Research Programme 2026/2027: Theme Announcement and Supervisor’s Open Call
Dear Psychology Students and Academic Workers,
We are pleased to inform you that the theme for the Research Programme 2026/27 is going to be Psychology of Solidarity in Constant Change!
About the Theme
The 21st century is characterized by constant change simultaneously in multiple areas of interest. The political climate worldwide is ever so unstable with tensions rising and social movements evolving, while technological advancements are creating both new opportunities and new potential threats. Amidst all these changes, the environment is taking a strong hit as concerns are rising regarding the state of the planet with the evidence of climate change becoming clear. Polarization is drifting people apart, as they struggle to find a common ground on all the rising social, ethical, and environmental issues.
But how do people manage to stay connected during those uncertain times?
Despite the fear and hostility, people still manage to find solidarity with each other and protect not only their community, but also those outside of them. They strengthen their bonds and attempt to heal both alone and with each other’s help. They cooperate to provide aid to those who need it, even if they do not share a sense of belonging.
In spite of, or possibly due to all their fears and inhibitions, some find comfort in each other as a safe space to share their fears and experiences. This turn to community during uncertain times creates a ground for new research questions: Which factors motivate attitudes towards solidarity? Why do some people come closer together and why do others drift further apart? What is the correlation between the rise in polarization and the need for solidarity?
What is solidarity?
Before delving deeper into such research topics, one needs to first understand what solidarity is. From a sociological perspective, Durkheim (1960) was one of the first to differentiate between different kinds of solidarity, with organic solidarity being the result of an obligation to reciprocate a favour and a necessary practice to ensure peace among different countries, and mechanical solidarity which resulted from the unspoken rules that emerged within communities and, thus, benefited only in-group members. The former type facilitated the functionality of a larger-scale society, while the latter was present in smaller, homogenous communities.
Nevertheless, the contemporary world consists of even larger interconnected systems of reciprocity that have impact on the labour market, trade, and environment, often leading to global crises. As a consequence, the wealth gap is growing, while social inequalities are ever-more evident, which paves the way for another kind of solidarity, that neither benefits solely the in-group nor acts as a requirement to ensure international relations.
The so-called altruistic solidarity aims at improving the well-being of out-group members and results from moral commitment to help those in need (Bazzani, 2025). Not only are the beneficiaries not members of the community, but they also may be living on the other side of the world, as the rapid advancement of technology allows prosocial acts to have an international reach.
How is the topic reflected in research?
Although at first glance “Psychology of Solidarity” might seem as a social psychological theme, its complex nature serves as a field for research projects in multiple sectors of psychology. From an evolutionary or developmental perspective one could investigate the mechanisms leading towards acts of solidarity and the emergence of empathy during crises. Social and community psychology delves into topics such as collective action, group identity, social inequalities, and conformity, while political psychology examines the motivators to solidarity or polarization. The role of collective trauma and social support are central within marginalized communities and those affected the most by global challenges, deeming the contribution of clinical psychology in such research as valuable. At the same time, moral decision-making and collective guilt could be studied both from a personality and neurological perspective.
The possibilities for research are endless within a topic that is gaining even more popularity with the passage of time…
Supervisor’s Open Call
Along with the announcement of this Research Programme’s theme, we would like to commence the search for the EFPSA Research Programme Supervisors of 2026/27!
If you are a PhD or PostDoc researcher in Psychology who would like to supervise their own group of motivated student researchers on a research project of their choosing, then this is your chance!
By participating in the EFPSA Research Programme 2026/27 as a supervisor, you have the opportunity to pursue an international research project with a team of dedicated participants, while helping young students advance their knowledge and gain experience in the field of research.
If you are interested in becoming such a mentor and you have taken an interest in this year’s theme (Psychology of Solidarity in Constant Change), apply for EFPSA’s Research Programme 2026/27!
The deadline for the applications is February 15th 2026, 23:59 CET!
And now for the big reveal…
The Research Summer School 2026 will take place on July 5th to 12th in Istanbul, Turkey!
We are looking forward to receiving your applications!
References
Bazzani, G. (2025). Solidarity reimagined in the face of global challenges: The emergence of altruistic solidarity. European Journal of Social Theory, 13684310251360994.
Durkheim, E. (2019). The division of labor in society. In Social Stratification, Class, Race, and Gender in Sociological Perspective, Second Edition (pp. 178-183). Routledge.
