Digital Populism

About

“Digital Populism” explores how contemporary populist actors use digital media, data infrastructures, and platforms to mobilize supporters, reshape public discourse, and challenge democratic institutions. The course addresses highly current debates that engage a wide international research community, covering cutting‑edge topics such as datafication, the datafied mindset, algorithmic mobilization, echo chambers, disinformation, and surveillance. Hungary serves as a particularly rich and instructive case for studying digital populism, democratic backsliding, and media system transformation in a comparative, international framework

Course leader

Dr Gábor Polyák works as a professor of media law and media policy, as well as the head of the Media and Communication Department at Eötvös Loránd University

Target group

At least level B2 (CEFR) English proficiency

Required reading:

Mahlouly, D. (2025). The Myth of the Vulnerable Audience: Exploring Counter-Intuitive Approaches to Post-Truth Populism in the New Mass Media. Journal of Dialogue Studies. https://www.dialoguestudies.org/article/the-myth-of-the-vulnerable-audience-exploring-counter-intuitive-approaches-to-post-truth-populism-in-the-new-mass-media/

Course aim

Combining theory with hands‑on analytical work, the course equips students with both conceptual tools and practical skills, using real‑life cases and examples from a range of countries and political contexts. The course will combine short lectures with interactive seminars, close reading of key texts, and guided discussions. Throughout the week, students will work in small groups on project-based tasks, developing and refining their own research designs on specific aspects of digital populism, supported by methodological guidance from one of the course instructors

Fee info

tuition fee, course materials, meals (coffee break), opening ceremony and the cost of the leisure time programs, weekend excursions