The IDEoPOP Doctoral Network held its highly successful Second Annual Conference at Sciences Po in Paris from 23–25 September 2026, bringing together doctoral researchers, supervisors, academic advisers, think-tank partners, and leading scholars for three days of intensive exchange on the international dimensions and effects of populism. The programme addressed key conceptual and empirical challenges in current populism research, including the study of populism across the Global South, its potential implications for politics and society, and the continuing challenge of theorizing and classifying populism. A dedicated PhD session, “Pitch Perfect: Emerging Research in the Project,” gave IDEoPOP doctoral candidates the opportunity to present their developing projects, receive feedback from across the network, and discuss new approaches, while a career development session on academic publishing offered practical insights into the publication process. A major highlight was the public event “How is the World Led when Populists Lead?”, held in Sciences Po’s Amphithéâtre Boutmy, where leading scholars discussed how populism is reshaping foreign policy, diplomacy, and international politics. The lively discussions, close interaction between junior and senior researchers, and strong involvement of IDEoPOP’s academic and non-academic partners made the Paris conference another important milestone in the development of the network. A video recording of the public event is available below.
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