Populism and Radical Politics 2100-ERASMUS-PRPO

Populism and radical politics (often, though not always, interconnected) are neither new nor particularly uncommon phenomena.

Yet their importance in the politics of many societies worldwide is becoming increasingly evident.

The rise of populist tendencies in countries such as the USA, Poland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Italy, and France has been striking and challenging for many commentators and analysts. There is no doubt that it deserves the most serious attention.

The need for a deeper understanding of these trends — one that goes beyond ad hoc journalistic commentary — is well justified.

It is worth noting that “populism” is not a neutral term in public discourse. It usually carries criticism of tendencies labelled as populist. While such criticism will be present in the course, it will not exhaust our analytical intentions.

Populism will be examined not only as a pathology of democracy but also as a possibly inherent feature of it.

The course begins with an introduction to the most influential theories of populism and radicalism, including a historical overview of the phenomenon.

The second part is devoted to specific cases of recent populist and radical politics in various countries, with a primary focus on Europe and the Americas (i.e., Western societies).

Limited number of class presentations will be available. They are to focus on a selected case, chosen according to student's background, knowledge, and interests. Obvious case studies include: Donald Trump in the United States, Viktor Orbán’s policies in Hungary, the Law and Justice party in Poland, and the National Rally in France.
Other cases, including non-Western ones, may also be considered — for example, the ideas and policies of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan or Vladimir Putin.

In the third part, the course culminates in a collective effort to develop a comparative interpretation of contemporary populism and radicalism.