Courses

POPULIST-GAMEMODE offers two complementary master’s level courses that explore how leadership, citizens and populist narratives shape decision-making in the European Union. Together, they combine solid theoretical grounding with simulations, debates and gamified activities that prepare students for leadership roles in public institutions, civil society, media and EU-related careers.

This course examines how decisions are taken inside organizations – from public administrations and NGOs to private firms – when they operate in environments marked by uncertainty, media pressure and populist challenges. Students work with real-life cases inspired by EU policies and national politics, exploring why some leadership decisions gain legitimacy and others trigger backlash.

The course is designed as an intensive, practice-oriented experience, combining lectures with case discussions, leadership labs and decision-making games.

Key Topics

• Models of leadership and decision-making under uncertainty
• Organizational culture, ethics and responsibility
• The impact of populist rhetoric and media framing on organizational decisions
• Managing crises, conflict and reputational risk
• Evidence-based decision-making vs. symbolic gestures
• Communicating difficult decisions to internal and external audiences

What you will learn?

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Analyse complex decision-making situations and identify key stakeholders and constraints;
• Evaluate how populist narratives and media logic influence leaders’ choices;
• Design decision options that are both effective (problem-solving) and legitimate (acceptable to those affected);
• Reflect on their own leadership style and communication strategies;
• Work in teams to prepare briefings, scenarios and communication plans for realistic case studies.

Teaching methods

• Interactive lectures and guided discussions
• Case-based learning using examples from EU and national politics
• Decision-making simulations and leadership games
• Group projects and peer feedback
• Short written reflections and briefing notes

Who can enrol?

The course is open to master’s students in political science, European studies, public administration, communication, sociology, management and related fields. It is particularly useful for students who plan to work in public institutions, NGOs, consultancy, media or organizational leadership roles connected to European and national policymaking.

This course focuses on leadership in the European Union as a system of multi-level governance. It examines how national and European leaders shape decisions in Brussels, how they explain these choices at home, and how populist actors use “Europe” as a target or a resource in their campaigns.

Students analyse real EU negotiations, election campaigns and referendums, learning to map the relationship between state institutions, political parties and citizens.

Key Topics

• EU institutions and decision-making procedures
• Political leadership in the European Council, European Parliament and Commission
• National leaders and the “two-level game”: Brussels vs. domestic politics
• Populism, Euroscepticism and pro-European populist narratives
• Citizen participation, European public sphere and democratic accountability
• Communication strategies: how leaders frame “Europe” for their voters

What you will learn?

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Explain how key EU institutions work together to produce decisions
• Identify different leadership styles and strategies used by European and national leaders;
• Analyse populist and non-populist narratives about the EU in speeches, campaigns and media;
• Assess how citizens can influence EU decisions through elections, public debate and civic activism;
• Develop their own evidence-based arguments about the future of European integration.

Teaching Methods

• Lectures with visual case maps and negotiation timelines
• Text and discourse analysis of speeches, manifestos and media content
• In-class debates and role-play simulations (e.g. European Council, EP committees, election debates)
• Work with materials collected through the Populist Discourse Observatory
• Guest lectures from practitioners where possible (journalists, officials, NGO experts)

Who can enrol?

The course targets master’s students in European studies, international relations, political science and related fields, but it is also accessible to students from other programmes with a strong interest in EU politics and democracy. No advanced background in EU law is required – the course builds the necessary institutional knowledge step by step.