Course Description

Populism is a broad concept used in different ways by different people, at different times and  for different purposes, but it has gained a lot of currency globally in the last decade or so. The  rise of populism has been driven by multiple interconnected social, economic, political, and  cultural factors, such as economic discontent, cultural backlash against immigrants and  distrust in political elites and institutions, which has led to populist leaders being elected  worldwide. Despite populism being an essentially contested concept, it is very difficult to  ignore its rise. There are variations worldwide in terms of how populism has taken shape,  form and expression in different regions, particularly in terms of its manifestations politically,  culturally, socially and legally. The course seeks to unpack the various perspectives on the  complex phenomenon of populism by critically and analytically exploring the different facets  and themes of populism globally, especially focusing on India. The course examines the  various ‘forms’ of populism(s) that have permeated the discourse to understand the tensions  and contradictions at the heart of contemporary debates around populism and its implications  for modern democracies. This course traverses the ocean of literature on populism, focusing  not just on populism as a ‘political logic’ but excavates it in the different spheres and sites  where ‘populism’ has been conceptually applied – the nation, liberal democracy, religion,  foreign policy, political parties, movements, leaders, social media, the law and constitution,  cinema and film, sport, etc. An interdisciplinary approach to populism enables us to gain  richer and deeper insights to foreground the role of the ‘people’.

It is an introductory reading-intensive course, mostly drawing from academic literature in the  form of journal articles and books, supplemented by videos and other multimedia format  material. The classes will employ the Socratic method, with intense dialogue, discussion and  debate around the readings to sharpen students’ critical thinking.