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Populism in Historical Perspective
11 November 2016, 12:00 am
Event Information
Open to
- All
11 November 2016
From Brexit to Syriza, and from Trump to Alternative für Deutschland, the rise of populism in recent years has attracted significant interest among scholars, the public and the media alike. Yet the attention given to these examples obscures populism's historical context and the relevance of its legacies in the twentieth and twenty first century. This conference aims to historicise the phenomenon of populism, locating it within an analysis of modern and contemporary politics, and more broadly within the development of modern mass society since the nineteenth century.
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When: Where: The event is free but please email us to let us know you're coming. |
This conference will address the topic of twentieth- and twenty-first century populism across a broad geographical range. It brings together historians, political scientists and sociologists to analyse the historical dynamics of the phenomenon and explore the factors that shape its form and apparent recent upsurge.
The symposium is organised by the UCL European Institute, in cooperation with the UCL Centre for Transnational History and the Passionate Politics Research Group.
Programme
| 09:00-09:30am | Coffee & registration |
| 9.30-11am |
Panel 1: 'The People' Chair: Harry Stopes, UCL History |
| Populists tend to portray themselves as standing for the marginalised. Yet they seek to be majoritarians, and their coalitions often encompass a large range of publics, characteristically cutting across divides (socio-economic, cultural, regional, occupational) which other political formations treat as normative. What is the class composition of populist movements and to what extent is the formulation 'the people' used to shape a politics that lies outside class (or other) conflict? Who in turn lies outside the people? | |
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| 11.00-11.30am |
Tea break |
| 11.30am-1.00pm |
Panel 2: 'Values of Populism' Chair: Uta Staiger, UCL European Institute |
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Populists characterise themselves as defenders of a particular set of
values, often under attack by a distant elite. What social structures,
cultural practices and economic interests shape these values? How do
these values translate into political decisions? How do they inform
notions of legitimacy, democracy, and authoritarianism. |
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1.00-2.00pm |
Lunch break |
| 2.00-3.30pm |
Panel 3: 'Languages of Populism' Chair: Alessandro De Arcangelis, UCL History |
| Populism often deploys the language of 'common sense', both as a persuasive rhetorical tool and an articulation of the subjectivity of a group which feels it has been neglected or ignored. How are these knowledges formed, communicated and mobilised? What is the role of the media, both as a mouthpiece for populist politics, a force in shaping the context in which it emerges, or as a focus for anger on the part of publics. What role have new forms of media played in allowing contemporary populists to communicate with their publics? | |
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| 3.30-4.00pm |
Tea break |
| 4.00-5.30pm |
Plenary Session Maxine Molyneux (UCL) & Thomas Osborne (Bristol): Populism, Liberalism and History: a Deflationary View |
| 5.30-6.30pm |
Wine reception |
If you have any questions, please email Alessandro De Arcangelis or Harry Stopes.