Overview

This ground-breaking textbook describes and explains the global manifestations of populism. It reviews controversies about its relationships with democracy in the distinct and interrelated histories of the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The volume surveys the similarities and differences between populism, nationalism, fascism, and populist uses of religion and the media. Global Populisms invites students and the general public to move beyond simplistic conceptualizations of populism as an external virus and as an irrational threat to democracy, or, alternatively, as the path to return power to the people. The book differentiates populists’ correct critiques to inequalities, the loss of national sovereignty, and unresponsive politicians from its solutions. In the name of giving power to the people, populists in power from Hugo Chávez to Donald Trump, Narendra Modi, and Viktor Orbán entered in war with the media, made rivals into existential enemies, and attempted to concentrate power in the hands of the president. Written in a clear and accessible style, this interdisciplinary volume will appeal to undergraduate students as well as to non-academic audiences with an interest in political science, sociology, history, and communication studies.

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9780367332143

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Reviews

'This thorough and sophisticated textbook provides a comprehensive overview of populism in its main regional variants, its ideological ramifications, and its cultural and political causes and consequences. Anybody interested in this growing challenge to liberal democracy across the world will learn a great deal from this excellent introduction.' Kurt Weyland, Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, USA 'Populism is a global phenomenon that mirrors citizens' perception of the way the democratic system works. It registers a loss of faith in political parties and politicians and interrogates scholars and citizens on the value and worth of democracy. Today, studying populism is thus studying the transformations of democracy in the age of neoliberalism. This book is a precious research offering us a rich and informative overview of populism in all the continents and various socio-economic contexts.' Nadia Urbinati, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos Professor of Political Theory, Columbia University , USA

'Carlos de la Torre has long been a voice of reason in the often-heated scholarly debates over the meaning of populism and its political effects. In this comprehensive introduction to the study of populist politics, de la Torre explains the different forms that populism can take around the world, and he sheds new light on the democratic shortcomings that give rise to populist leaders and movements. He also offers a balanced and penetrating assessment of populism's limitations as a corrective to these shortcomings. Remarkable in its breadth, this book is an ideal foundation for the study of populism in its widely varying forms.' Kenneth M. Roberts, Richard J. Schwartz Professor of Government, Cornell University, USA 'Populism is a global phenomenon that mirrors citizens' perception of the way the democratic system works. It registers a loss of faith in political parties and politicians and interrogates scholars and citizens on the value and worth of democracy. Today, studying populism is thus studying the transformations of democracy in the age of neoliberalism. This book is a precious research offering us a rich and informative overview of populism in all the continents and various socio-economic contexts.' Nadia Urbinati, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos Professor of Political Theory, Columbia University , USA 'This thorough and sophisticated textbook provides a comprehensive overview of populism in its main regional variants, its ideological ramifications, and its cultural and political causes and consequences. Anybody interested in this growing challenge to liberal democracy across the world will learn a great deal from this excellent introduction.' Kurt Weyland, Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, USA

'Carlos de la Torre has long been a voice of reason in the often-heated scholarly debates over the meaning of populism and its political effects. In this comprehensive introduction to the study of populist politics, de la Torre explains the different forms that populism can take around the world, and he sheds new light on the democratic shortcomings that give rise to populist leaders and movements. He also offers a balanced and penetrating assessment of populism's limitations as a corrective to these shortcomings. Remarkable in its breadth, this book is an ideal foundation for the study of populism in its widely varying forms.' Kenneth M. Roberts, Richard J. Schwartz Professor of Government, Cornell University, USA 'Populism is a global phenomenon that mirrors citizens' perception of the way the democratic system works. It registers a loss of faith in political parties and politicians and interrogates scholars and citizens on the value and worth of democracy. Today, studying populism is thus studying the transformations of democracy in the age of neoliberalism. This book is a precious research offering us a rich and informative overview of populism in all the continents and various socio-economic contexts.' Nadia Urbinati, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos Professor of Political Theory, Columbia University , USA 'This thorough and sophisticated textbook provides a comprehensive overview of populism in its main regional variants, its ideological ramifications, and its cultural and political causes and consequences. Anybody interested in this growing challenge to liberal democracy across the world will learn a great deal from this excellent introduction.' Kurt Weyland, Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, USA

Author Information

Carlos de la Torre is Professor and Director of the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida. He has a Ph.D. from the New School for Social Research. He has been a fellow at the Simon Guggenheim Foundation, and the Woodrow Wilson Centre for Scholars. He is the author of Populisms: A Quick Immersion, and Populist Seduction in Latin America. He is the editor of Routledge Handbook of Global Populism, The Promise and Perils of Populism, Latin American Populism of the Twenty First Century (co-edited with Cynthia Arnson). He has taught courses on populism at graduate and undergraduate levels. Treethep Srisa-nga holds a Master’s in Latin American Studies from the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida. He earned his BA in Spanish (First Class Honors) from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, and was a journalist at Spanish news agency Agencia EFE’s Asia-Pacific regional office. His research interests include comparative populism, democratization, and authoritarianism, with a regional focus on Southeast Asia and Latin America.

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