Populism, Politics, and Change

Catalog description

A populist tide clamoring for change in the political status quo is sweeping the world. Populists – those abandoned, forgotten, ignored by the establishment – believe that anti-establishment politics offer the best hope for inclusion of their dreams, aspirations, and beliefs in politics. The establishment fears them believing that their polarized, confrontational politics herald the “end of the world” as we know it. The battle lines are drawn, the stakes seem clear. But reality is much more complex. This course seeks to make sense of the populist tide. Populist movements are hugely varied. Some are more authoritarian and conservative while others are more left oriented emphasizing greater social inclusion and welfare. All claim to be perfecting, saving, or protecting good government and democracy. To sort out the cacophony around really existing populisms we will explore the following questions. What is populism? Who are populists? Why are they gaining so much traction? Are they anti-democratic? What is at stake in the rising populist tide? We will examine these questions in the context of Latin American, US, and European cases.