About

Tomáš Cirhan is a researcher at the Institute of Political Studies at Charles University in Prague. He acquired a PhD from Leiden University in the Netherlands. After graduating at Business Academy and Language school in Jihlava in the Czech Republic, he relocated to Scotland, where he received an HNC in Social Sciences at Banff and Buchan College (Fraserburgh, United Kingdom). He completed his university education at the University of Aberdeen (Aberdeen, United Kingdom), from which he graduated with commendation in September 2013 with an MSc in Globalization. He holds an BA (Hons) in Applied Social Sciences from Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen, United Kingdom). His research interests lie in the cross-national comparative analysis of anti-establishment political parties and their party organization. He received his PhD in Political Sciences from Leiden University (Leiden, Netherlands) in May 2021, focusing primarily on party politics in Central and Eastern Europe. His authored and co-authored articles were published in East European Politics and in Czech Journal of Political Science. He has contributed a chapter to a book titled East Central Europe at a Glance: People -Cultures – Developments, and co-authored a chapter in a volume titled Party Leaders in Eastern Europe. His most recent co-authored chapter about fragmentation of Czech party system is published by Oxford University Press. He recently published a book titled Party Organization and Electoral Success of New Anti-establishment Parties at Routledge. He currently participates in SYRI (National Institute for Research on the Socio-Economic Impact of Diseases and Systemic Risks), supported by the CZ National Recovery Plan EXCELES Programme, as a research fellow focusing on polarization and populism in Czech society. He also participates in Horizon AUTHLIB project (Neo-Authoritarianisms in Europe and the Liberal Democratic Response) funded by the European Commission.

Research Interests

Europe (Central and Eastern), Comparative Politics, Elites, Political Leadership, Political Parties, Populism, Catch-all, Party Members

Current/Upcoming Events

Standing Groups and Research Networks

Tomas has not yet joined any established ECPR Standing Groups or Research Networks.