Dr. James F. Downes is a Senior Fellow and Head of the Populism Research Unit at CARR. James is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Comparative Politics, Head of Undergraduate Admissions and on the Programme Committee of the MPUP (Masters of Public Policy) Programme at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (SAR, China). He is also a Research Fellow at both CeRSP (Italy) and at the Global Europe Centre (Brussels School of International Studies/University of Kent).

James researches on the ‘rise’ of populist radical right parties in Western and Central-Eastern Europe alongside the key issue of immigration (right-wing party competition). His country areas of expertise include the UK, Germany, France and Italy, alongside Hungary.

He has published articles relating to Radical Right Party Competition in European Politics, in top political science journals such as JCMS: The Journal of Common Market Studies and Electoral Studies. His forthcoming book, "The Rise of the Radical Right in Italy" with co-authors Valerio Alfonso Bruno and Alessio Scopelliti will be published with ibidem/Columbia University Press in 2021. He also has a book (with Matthew Loveless) titled "Right-Wing Party Competition in Europe: The Electoral Strategies of the Far-Right during Crises” currently under review at The Global Studies of the Far Right Series, Manchester University Press (Intention to Publish).

James has also published pieces relating to Populism in outlets such as Routledge Contemporary China Series, Routledge Handbook on Non-Violent Extremism (Forthcoming), ibidem/Columbia University Press, openDemocracy alongside LSE EUROPP, JCMS Blog, Democratic Audit and E-International Relations (E-IR) amongst others. He has an article titled: “East v. West: Regional Heterogeneity in the Far-Right Alternative für Deutschland Party” (with Felix Wiebrecht) under review in the EU Studies Journal Acta Politica. He is also working on a project examining "The Electoral Decline of the Ideologically Ambiguous Five Star Movement (M5S)" in Italy (2018-2020) with his co-author Nicola Palma.

He conducts regular analysis for CNBC on Brexit and EU Politics. He has also conducted interviews for CNN, BBC and France 24 relating to European Populism and Global Politics.

Specialist research areas:

Radical Right & Centre Right Party Competition; Role of Immigration in 21^st century European politics; Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe; Global Populism.

Available for consultancy in the following areas:

Media Commentary (Populist Radical Right; Immigration; Brexit); Consultancy Work (Populism in Europe; Global Populism)