The article 'The political economy of ultra-activity in collective bargaining: explaining divergent post-crisis trajectories in Portugal and Spain', co-authored by Paulo Marques (DINÂMIA'CET-Iscte researcher and coordinator of the Youth Employment Observatory, Rui Branco, Óscar Molina and Madalena Ferreira has been published by Routledge in the New Political Economy Journal. This paper examines ultra-activity in collective bargaining – the rule that keeps expired agreements in force – and how its curtailment can shift bargaining power in fragmented wage-setting systems. Drawing on elite interviews, parliamentary debates and legal texts, the article examines the post-crisis trajectories of Portugal and Spain, two Southern European countries with institutional similarities but divergent reform paths regarding the regulation of ultra-activity. In Spain, the 2012 labour reform unilaterally curtailed ultra-activity; however, the 2021 reform reinstated indefinite ultra-activity. In Portugal, by contrast, indefinite ultra-activity had been abolished earlier, in 2003, and was never reinstated, even as other elements of austerity-era reform were reversed in 2019.2 Instead, employers used legal discontinuity to restructure actor coalitions, displace dominant unions, and reconfigure bargaining arrangements. The paper asks: why did these two countries adopt different reform strategies in the regulation of ultra-activity? And what do these choices reveal about broader dynamics of institutional change? The article is available here: Full article: The political economy of ultra-activity in collective bargaining: explaining divergent post-crisis trajectories in Portugal and Spain

The Dinâmicas Workshop returns at a significant moment, shaped both by profound socio-economic transformations and by a new stage in the life of DINÂMIA’CET-Iscte (DC). As a research centre with more than 240 researchers, specialising in the study of socio-economic change and territory, and rated Excellent in the latest FCT evaluation, DC faces new ambitions and a renewed collective responsibility: to create more opportunities for scientific exchange, to increase the visibility of the research carried out at the centre, and to give fresh momentum to high-quality scholarly output. Against this backdrop, this edition of the Workshop, dedicated to contemporary and future dynamics, is conceived as a space for research exchange, intellectual debate and the promotion of the work developed at DC. Its aim is both simple and demanding: to foster a stimulating and collaborative environment, encouraging dialogue across generations and fields of research. This year’s edition also features a keynote lecture by the invited speaker, Prof. Carlos Farinha Rodrigues (ISEG), alongside sessions devoted to crucial topics such as research funding, as well as moments dedicated to presenting new publications and DC initiatives. In this way, we hope to make the Workshop more useful, more open and more relevant. Workshop Programme available here

This spring, the Political Economy Master’s programme (Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon) and PhD programme (Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon, ISEG – University of Lisbon, and FE – University of Coimbra) are hosting a seminar series on pressing issues in capitalist societies, held at Iscte from March 3 to May 28, 2026. The series calls for an interdisciplinary perspective grounded in historical, political, institutional knowledge and imagination. It brings together leading scholars in the field of Political Economy to examine the rise of authoritarianism; the politics of quantification; the financialization of the economy and its impact on systems of provision, such as housing; the emergence of asset manager capitalism and growing wealth inequality. Open to all, the Seminar Series on Political Economy is co-organized by DINÂMIA’CET-Iscte, the Department of Political Economy at Iscte’s School of Social Sciences, and the Portuguese Association for Political Economy. The upcoming session "Political competition in Europe, Ideological conflict lines in Europe", presented by Jan Rovny (Center for European Studies and Comparative Politics at Sciences, Paris), will take place on 4 May 2026, at Iscte, Building 4, Auditorium A306, at 16:00. Jan Rovny is currently Full Professor in Political Science at the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics at Sciences Po, Paris. His work examines political competition in Europe, with particular attention to ideological conflict lines, party strategies, and patterns of voter preferences and behaviour. He also studies ethnic politics, social risks, and democratic representation. Rovny is a principal investigator of the Chapel Hill Expert Survey on party positioning and of the Horizon Europe project AUTHLIB. He teaches comparative politics and quantitative methodology, and is the author of Ethnic Minorities, Political Competition, and Democracy: Circumstantial Liberals (Oxford University Press, 2024).  The Seminar Series programme is available here.

The documentary Mulheres, Terra, Revolução (Women, Land, Revolution), authored by Rita Calvário (DINÂMIA'CET-Iscte) and Cecília Honório (CHAM-NOVA FCSH), has been officially selected to compete at the 9th PORTO FEMME International Film Festival, with a screening on 26 April at 3:15 PM., at the Batalha Centro de Cinema. The documentary, developed within the project Gendered power relations in agriculture: how rural women are facing gender inequality and struggling for more just and sustainable agri-food systems – the case of Portugal, explores the lives and struggles of rural women under fascism and throughout the Portuguese Revolution. It highlights their role as agents of change and the advances made in women’s rights achieved during this transformative period. Through the testimonies of women who were members of cooperatives during the Agrarian Reform, journalists who covered the events, and activists in farmers’ movements, the film presents a powerful story of resistance, political participation, and the pursuit of emancipation—at a time when, for many women, speaking out and taking action was itself a revolutionary act.”   Other upcoming screenings in April: 24 April 2026, at 6:00 PM, Lisbon: at Casa Capitão, alongside the launch of the homonymous book published by Tinta-da-China, with the directors and authors in attendance. 25 April 2026, at 11:00 AM, Faro: at CCIB - Centro Cultural e de Inovação de Bordeira, organized by the Cineclube de Faro. 26 April 2026, at 3:15 PM, Porto: at Batalha Centro Cinema, as part of the Official Selection and Competition programme of the 9th edition of the PORTO FEMME International Film Festival. 30 April 2026, at 7:00 PM, Lisbon: at Biblioteca Municipal de Alcântara - José Dias Coelho, alongside the presentation of the homonymous book published by Tinta-da-China, with the directors and authors in attendance.   Upcoming screenings in May and June: 1 may 2026, 3:00 AM, Avis: at Auditório da Biblioteca José Saramago, alongside the presentation of the homonymous book published by Tinta-da-China, with the presence of the directors/authors. 21 May, at 9:30 PM, Évora: at Sociedade Harmonia Eborense, with the directors in attendance. 22 May, at 9:30 PM, Elvas: at Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Elvas (MACE), organized by Coletivo Artístico 7350, as part of the celebrations for Portuguese Author's Day, with the directors in attendance. 23 May, at 9:00 PM, Setúbal: at Casa da Cultura de Setúbal, organized by Centro de Estudos Bocageanos, with the directors in attendance. 24 May, at 5:30 PM, Cascais: at GIMBR - Grupo de Instrução Musical e Beneficiência da Rebelva, with the directors in attendance. 6 June, at 5:00 PM, Porto: at Espaço Cassandra, alongside the presentation of the homonymous book published by Tinta-da-China, with the directors and authors in attendance. All the events are organized in partnership with DINAMIA’CET-Iscte.

The documentary Mulheres, Terra, Revolução (Women, Land, Revolution), authored by Rita Calvário (DINÂMIA'CET-Iscte) and Cecília Honório (CHAM-NOVA FCSH), has been officially selected to compete at two major film festivals, with April screenings honouring the legacy of the Revolution and the values of democracy. In Porto, it will compete in the Official Selection of the 9th PORTO FEMME International Film Festival, with a screening on 26 April at 3:15 PM., at the Batalha Centro de Cinema. Earlier in the month, on 8 April at 9:00 PM, the film will be shown at the CineTeatro Grandolense in Grândola, within Abril Documental, a film programme dedicated to celebrating the values of April and organized by the Municipality of Grândola in partnership with Festival Política—where the documentary has also been officially selected to compete. The session will be followed by a conversation with the directors. The documentary, developed within the project Gendered power relations in agriculture: how rural women are facing gender inequality and struggling for more just and sustainable agri-food systems – the case of Portugal, explores the lives and struggles of rural women under fascism and throughout the Portuguese Revolution. It highlights their role as agents of change and the advances made in women’s rights achieved during this transformative period. Through the testimonies of women who were members of cooperatives during the Agrarian Reform, journalists who covered the events, and activists in farmers’ movements, the film presents a powerful story of resistance, political participation, and the pursuit of emancipation—at a time when, for many women, speaking out and taking action was itself a revolutionary act.”   Other upcoming screenings in April: 11 April 2026, at 7:00 PM, Cascais: at CASA - Atelier Carlos Botelho, as part of the Sessões no Muro organized by the Associação Cultura no Muro, with the directors in attendance. 14 April 2026, at 9:00 PM, Barreiro: at Associação Cultural Mula, as part of a film series about the 25th April Revolution, with the directors in attendance. 17 April 2026, at 9:30 PM, Porto: at Casa Comum at the University of Porto, which is celebrating its 8th anniversary, as part of the Warm-Up Session for the 9th edition of the PORTO FEMME International Film Festival, with the directors in attendance. 24 April 2026, at 6:00 PM, Lisbon: at Casa Capitão, alongside the launch of the homonymous book published by Tinta-da-China, with the directors and authors in attendance. 25 April 2026, at 11:00 AM, Faro: at CCIB - Centro Cultural e de Inovação de Bordeira, organized by the Cineclube de Faro. 26 April 2026, at 3:15 PM, Porto: at Batalha Centro Cinema, as part of the Official Selection and Competition programme of the 9th edition of the PORTO FEMME International Film Festival. 30 April 2026, at 7:00 PM, Lisbon: at Biblioteca Municipal de Alcântara - José Dias Coelho, alongside the presentation of the homonymous book published by Tinta-da-China, with the directors and authors in attendance.   Upcoming screenings in May and June: 1 may 2026, 3:00 AM, Avis: at Auditório da Biblioteca José Saramago, alongside the presentation of the homonymous book published by Tinta-da-China, with the presence of the directors/authors. 21 May, at 9:30 PM, Évora: at Sociedade Harmonia Eborense, with the directors in attendance. 22 May, at 9:30 PM, Elvas: at Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Elvas (MACE), organized by Coletivo Artístico 7350, as part of the celebrations for Portuguese Author's Day, with the directors in attendance. 23 May, at 9:00 PM, Setúbal: at Casa da Cultura de Setúbal, organized by Centro de Estudos Bocageanos, with the directors in attendance. 24 May, at 5:30 PM, Cascais: at GIMBR - Grupo de Instrução Musical e Beneficiência da Rebelva, with the directors in attendance. 6 June, at 5:00 PM, Porto: at Espaço Cassandra, alongside the presentation of the homonymous book published by Tinta-da-China, with the directors and authors in attendance. All the events are organized in partnership with DINAMIA’CET-Iscte.

The study was led by Nuno Bento, researcher at DINÂMIA’CET-Iscte. A new study published in Science argues that governments must adopt three integrated targets for energy demand by 2035, stating that climate policy will fall short if it focuses solely on how energy is produced and continues to neglect how it is utilized. The article, "New demand goals for energy and climate resilience", authored by researchers Nuno Bento (DINÂMIA'CET-Iscte), Arnulf Grubler, and Nebojsa Nakicenovic (both from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis - IIASA), proposes a tripling agenda on three fronts: tripling progress in energy efficiency, electrification, and measures aimed at curbing extreme energy consumption. The authors argue that international climate efforts and energy policy have focused primarily on expanding the supply of clean energy, paying much less attention to final energy demand — that is, the energy actually utilized in transport, housing, heating, cooling, and industry. The growth in energy demand is also rendering economies more vulnerable to energy crises and external shocks, reinforcing the need to act more directly on the demand side. The study highlights a stark global imbalance: half of the world's population lives at or below the threshold of decent living standards, with an estimated consumption between 15 and 18 GJ per person per year, and over 700 million people remain without access to basic electricity services. In contrast, the top 2% of consumers globally utilize over 300 GJ per person per year and alone account for one-third of global energy consumption. Meanwhile, the bottom half of the world's population accounts for merely 10% of this consumption. According to the researchers, reducing patterns of excessive consumption — which frequently benefit from reduced or non-existent taxation — is essential not only to cut emissions, but also to bolster energy security and social justice. The first proposed target is to triple the annual rate of energy efficiency improvement, raising the reduction of the final energy intensity of GDP to 4% per year. The second consists of tripling the pace of electrification, increasing electricity's share of final energy consumption by 4% per year, until it reaches 33% in 2035. The third consists of applying fairer taxation to extreme energy consumption, through a surcharge on consumption above 300 GJ per person per year. The study argues that taxing luxury energy uses — such as private jets and yachts, which are currently lightly taxed or untaxed — could help curb excessive consumption, while simultaneously generating between 0.2 and 2 trillion dollars per year to expand energy access and support low-carbon investment. The researchers state that the three targets were conceptualized to mutually reinforce one another. Efficiency helps limit overall demand growth. Electrification facilitates a more efficient provision of energy services. And taxing excessive consumption can simultaneously reduce pressure on energy systems and help finance a fairer transition. Instead of treating demand reduction as a side effect of other policies, such as decarbonization, the article presents it as a public policy objective in its own right. More information at: https://www.demandgoals.org/

Several funding opportunities for doctoral students are now open at Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon for the 2026/2027 academic year. These opportunities include grants funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the PIONEER Alliance, as well as merit-based scholarships promoted by Iscte.   PIONEER Research Fellowship (FCT) Within the framework of the PIONEER Alliance, applications are open for the Pioneer Research Fellowships for Doctoral Studies. These fellowships, funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), are intended for candidates wishing to develop their research at DINÂMIA’CET-Iscte in the following areas: PhD in Political Economy (Social Sciences) – Applications open until 31 May. PhD in Architecture of Contemporary Metropolitan Territories (Architecture) – Applications open until 15 June.   Merit and Tuition Scholarships Iscte is also offering a range of scholarships specifically PhD students. These are aimed at supporting the academic path of students enrolled for the first time in the first year of their doctoral programme. The available positions include: PhD in Political Economy: 2 Merit Scholarships - Applications open until 31 May. PhD in Urban Studies: 1 Merit Scholarship and 1 Scholarship for the payment of the annual tuition fee – Applications open until 15 May. PhD in Architecture of Contemporary Metropolitan Territories: 1 Merit Scholarship and 2 Scholarships for the payment of the annual tuition fee – Applications open until 31 August.   All applications must be submitted exclusively via the Iscte Recruitment Platform. Candidates are strongly advised to consult the detailed pages of each call to verify eligibility criteria and specific requirements. The complete documentation, including the official public notices (editais), regulations, and mandatory forms, is available on the platform.

Iscte-Knowledge and Innovation Center CVTT and DINÂMIA'CET-Iscte invite researchers interested in applying for the Marie-Sklodowska Curie PostDoctoral Fellowships 2026 - HORIZON-MSCA-2026-PF-01-01 . Applications are welcome from researchers with outstanding CV in the following scientific areas: Social Sciences and Humanities, Management and Economics, Public Policy, Psychology, Sociology, International Studies, Anthropology, Information and Communications Technology, crosscutting areas of Digital Design, Mixed Realities, Data Science, Engineering, Construction and Architecture , to submit their Expressions of interest to Iscte-CVTT. In addition to the scientific and institutional support provided throughout the application and project implementation process, MSCA Fellows may also benefit from affordable accommodation in one of the university’s residence halls , with fixed and accessible rates within the Lisbon area. The additional advantages of applying for the MSCA Post-Doctoral Fellowship with Iscte-CVTT as the host institution include the additional funding within the WIDENING program provided by the European Commission: Fostering balanced brain circulation – ERA Fellowships. It promotes the mobility of the candidates of any nationality applying for the PostDoctoral fellowship in a host institution from a WIDENING countries of Horizon Europe program, which includes Portugal . Candidates applying for the MSCA PostDoctoral fellowship who do not succeed to obtain the funding, will have the additional opportunity to obtain the funding through the ERA Fellowships without having to resubmit their application. Candidates may be of any nationality, have defended their PhD within the last 8 years, and should not have resided or performed their principal research activity in Portugal for more than 12 months before September 9th of 2026, according to the rules of the MSCA-PostDoctoral funding program . Candidates that applied for the 2025 call for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships having received a score of less than 70% are not eligible to apply in 2026. The closing date for the Marie-Sklodowska Curie PostDoctoral Fellowships 2026 HORIZON-MSCA-2026-PF-01-01 call is 9th September 2026. The candidates are advised to submit their Expression of interest to Iscte before 19th July 2026. The Expression of interest should include the following information: 1. Summary of the work plan with defined objectives (up to 500 words) 2. Scientific area (Management and Economics, Sociology and Public Policy, Social Sciences and Humanities, Information and Communications Technology and Architecture) 3. Curriculum vitae (last 5 years) 4. Identification of one or more Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to be covered by the project proposal 5. Preference to be hosted by one of the Iscte’s Research Units . The candidates will be informed within the max 10 working days of the results of the evaluation process. The Expression of interest should be submitted by email to gai@iscte-iul.pt with the subject "MSCA-PF-2026: name of the candidate- Expression of interest". The selected candidates will be able to submit their application to the open MSCA-PostDoctoral Fellowships 2026 HORIZON-MSCA-2026-PF-01-01 call with Iscte-CVTT as their host institution. At the host institution, Iscte Research Support Office and associated Research Unit will offer support to the applicants within the application process and provide all the necessary accompanying institutional documentation. For more information please visit https://www.iscte-iul.pt/ , or contact directly the Research Support Office ( gai@iscte-iul.pt ). Please check the Guide on how to submit the Expression of interest here

Ana Oliveira , researcher at DINÂMIA'CET – ISCTE and coordinator of the Sonic Paradise project , has been invited to moderate the roundtable  "What a Healthy Lisbon Nightlife Looks Like"  at the Lisbon Dance Summit 2026 . The session will take place on 29 April  at Fábrica de Unicórnios, in Marvila , bringing together ten professionals from across the nightlife, electronic music, and cultural sectors — including artists, promoters, cultural producers, photographers, and night-time economy specialists. The discussion will explore themes such as sustainability for artists and promoters, inclusivity in nightlife spaces, the balance between tourism and local community, well-being, regulation, and support for emerging talent — questions that are also central to the research agenda of Sonic Paradise , a project dedicated to studying the electronic music ecosystem of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Lisbon Dance Summit 2026  runs from 29 April to 2 May  at Fábrica de Unicórnios, Marvila, Lisbon.

Location:  Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon, Building 2, Auditorium B302 Date:  20 April 2025 Time:  3:00 PM Admission:  Free DINÂMIA'CET-Iscte is pleased to invite you to participate in the Research Seminar of the PhD in Architecture of Contemporary Metropolitan Territories “Epicurus’ Letter to Pythocles and Celestial and Meteorological Phenomena. On Architecture” , to be held on April 20, 2026, at 3:00 PM, at Iscte, Building 2, Auditorium B302. The storms of February 2026 made particularly clear the fragility of the territory, highlighting that the climate crisis has now become a central issue in architectural and landscape design. Within the framework of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, promoted by ICOMOS under the theme “Living Heritage: Emergency Response in Contexts of Conflict and Disasters,” the seminar continues the work developed during the first semester, focused on Epicurus’ Garden and the Letter to Menoeceus, dedicated to ethics and the art of living well. In the present semester, the Letter to Pythocles is taken as a reference, focusing on the interpretation of meteorological and celestial phenomena, establishing a dialogue between ancient thought and contemporary challenges related to climate change. The session will feature presentations by Carlos Correia Dias (APAP), Rui Florentino (UPT/DAMG), Fátima Silva (CEAA/CITAD), Paulo Santos Silva (DCSPT/ID) and Maria José de Freitas (ICOMOS/ISCBH). In this context, all those interested are invited to participate in this seminar and to join the proposed discussion.