Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
I am Professor of Comparative Austrian Politics at the Department of Political Science and Sociology at the University of Salzburg, which I have chaired from 2009 to 2024. Previously, I had been a faculty member of the University of Pittsburgh (1994-2009) where I have remained an affiliate of the Center of European Studies. I received my PhD from Michigan State University in 1994 and my MA from Virginia Tech in 1987. Since 2014 I teach regularly at the School of International Studies at Renmin University in Beijing, China.
My main research interests are centered on comparative populism, Euroscepticism, political parties, the radical right and democracy. My research has appeared in journals such as The European Journal of Political Research, The Journal of Common Market Studies, Party Politics, West European Politics, and Democratization among many others. My book publications in English include Understanding Populist Organization: The West European Radical Right (Palgrave 2016), The People and the Nation: Populism and Ethno-Territorial Politics in Europe (Routledge 2019), Political Populism: Handbook of Concepts, Questions and Strategies of Research (Nomos 2021), and, most recently, Politicizing Islam in Austria: The Far-Right Impact in the Twenty-First Century (Rutgers‘ University Press 2024).
Several grants have supported my research, including a Marie Curie fellowship and an EU Horizon 2020 grant titled Populism and Civic Engagement (PaCE). More recently, I have become interested in exploring the relationship between populism and conspiracy theories. Thus, funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) has allowed me to launch a new project on conspiracy theories and conspiracy mentality. Using surveys and survey experiments in select European countries, we investigate people’s susceptibility to conspiracy narratives and try to assess the role of political factors in explaining conspiracy thinking.
My work has been recognized by different prizes such as in 2017 the Austrian Science Prize (“Wissenschaftspreis”) by the Lupac Foundation of the Austrian Parliament.
Education/Academic qualification
Political Science, PhD, The Status of Basic Human Rights in the World: Political Explanations of Cross-National Differences in Government Basic Human Rights Performance and Effort, Michigan State University
Award Date: 16 Dec 1994
External positions
faculty Affiliate University of Pittsburgh Center of European Studies, European Union Center of Excellence; University Pittsburgh
2001 → …
Fields of Science and Technology Classification 2012 (Level 2, 3-digit codes).
- 506 Political Science
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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JoPScip: Joint Political Science Program
Kok, F. (Principal Investigator), Wageneder, G. (Co-Investigator), Karabegovic, D. (Co-Investigator), Blauberger, M. (Co-Investigator), Wintersteiger, M. (Co-Investigator), Heinisch, R. K. (Principal Investigator) & Makaradze, S. (Principal Investigator)
1/02/24 → 30/09/26
Project: Mobility & Teaching
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Push*Back*Lash: Anti-gender Backlash & Democratic Pushback
Lefkofridi, Z. (Principal Investigator), Zwiener-Collins, N. (Co-Investigator), Heinisch, R. K. (Co-Investigator), Mügge, L. (Co-Investigator), Engeli, I. (Co-Investigator), Stöckel, F. (Co-Investigator), Katsanidou, A. (Co-Investigator), Kovacs, M. (Co-Investigator), Hubert, A. (Co-Investigator), Dhawan, N. (Co-Investigator), Serra, C. (Co-Investigator), Szarota, M. (Co-Investigator), McDonnell, A. (Co-Investigator), Koeck, J. (Co-Investigator) & Karabegovic, D. (Principal Investigator)
1/01/23 → 31/12/25
Project: Research
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PopCon: Populism and Conspiracy in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Linking Discourses and Attitudes in Four European Countries
Heinisch, R. K. (Principal Investigator), Mazzoleni, O. (Co-Investigator), Hofmann, D. L. (Co-Investigator) & Dolezal, M. (Co-Investigator)
1/11/22 → 31/10/26
Project: Research
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JDP-OÖ: Jugend Digitalisierung und Partizipation-Oberösterreich (Yough Digitalization and Participation -- Upper Austria
Heinisch, R. K. (Principal Investigator)
15/12/20 → 30/09/22
Project: Research
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MTLA: Making Tomorrow’s Leaders: Youth Movements of Right Wing Populist Parties/Austria
Heinisch, R. K. (Principal Investigator) & Wegscheider, C. (Co-Investigator)
1/03/20 → 1/07/20
Project: Research
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Cue-taking, populist attitudes, and support for holding a referendum: evidence from survey experiments
Fölsch, M., Dolezal, M., Heinisch, R. K., Wegscheider, C. & Werner, A., 31 Jan 2024, In: Contemporary Politics. 30, 4, p. 553-575 23 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Challenging Liberal Principles: Understanding of Democracy among Populist Radical Right Youth Leaders in Austria and Germany
Heinisch, R. K., Wegscheider, C., Backes, U., Kailitz, S. & Anter, L., 2024, In: German Politics.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Democracy Amid Pandemic: A Survey Experiment on How Covid‐19 Affectedness Influences Support for Anti‐Liberal Policies
Heinisch, R. K. & Werner, A. (Corresponding author), 2024, In: Politics and Governance. 12, p. 1-18 8469.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
DIE DA OBEN FÜHREN WAS IM SCHILDE: Verschwörungsdenken in Deutschland und Österreich im Vergleich
Heinisch, R. K. & Hofmann, D. L., 2024, In: INDES. Zeitschrift für Politik und Gesellschaft..Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Die strategische Antwort des rechten Mainstreams auf die rechtspopulistische Herausforderung. Das Beispiel der Österreichischen Volkspartei (ÖVP) – Policy Study
Heinisch, R. K., Dolezal, M. & Hofmann, D. L., 2024, FEPS - Foundation for European Progressive Studies. 35 p.Research output: Book/Report/Legal commentary › Research report › peer-review
Prizes
Activities
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Right-wing populism and demographic challenges, Rome, 12th-13th April 2024
Heinisch, R. K. (Speaker)
13 Dec 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation › science to science / art to art
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Background Briefing on Austria Elections
Heinisch, R. K. (Consultant)
22 Oct 2024Activity: Consultancy and Expert Opinion › Expert opinion
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Populismus und Verschwörungsideologien: Gefahren für die Offene Gesellschaft
Heinisch, R. K. (Speaker)
2 Jun 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation › science to public / art to public
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Presentation of Research Study: THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE MAINSTREAMRIGHT AND ITS IMPACT ON (SOCIAL) DEMOCRACY
Heinisch, R. K. (Contributor) & Hofmann, D. L. (Contributor)
22 Apr 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Contribution to an event
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The Challenges of Radical Populism in Austria and in Europe in General
Heinisch, R. K. (Speaker)
9 Apr 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation › science to public / art to public
Press/Media
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LSE Blog Post: The Far Right Won the Austrian Elections but May End Up in Opposition
15/10/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Austrians Vote for “Fortress Austria”: Putting the Populist Radical-Right Freedom Party’s Triumph into Perspective.
7/10/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Putting the Austrian National Elections of 2024 and Triumph of the Populist Radical Right into Perspective
1/10/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Austrian far right set to win national election, in postwar first.
29/09/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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