Narutowicz Institute Panel Discussions
FRIDAY · 7 AUGUST · 11:30 · PARK
Eva Illouz – The Emotional Life of Populism
Why do voters so often support political leaders whose policies directly undermine their own economic and social interests? One of the most compelling answers to this central question of contemporary political science is offered in The Emotional Life of Populism: How Fear, Disgust, Resentment and Love Undermine Democracy by the distinguished sociologist Eva Illouz. This groundbreaking book sheds new light on the global crisis of democracy, arguing that the success of authoritarian and populist movements cannot be explained by rational factors alone, but rather by the strategic mobilisation of collective emotions.
Rejecting conventional economic explanations, Illouz develops a sociology of affects, demonstrating that populism derives its strength from a distinctive matrix of four fundamental emotions: fear, disgust, resentment and an exclusionary form of love for one’s own nation. Using Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israel as her principal case study, she deconstructs the mechanisms through which right-wing leaders transform historical trauma and social anxiety into powerful instruments of political polarisation. Fear legitimises a permanent state of emergency, disgust serves to dehumanise opponents as “traitors”, resentment creates a political identity rooted in recurring grievances against liberal elites, while a narrowly defined national love binds the community together through the moral exclusion of others.
Moderator: Dominik Puchała
Guests: Adam Leszczyński, TBA
SATURDAY · 8 AUGUST · 11:00 · PARK
Przemysław Witkowski, Rafał Pankowski – “Im ostrzej tym lepiej. Do i od radykalizacji”
At a time of increasing social polarisation, online hate and the return of extremist ideologies to the mainstream, understanding the nature of radicalisation has become one of the defining challenges of our time. Published by the Narutowicz Institute, “Im ostrzej tym lepiej. Do i od radykalizacji” (“The Sharper, the Better. Into and Out of Radicalisation”) by Przemysław Witkowski and Rafał Pankowski offers a unique contribution to the Polish debate. Rather than relying solely on theoretical analysis, the authors give voice to those who experienced radicalisation first-hand. The book brings together interviews with former leaders and activists of nationalist and far-right organisations, many of which originally appeared in NIGDY WIĘCEJ magazine, creating a compelling account of ideological recruitment and political indoctrination.
The publication redefines how extremist subcultures are understood by focusing on the psychological process that unfolds within individuals—from the initial attraction of radical ideas to the difficult and courageous process of leaving extremist movements behind. Readers are given the rare opportunity to look inside nationalist organisations through the eyes of people who once formed their core but are now able to critically reassess their own biographies and former beliefs. Through these personal testimonies, the authors explore how young people become trapped in cycles of hatred and, crucially, how they can be helped to find a way out. Combining rigorous research with the narrative power of reportage, Witkowski and Pankowski not only diagnose the problem but also search for practical paths beyond ideological extremism.
Moderator: Oliwia Bosomtwe
Guests: Artur Sobiela, Przemysław Witkowski
SUNDAY · 9 AUGUST · 11:00 · PARK
Edited by Michael Butter, Peter Knight – Routledge Handbook of Conspiracy Theories
In an era of algorithms that polarise public debate and a global crisis of trust in institutions, conspiracy theories have moved beyond the margins of the internet to become a powerful force shaping contemporary politics and public opinion. The Narutowicz Institute has recently published the Polish edition of the Routledge Handbook of Conspiracy Theories, edited by internationally renowned scholars Michael Butter and Peter Knight. This monumental interdisciplinary volume brings together the work of more than forty leading researchers from around the world, offering the most comprehensive examination of conspiratorial thinking available, drawing on psychology, sociology, history and media studies.
Rather than dismissing conspiracy theories as irrational curiosities, the book redefines the phenomenon through an in-depth exploration of fundamental human needs: fear, the desire to regain control over a chaotic world, and the cognitive biases that affect even the most educated individuals. The editors guide readers through the evolution of conspiratorial thinking—from secret societies and historical myths, through Hollywood narratives, to contemporary political populism and the digital echo chambers of movements such as QAnon. Combining academic rigour with an accessible style, the publication offers an essential framework for understanding how conspiracy narratives emerge and why they have become so influential in today’s public sphere.
This comprehensive volume is intended for a broad readership seeking to better understand and resist manipulation in an age of information overload. It is an indispensable resource for journalists, commentators, media analysts and fact-checkers working on the front lines against disinformation, while also serving as a valuable reference for students, academics and readers of non-fiction interested in the psychological and political mechanisms shaping contemporary society.
Moderator:
Dominik Puchała
Guests:Przemysław Witkowski, Grzegorz Rzeczkowski
Przemysław Witkowski
Political scientist, historian of ideas and researcher specialising in political extremism. Deputy Director of the Gabriel Narutowicz Institute of Political Thought and Assistant Professor at Civitas University.
Adam Leszczyński
Polish historian, sociologist, journalist and public commentator. Associate Professor of Social Sciences at SWPS University and member of the editorial team of Krytyka Polityczna. Co-founder of OKO.press and Director of the Gabriel Narutowicz Institute of Political Thought.
Dominik Puchała
Social psychologist and cultural studies scholar. Member of the UNESCO Chair on Interdisciplinary Studies on Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Group Hatred. Researcher at the Narutowicz Institute and affiliated with the Center for Research on Prejudice at the University of Warsaw.
Grzegorz Rzeczkowski
Expert on disinformation and author of several books on the subject. For 24 years he worked as a journalist for Poland’s leading daily newspapers and opinion weeklies. He currently lectures at Civitas University in Warsaw, where he heads the Centre for Research on Disinformation and serves on the Consultative Council for International Disinformation Resilience at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Artur Sobiela is a historian and public history advocate. He served as the Head of the Museum of Modernity in Olsztyn (2017–2022) and is currently Head of the Cultural Projects Department at the Wojciech Kętrzyński Northern Institute in Olsztyn. He co-edited the collective monograph Faces of Anarchism and Libertarianism in Philosophy and Politics (2012, with Jakub Michalczenia), and co-authored the books National Census of Bands (2022, with Tomasz Sikora) and Bielski: A Book-Length Conversation (2025, with Piotr Marecki).
Oliwia Bosomtwe is a journalist, editor, and writer focusing on culture, society, and inclusivity. She graduated from the Interdisciplinary Individual Studies in the Humanities programme at the University of Warsaw, earning her degree in Art History. She served as Editor-in-Chief of Noizz.pl for three years and has contributed to publications including Znak, Vogue, and Res Publica Nowa. Her first book, Like a White Person: A Story About Poles and Others (2024), was published by Znak.
