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Session 27

Geography as a driver of political discontent

Organisers: Yannis Radin (University of Thessaly)

  • Friday, 27 November 2026 · 09:30–11:00, 11:30–13:00

    Room 3, Harokopio University of Athens (HUA)

About this session
The aim of this session is to explore the spatial roots of political discontent and how regional divergence manifests in economic, social and political outcomes. Despite efforts to grow decentralisation as a mechanism for increased democracy, accountability, and efficiency, the results have been mixed. Globally, regions are becoming more polarised, highlighting a divergence between dynamic superstar cities where innovation and economic activity are concentrated and regions which are described as "left-behind". Unequal geography not only shapes the labour market but also deeply influences political behaviours and economic dynamics within regions. Areas suffering from limited job prospects often experience population decline as residents, especially younger and more mobile individuals, migrate toward more prosperous locations. This selective mobility exacerbates regional disparities, creating a feedback loop in which many young residents leave. Divergent regional trajectories consequently influence infrastructure investment, as well as the provision, accessibility, and quality of public services. In this sense, uneven geography has become one of the central political challenges of our time, especially at the local level of governance. Local institutions operate within this uneven landscape at a time when trust in public institutions is increasingly fragmented and polarised. The "geography of discontent" is a key contributor to democratic volatility and the emergence of political resentment. When residents perceive that geographic disadvantages translate into neglect or exclusion, distrust deepens, and support for democratic norms may erode. Unequal territorial development can therefore act as a catalyst for political polarisation, as marginalised communities question institutional legitimacy and demand alternative political responses to their needs. This session welcomes contributions that explore local governance, territorial inequality, and the spatial foundations of political discontent. We invite both empirical and theoretical papers that investigate the mechanisms through which regional disparities shape institutional trust, democratic accountability, and the contemporary political dynamics.

Presentations are listed in the order set by the session organisers.

Presentations7

Slot 1 · Fri 27 Nov · 09:30–11:00

  1. 1.Left-Behind Places in an Age of Polycrisis: Political Discontent and Spatial Inequality

    Panagiotis Artelaris1, George Mavrommatis2

    • 1Harokopio University of Athens
    • 2Harokopio University
    Abstract
    The relationship between polycrisis and spatial inequality remains insufficiently explored, particularly with regard to its political implications. This paper addresses this gap by examining how intersecting crises reshape territorial disadvantage and contribute to the reproduction of ‘left-behindness’, with particular reference to the European Union. It argues that contemporary crises should not be understood as isolated shocks, but as interacting processes whose cumulative effects are spatially mediated and unevenly absorbed across territories. These dynamics carry significant political implications, as the compounded exposure to crises deepens territorially rooted grievances and contributes to the erosion of institutional trust. In this context, regions, cities, and neighborhoods characterized by structural disadvantage are especially vulnerable to these overlapping pressures. Building on the literature on left-behind places and the geography of discontent, the paper develops an analytical framework centered on a “double dialectic” of disadvantage formation. The first dialectic concerns the interaction among local dimensions of left-behindness, including economic fragility, demographic decline, weak infrastructure, and weakened local governance capacity, conditions that undermine institutional accountability and deepen perceptions of political abandonment. The second concerns the intersection of external crises operating across broader scales, such as economic, geopolitical, environmental, and migration-related shocks. The paper argues that political discontent is often rooted in the interaction between these two processes, as repeated crises intensify territorially concentrated grievances, perceptions of abandonment, and distrust in institutions. The argument is illustrated by the case of the North Aegean Region in Greece, a peripheral, structurally vulnerable territory where multiple crises have accumulated over time. By linking polycrisis to spatial inequality and political discontent, the paper contributes to current debates on left-behind places and offers a framework for rethinking territorial cohesion and place-sensitive policy in an era of heightened uncertainty.

  2. 2.The Italian Geography of Discontent: Beyond the North-South Divide?

    Yannis Radin

    • University of Thessaly
    Abstract
    Across Europe, economically stagnating regions have become increasingly associated with political discontent and the rise of far-right parties. This trend is particularly evident in Italy, a country with a historically fraught political history and characterised by pronounced spatial inequalities, most notably the persistent North–South divide. The September 2022 general election, which brought Giorgia Meloni and her far-right coalition to power, signaled a critical moment in the mainstreaming of these political forces. While regional disparities in Italy are well documented and manifested in differences in income, productivity, infrastructure, and access to services; recent research moves beyond this binary framework to focus on “dissatisfied regions”. This presentation argues that discontent is not confined to economically disadvantaged areas but is also present in more affluent regions, driven by disillusionment with the political system. Rather than being fuelled by hardship per se, such discontent reflects a sense of relative loss: the perception that neighbouring countries or regions are prospering while one’s own fortunes stagnate or decline. This dynamic suggests that political behaviours are steadily shaped by a sense of loss of voice, posing a significant challenge for policymakers seeking to address declining institutional trust and restore a sense of political inclusion.

  3. 3.Unequal distribution of natural resources as a cause of international conflict

    Georgia-Akrivi (Gina) Panagopoulou

    • University of Piraeus
    Abstract
    It is a fact that natural resources have always been among the conflict-triggers not only within a state but also between or among states. In several cases, international political discontent is the result of political dissatisfaction and unrest within the state. From water and crops to diamonds and rare earths unequal distribution of natural resources due to the geographic characteristics of a region can trigger conflict and/or even multiply and intensify existing ones. Using the lens of securitization, this paper examines two cases studies: a) how the unequal distribution of economically viable rare earth deposits has led to state-level political discontent – especially among great powers such as the US and China– which is further being exacerbated by the ‘race’ in the green technology sector, where rare earths are indispensable parts and b) how the unequal distribution of water has led to conflict over the Nile Basin among Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. Finally, the paper summarises the main findings and suggests fields of further research.

Slot 2 · Fri 27 Nov · 11:30–13:00

  1. 1.How does geographical space shape voting behavior in Greece? A spatial analysis approach

    Aikaterini Leventi, Athanasia Darra

    • National Technical University of Athens
    Abstract
    This paper investigates and aims to prove the relationship between geographic space and electoral behavior in Greece, within the theoretical framework of electoral geography. The study intends to identify and explain spatial patterns in voting behavior, highlighting the extent to which electoral preferences are affected by demographic and spatial factors. Drawing on electoral, demographic, and socioeconomic datasets, the analysis is based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial statistical techniques to map and examine the distribution of voting patterns across regions. Particular emphasis is placed on detecting spatial autocorrelation and identifying clusters of similar electoral behavior, as well as on assessing the influence of variables such as income, education, economic structure, and degree of urbanization. The research further explores the role of spatial interactions and historically embedded political identities in shaping persistent regional voting patterns. In doing so, it seeks to evaluate the explanatory and predictive capacity of geographic space in relation to electoral outcomes. Preliminary findings suggest that electoral behavior in Greece is not randomly distributed, but instead exhibits significant spatial structuring, reflecting underlying social and economic inequalities as well as enduring territorial identities. The study contributes to the broader discussion on the spatial dimensions of political behavior, highlighting the importance of integrating spatial analysis into electoral studies.

  2. 2.Regional Discontent and the Reconfiguration of the Greek Far-Right after Golden Dawn

    George Mavrommatis, Panagiotis Artelaris

    • Harokopio University
    Abstract
    This study examines the post-crisis reconfiguration of the Greek far-right through a regional lens, focusing on the rise of populist radical right parties following the collapse of Golden Dawn. While existing accounts of far-right support in Greece have been dominated by demand-side explanations, this paper develops a more integrated framework that brings together demand-side conditions, supply-side dynamics, and historical electoral legacies. More specifically, it argues that the resurgence of far-right support after 2019 cannot be understood solely in terms of socio-economic grievances but must also be linked to the fragmentation of the populist radical right party space and to territorially embedded legacies of earlier far-right voting. Empirically, the paper analyses spatial variation in the increase in populist radical-right electoral support across Greek regions between the 2019 and 2023 national elections. The analysis combines electoral geography with econometric modeling at the regional level, using indicators of socio-economic conditions, historical support for Golden Dawn, and the effective number of populist radical right parties as a proxy for supply-side structure. The findings suggest that the recent surge in populist radical-right support in Greece was not spatially uniform. Rather, it was shaped by the interaction of regional socio-economic disadvantage, inherited far-right legacies, and a more fragmented PRR supply structure that widened the range of available political options. The paper contributes to the growing literature on the geography of discontent by showing that the transformation of the Greek far right is deeply territorialized. More broadly, it argues that uneven regional development and place-specific political legacies are central to understanding how political discontent is translated into new forms of radical right mobilization. In doing so, it highlights how geographically uneven political outcomes can erode trust in mainstream institutions and reshape democratic competition.

  3. 3.Aid Fragmentation, Health Governance, and the Geography of Discontent: The Protracted Refugee Reception Crisis in the North Aegean Islands (2013–2020)

    Dimosthenis Papadatos-Anagnostopoulos

    • University of Crete
    Abstract
    This paper examines how the refugee health governance in the North Aegean Islands (re)produced socio-spatial inequities related to access to health services, as well as distrust in domestic institutions. Drawing on a mixed-methods retrospective health policy case study—including 58 semi-structured interviews with officials from the governments of the time, international organizations and NGOs, as well as a secondary analysis of funding data— the presentation analyzes aspects of refugee health governance and social tensions within a context of fiscal austerity, foreign aid fragmentation and securitization of migration. The findings indicate that the EU-led governance configuration prioritized emergency humanitarian interventions aimed at ensuring the survival of asylum seekers and their immobilization near their homelands, rather than pursuing their equitable social integration and universal access to health as a public good. This approach was supported by largely emergency-based, fragmented European aid, which was channelled mainly through international organizations and NGOs, creating thus a quasi-market of social services often competing with the depleted public health sector. The socio-spatial inequities and the related discontent were not merely due to administrative failures, but rather constituted a by-product of securitization policies that repeatedly sparked protests —some in solidarity to refugees, some by refugees themselves, and some racist. Unequal access to services, combined with the prolonged detention of asylum seekers in unsuitable and overcrowded facilities, reinforced perceptions of neglect and exclusion among both refugees and host populations, creating political tensions and legitimizing the camp-based confinement of refugees. Connecting health governance, socio-spatial inequalities, and political discontent, the paper seeks to contribute to discussions on local governance and the spatial foundations of contemporary democratic challenges.

Time slot to be confirmed

  1. Geospatial Analysis of Migration and Refugee Flows in Europe for the Formation of a Modern Geopolitical Landscape

    Konstantina Pervolaraki1, Marinos Kavouras2, Athanasia Darra2

    • 1National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), School of Rural and Surveying Engineering and Geoinformatics
    • 2National Technical University of Athens
    Abstract
    This study investigates the geographical dynamics of migration and refugee flows into Europe and their subsequent impact on the continent’s geopolitical architecture. By mapping specific transit routes and entry points, the research evaluates the demographic shifts and socio-spatial implications inherent in contemporary displacement patterns. The analysis further scrutinizes European Union integration policies and the efficacy of international migration management agreements. Utilizing a robust methodological framework, this paper employs advanced data visualization tools, including cartographic mapping and statistical charting, to interpret complex flow patterns. The findings provide critical insights into how migratory movements are actively redefining European geopolitical compositions and cross-border relations.