Kursinformation

Populist parties, movements and actors are gaining popularity and power, in Europe and worldwide. Current research on European populism often takes place on the national level, with a focus on right-wing movements, but taking a look across borders is worthwhile. Europe, and especially the EU as a sphere of transnational cooperation, offer a unique potential for transnational populisms. While there is no one clear definition of populism, the central dichotomy of “people” and “elite” is a unifying element in current populism research. This seminar will explore what these terms mean in different European contexts and examine their transnational potential. Central questions covered in this seminar will be: How is populism defined and what forms of populism are there? What does the populist landscape in Europe look like? Do transnational populisms already exist in Europe? What potential is there for transnational European populisms? To begin, we will discuss the main populism definitions and concepts found in current literature. After laying the theoretical foundation, we will analyze the populisms of a selection of European countries on a national level. Building on these case studies, we will discuss which elements of these European populisms could be viable on a transnational level. Finally, we will use this knowledge to explore several transnational European movements and actors and examine their populist potential.