Seminar in English “How to Understand, Explain, and Overcome Pernicious Polarization”

On Tuesday, April 21, from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m., in Room 317 of the University of Warsaw Auditorium Building, a seminar in English “How to Understand, Explain, and Overcome Pernicious Polarization” will be held. It will be led by the distinguished Turkish political scientist Professor Murat Somer from Özyeğin University in Istanbul, who is a recognized researcher on the topics of democratization and de-democratization, political polarization, opposition behavior, the relationship between religion and politics, as well as ethnic issues and the Kurdish question; author of numerous works published in renowned journals and publications, co-editor (with Jennifer McCoy) of a special issue of the ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science – Polarising Polities: A Global Threat to Democracy, No. 1/2019 (more about the guest speaker: https://www.ozyegin.edu.tr/en/faculty/muratsomer).

The seminar will address a process of great importance to political science and public administration that accompanies the erosion of democracy, namely political polarization—present in many countries, including Poland (alongside social polarization)—and exploited in political struggles, primarily by ruling parties, to maintain and consolidate power. The event is organized by the Department of Political Systems and the Polish Political Science Association (Warsaw branch).

The seminar will be held in a hybrid format, and all registered participants will receive a link to participate online on the day before the seminar.

Registration link (responses accepted until April 19, 2026): https://forms.gle/hGvnv3vmd2FxtiRm9