Democracy, Dictators, Rights, and Wrongs: An Introduction to Political Anthropology

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The rise of populism around the world, coupled with the emergence of “neo-Fascist” leaders in Europe and new authoritarianism in Latin America and Africa invite a lot of worried questioning over the state of world politics, and indeed of the stability of a world that seems to grow more tense, divided, and partisan by the moment. In this course we will delve into topics in democracy, charismatic and authoritarian leadership, human rights, and social movements to probe, fundamentally, what social and political participation actually means, and where that participation leads people around the world. If there is no single concrete definition of democracy, do we actually know it when we see it? What factors indicate that it is corrupted or endangered? What accounts for the rise of charismatic leaders, and when is charisma positive, versus a move towards authoritarianism? How do social movements form, what might they accomplish, and when and why do they fail? Finally, are “rights” universal, or are there fundamental issues within “rights” themselves that prevent people around the world from flourishing?