GLOBID examines how social identities emerge and shape political behaviour in the context of globalization. The project focuses on the new “transnational cleavage” and asks which identities become politically relevant within it and how they influence voting.

A particular focus lies on the role of political elites and their “identity leadership.” Drawing on surveys and embedded experiments in four Western European countries, the project investigates how elite rhetoric influences identity formation, identity activation, and electoral choice.

The project is organized into four closely connected work packages. Together, they examine how globalization-related identities are articulated by political elites, recognized and internalized by citizens, and activated in electoral politics across Western Europe.

Steiner, N. D. & Mader, M. (2026): Globalisierung in der Vergleichenden Politikwissenschaft. In: Kneuer, M., Pickel, G., Pickel, S. (eds) Handbuch Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-02993-7_63-2

Mader, M. & Steiner, N. D.: The Loser-Identity Spiral: Self-Categorization as Globalization Loser and Radical Right Support.

This project builds on the previous joint work by the PIs on the transnational cleavage. Selected related publications include:

Steiner, N. D., Mader, M., & Schoen, H. (2024): Subjective losers of globalization. European Journal of Political Research, 63(1), 326-347. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6765.12603

Mader, M., Steiner, N. D., & Schoen, H. (2020): The globalisation divide in the public mind: Belief systems on globalisation and their electoral consequences. Journal of European Public Policy, 27(10), 1526-1545. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2019.1674906

Michelle Birrenbach