The Political Economy of (Right-Wing) Populism: Latin America in Comparative Perspective

This course examines populism as a defining, illiberal force in global politics, analyzing its theoretical foundations and diverse empirical manifestations. Students will explore the social bases and economic strategies of populist movements from the 19th century to the present, with a primary focus on Latin America and interregional comparisons with the United States and Russia. The curriculum progresses from classical social science theories to contemporary debates regarding the "Right-wing turn" of 2026, exploring the conceptual distinctions between populism, fascism, and authoritarianism. By investigating historical "classical" populism alongside the neoliberal reforms of the 1990s, the course culminates in an analysis of the modern hegemony of reactionary, exclusionary movements. Students will evaluate both demand-side economic drivers and supply-side institutional failures to understand why specific populist variants dominate the current Western political landscape.