Simon Bornschier

How do voters navigate fragmenting party landscapes with parties behaving in an ever more strategic matter? In this short CUP book‬, we suggest that group identities mediate the link between social structure and ideological party blocks. 1/8

It was a pleasure and an honour to participate in the roundtable „Resisting Illiberalism“ with such smart colleagues at #ECPR in wonderful Kraków. Thank you for organizing.

EPS Roundtable on 'Resisting Illiberalism' is in full swing!🐸🪧 Chaired by EPS Editor @ljramiro.bsky.social & an exceptional group of scholars @dafnoukos.bsky.social, C Rovira Kaltwasser, @lucatomini.bsky.social, A Driscoll, @luanarusso.bsky.social & @simonbornschier.bsky.social. #ecprgc2026

Attending #ecprgc26? Join us for a roundtable on Illiberalism with an exceptional group of scholars D Halikiopoulou @dafnoukos.bsky.social C Rovira Kaltwasser L Tomini @lucatomini.bsky.social A Driscoll L Russo @luanarusso.bsky.social S Bornschier @simonbornschier.bsky.social Thu 10/09 14:00

This spring, I had the honor of giving the 2026 @ecpr.bsky.social Stein Rokkan Lecture. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii5V... Based on joint work with @dpzollinger.bsky.social, @simonbornschier.bsky.social, I argued that the lens of cleavage politics is most useful to study democratic resilience.

Die Wählerwanderung aus RP wird gerade wieder verwendet um zu argumentieren, die SPD verliere stark an die AfD. Vielleicht nachvollziehbar. Großer Balken da denkt man große Verluste. Ist aber schlicht nicht so. Ich versuche die Schwierigkeit mit Wählerwanderungen mal zu erklären. 1/

Share widely with your students in Switzerland 🇨🇭thinking about a PhD @eui-eu.bsky.social 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗘𝗨𝗜 𝗣𝗵𝗗 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 🇨🇭 21 Nov 2025 | 2:30pm CET @alissasiara.bsky.social introduces the program & life at EUI, I share my experience, and we answer your questions. 👉 Register: www.eui.eu/events?id=58...

@dpzollinger.bsky.social and I are thrilled "Cleavage Politics in Western Democracies" is out as an SI at @wepsocial.bsky.social! Its papers explore the foundations of the cleavage pitting new left against radical right parties, and how it compares to the classic cleavages of Lipset & Rokkan: 🧵⬇️

Looking back to some excellent panels and fruitful discussions with colleagues and friends at #ecprgc25 in vibrant Thessaloniki!

📄 🚨 New Research on Polarization, Fragmentation, and Democracy in @democratization.bsky.social Nils-Christian Bormann and I explore the impact of ideological polarization and fragmentation on the democratic systems of interwar Europe: lnkd.in/erjJr9qF #polarization #democracy #data #history (1/4)

How do parties shape which issues are perceived as part of GAL-TAN? In my paper presented at the ECPR General Conference in Thessaloniki, I delve into this question, focusing on climate change and LGBTQ rights. Thank you @ecprpovb.bsky.social for a great section! 1/3

Join us for the presentation “Perceived Group Representation as an Indicator of Cleavage Formation”, co-authored with @siljahausermann.bsky.social and @dpzollinger.bsky.social in the fantastic POVB @ecprpovb.bsky.social panel “New Dimensions of Political Cleavages”, #ecprgc25, Wednesday 8.30-10.15!

Even in times of sociocultural conflict, a progressive left electorate is more averse to sociocultural *and* socioeconomic inequalities than (far) right voters. New paper with @siljahausermann.bsky.social Palmtag @tabouchadi.bsky.social @stefwalter.bsky.social Berkinshaw tinyurl.com/d42wyb79 1/n

Can government policies moderate political backlash to structural change? Yes, the effect operates through material benefits and social recognition. 🚨New WP by @retobuergisser.bsky.social, @siljahausermann.bsky.social, @thmskrr.bsky.social and @susanadptavares.bsky.social 🚨 shorturl.at/zFbZE

New publication in @wepsocial.bsky.social with @retobuergisser.bsky.social, @siljahausermann.bsky.social, and Michael Pinggera. We map the welfare preferences of voters at the poles of the second, GALTAN dimension of political conflict. 🧵

Not sure if the world is paying attention—Switzerland is small (though economically powerful). But while other Western leaders sharply criticized VP JD Vance’s speech at the #MSC / in Munich, the current Swiss president largely approved it, interpreting it as „a plea for direct democracy“ polisky

An excellent analysis by Steven Levitsky & Lucan Way on the prospects for democracy in the US under Trump II, with a lot of comparative insight. A sobering view, yet underlining that polarization may not only be a danger, but paradoxically also a safeguard for liberal democray.

🚨 Job Alert! 🚨 I’m looking for a postdoc to join my Emmy Noether project on the New Climate Divide! 🌍 🔍 It is a 3-year position with a likely extension for another 3 years & no teaching obligations 📄 Check out the job call: uni-heidelberg.de/md/politik/p... Thanks for sharing! 🤝

This is also an amazing tool for tracking the social identities parties (try to) tap into! Typical voters are not identified by political profiles but via brands, bands, lifestyles,... Ping @dpzollinger.bsky.social @simonbornschier.bsky.social @siljahausermann.bsky.social @magneflemmen.bsky.social

Recently, our book on the Transformation of the Left in Europe came out Open access tinyurl.com/ahuxx6d6 A few interviews that summarize key findings: 🔉 Polisci No problem et al. podcast: tinyurl.com/54tvx3md 🔉 Swiss SD party podcast: tinyurl.com/ds4maabc 📖 SamPol Magazine: tinyurl.com/y93nd6cm

Today, feeling close to cosmopolitans or feminists separates voters of the left from right voters who identify with people who are down to earth and hard working. Yet, these identities do have structural roots, just like class identities did. Our short CUP book on cleavage formation is out in OA.