Reinhard Heinisch

Reinhard Heinisch is a Professor of Austrian Politics in a Comparative European Perspective at the University of Salzburg, where he served as head of the Department of Political Science from 2009 to 2024. He is affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Salzburg, a comprehensive institution founded in 1622 and re-established in 1962 that now serves nearly 18,000 students across six faculties.

Heinisch's research focuses primarily on democracy, comparative populism studies, and political behavior, with particular expertise in right-wing populism, federalism, and the intersection of democracy and the Covid-19 pandemic. His scholarly work examines political Islam in Austria, Euroscepticism in Central and Eastern Europe, and the relationship between youth, social media, and democratic engagement. He has developed several significant research agendas including Comparative Rightwing Populism, Democracy, and Federalism studies.

His publications show a consistent focus on European political dynamics, with recent work examining the complex relationship between conspiracy thinking and populism during the pandemic. His scholarship spans both theoretical contributions to political science and practical analyses of contemporary political challenges in Austria and Europe.

Scientific Awards:

• Austrian National Science Prize from the Lupac Foundation of the Austrian Parliament

Heinisch has secured significant external funding for his research, including an EU Horizon 2020 grant on populism studies, a Marie Curie Fellowship on Euroscepticism, and an Austrian Science Fund (FWF) project on conspiracy thinking and populism. He serves as a political advisor to various government agencies including the U.S. Department of State and the Austrian Ministry of Defense, and frequently provides expert commentary for major international media outlets such as BBC, New York Times, Washington Post, Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, CNN, and Foreign Affairs.

He maintains an active international academic presence, having taught at the University of Pittsburgh from 1994 to 2009 and regularly teaching at Renmin University of China in Beijing since 2014.