Read the full article: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dUVJeiGM ✍️Gabriella Szabo #PLEDGEproject #Democracy #HungaryElections

📰Press Release #2 is now live!  How do emotions shape political polarisation, identities and public discourse? The upcoming HEPP6 Conference will bring together new research and perspectives exploring the dynamic role of emotions in contemporary political and social processes. 📅19-22 May 2026  📍Helsinki, Finland  🔗https://lnkd.in/gUH35w6c Stay tuned for more updates! #PLEDGEProject #Democracy #Emotionsinpolitics 

As local election results come in across England, the work of PLEDGE feels more relevant than ever. 🧠PLEDGE explores the emotional conditions under which citizens come to feel that democracy no longer belongs to them — and the conditions under which that relationship can be rebuilt. Read our reflection on grievance politics at the local ballot box in England: 🔗https://lnkd.in/gMqy6qcE ✍️ Tereza Capelos, University of Southampton #PLEDGEProject #Democracy #GrievancePolitics #UK #elections

🤔How can a democratic system defend itself without undermining its own principles? 📢New blog post #18 by NKUA, Ethnikon kai Kapodistriakon Panepistimion Athinon, is now live! This article explores a pressing dilemma: when democratic systems face rising grievances and polarization, how can they respond effectively without compromising the very values they are built to protect? The discussion highlights how reforms that strengthen responsiveness to citizens’ legitimate concerns are central to sustaining trust and legitimacy in democratic governance. This is a core premise of the PLEDGE Project: sustaining a vibrant democratic public sphere is essential to public life. 🔗https://lnkd.in/dHbsMQDv #PLEDGEProject #Democracy #GrievancePolitics

💡Can solidarity last when a crisis becomes a long-term reality?   In this short video, Iris explains how public opinion is becoming more divided-and why support, in some contexts, is starting to feel conditional. What does this mean for the future of refugee policy?   🧠PLEDGE research in Latvia highlights why closer collaboration between policymakers and academics is now more important than ever.   #PLEDGEProject #Democracy #GrievancePolitics

📢Blog Post #17 is now live. The Swedish case shows how grievance can harden into an anti‑democratic force rather than a pro-democratic one. Grievance is not merely a reaction to material dispossession or cultural displacement; it is an affective form through which systemic violence becomes enjoyable. Read the latest insights from PLEDGE research. 🔗https://lnkd.in/d8ffsSTH #PLEDGEProject #Democracy #GrievancePolitics

📢 Blog Post #15, by VUB Team, is now live! What looks like individual hostility often reflects deeper dynamics of frustration, perceived injustice, and emotional displacement. This piece explores how these processes unfold, why women in politics become key targets, and what it means for democratic resilience. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d3ff6zHW #PLEDGEProject #Democracy #sexism #harassment