Seongcheol Kim

Dr. Seongcheol Kim is a Postdoctoral Researcher and Project Head at University College Freiburg, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, a position he has held since June 2025. He previously served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Bremen (2022–2025) and the University of Kassel (2020–2022), and was an affiliated researcher at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. From October 2024 to March 2025, he served as Interim Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Bremen. He earned his doctorate in Political Science from Humboldt University of Berlin in 2020 and completed his habilitation at the University of Bremen in 2023, where he was appointed Privatdozent.

• AB in German & Politics, Princeton University (2014)
• MA in Political Science, Free University of Berlin (2016)
• Dr. phil. in Political Science, Humboldt University of Berlin (2020)
• Habilitation in Political Science, University of Bremen (2023)

Dr. Kim’s research centers on political theory, particularly populism, radical democracy, discourse analysis, and political organization in Europe. His work critically examines the ideological and organizational dynamics of both left and right-wing movements, with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. He investigates how social movements transform into political parties, the nature of anti-populism across the political spectrum, and the interplay between authoritarian institutionalism and populist discourse. His theoretical framework is deeply rooted in post-foundational and discourse-theoretical approaches, drawing from thinkers like Laclau and Mouffe.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward analyzing populism in comparative and transnational contexts, especially in relation to war, far-right mobilization, and democratic backsliding. He frequently publishes in top political science journals such as Government and Opposition, Constellations, and Political Studies Review, and has authored influential monographs on movement parties and populism in the Visegrád countries. His editorial work includes special issues on populism and radicalism, reflecting his leadership in shaping scholarly discourse.

His scientific contributions include:

• Monograph: Movement Parties and People's Parties of a New Type (2024)
• Monograph: Discourse, Hegemony, and Populism in the Visegrád Four (2022)
• Edited volume: Populism, Protest, and New Forms of Political Organisation (2022)
• Special Issue: An Anti-Populist Moment? (forthcoming, 2025)

Dr. Kim has held research fellowships and postdoctoral positions supported by prestigious institutions, including the Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences and the WZB. He has led and contributed to collaborative research projects, including a DFG-funded project at UCF Freiburg. While there is no public list of advisees, his role as a project head and interim professor suggests mentoring and supervision responsibilities. He is actively involved in academic networks focused on radical democracy, populism, and East European studies.

He is affiliated with research centers including the Research Centre for East European Studies (University of Bremen) and the Center for Civil Society Research (WZB). His work often engages with policy-relevant topics, such as far-right movements in the workplace and civil society responses to illiberal governance, published in analytical digests and science communication outlets.