University of Leipzig
alexander.yendell@uni-leipzig.de
Alexander Yendell is a sociologist at Leipzig University and researcher at the Research Institute for Social Cohesion. His work focuses on authoritarianism, conspiracy beliefs, and their implications for democracy and socio-ecological transformation.
Adopting a multi-paradigmatic approach at the intersection of political psychology and political sociology, Alexander Yendell’s research examines the conditions under which conspiracy beliefs become politically consequential, particularly through their links to authoritarian attitudes, identity formation, and declining trust in democratic institutions, as well as their role in fostering anti-democratic mobilisation.
Relevant publications
Christoph, S.; Hidalgo, O.; Yendell, A.; Schweitzer, M. C. (2025): A Comparative Framework for Explorative Cross-Country Analysis of Factors Promoting and Inhibiting Conspiracy Theories. Open Research Europe 5:386. https://open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu/articles/5-386/v1
Yendell, Alexander; Herbert, David (2022): Religion, Conspiracy Thinking, and the Rejection of Democracy: Evidence from the UK. Politics and Governance 10(4), 229–242. https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v10i4.5904
Yendell, Alexander; Hidalgo, Oliver; Hillenbrand, Carolin (2021): The Role of Religious Actors in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Theory-Based Empirical Analysis with Policy Recommendations. Stuttgart: ifa. https://doi.org/10.17901/akbp1.10.2021