Navigating the Geography of Discontent: Disentangling places and people

This PhD dissertation seeks to advance the understanding of the ‘geography of discontent’ and ‘left-behind places and people’ (or places that don’t matter). Although geography is considered the key axis for socio-economic and socio-cultural inequalities translating into (political) discontent, by itself it does not explain the underlying causes that underpin such a multi-faceted phenomenon. The dissertation is structured around four empirical research chapters, each of which explores different dimensions of political discontent as expressed in anti-establishment or populist voting, with a particular focus on the spatial origins of these sentiments. Drawing on data from multiple countries and employing a combination of regression analysis and multilevel modelling, the research sheds light on the nuanced interplay between different levels (e.g., individual, local and regional) in understanding how people vote. It disentangles the extent to which voting patterns are a result of compositional effects (the geographical concentration of individuals with certain characteristics) and contextual effects (the differing spatial contexts in which those individuals reside). The findings reveal that indeed discontent depends on the co-presence and interplay of several factors at multiple levels. It is the outcome of the joint effect of individual (disadvantage) conditions as well as geographically associated socio-economic conditions. Both people and places matter. The findings highlight the importance of understanding discontent as a product of multiple factors at various spatial levels, with significant implications for policy interventions aimed at addressing inequalities. The dissertation concludes by discussing future research directions in this interdisciplinary field, emphasising the complex interdependencies between voting, space, place and people.