Recently, we brought international scholar Dr. Martin Nekola to Western New York to speak on the rise of populism in Europe and the War in Ukraine. During his presentation, Dr. Nekola described how these two things will drive Europe’s future: the rise of populism, mostly by right-wing groups, creating uncertainty and instability, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with its own humanitarian, environmental, economic, and political consequences.
He also offered insights into the events that led to where we are today, the impacts on European countries, and the potential future outcomes. The presentation included a detailed look into what populism is at its core, how and why authoritarian regimes come into power, and the importance of independent media and media literacy.
Dr. Nekola’s research focuses on non-democratic regimes, the era of Communism, Czech communities abroad, and the anti-communist exiles in the USA during the Cold War.
Martin Nekola, Ph.D., received his doctorate in political science at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. His research focuses on non-democratic regimes, the era of Communism, Czech communities abroad, and the anti-communist exiles in the USA during the Cold War. Occasionally, Dr. Nekola participates in the election observation missions organized by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). He is a member of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEES); he is the author of more than 300 articles and has published 24 books.
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