We are excited to announce our 2026 EASP Preconference on Collective Action in Complex Times: What Still Works, What Doesn’t, and Where to Next.

Until recently, society has been making steady progress towards a more peaceful and equal world. However, we now find ourselves in a post-pandemic world marked by ongoing conflicts, economic instability, widespread misinformation, climate change, and the rise of the far-right. Collective action, however, remains a powerful tool to address these challenges. This is evidenced by a recent uptake in collective action across Europe (e.g., anti-authoritarian protests in Serbia) and the world (e.g., anti-Trump protests in the US).

But do our collective action models, theories, and empirical findings still apply in these complex times? Which ones do and which ones don’t? And if they don’t apply, where to next? This preconference seeks to answer these questions to better understand collective action in complex times.

The preconference will include 1) blitz sessions for attendees to present their work, obtain feedback, and begin building connections across topics and research approaches, 2) roundtable discussions, and 3) a collaboration workshop with participants to spur future research aimed at understanding collective action in complex times. We hope to collate the work presented and/or developed at this preconference in a special issue or edited volume. We will conclude the preconference with an organised dinner.

Please see here for more information:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AII8YLMZj-rCnyrh47qG-l2_6pxFFOLv/edit