15137

SoSe 19: Liberalism, Populism und International Institutions

Cedric Koch Christian Kreuder-Sonnen

Comments

The specter of populism is haunting democracies and the liberal international order. Anti-elite forces portraying themselves as the true voice of the people are delegitimizing liberal political institutions at the domestic and international level. Whether subscribing to left- or right-wing ideology, populists criticize a lack of popular influence in political decision-making processes. At the same time, populists often (try to) undermine liberal-constitutional and pluralist aspects of democracy. This ambivalence extends to the international level: Populists challenge “undemocratic” international organizations, yet populist leaders often undermine international norms of liberal democracy. This seminar provides an introduction to the main normative and empirical debates related to this phenomenon. Combining literature from comparative politics, democratic theory, and international relations, we deal with fundamental theoretical questions, e.g. about the relationship of liberalism, democracy, and international institutions, and discuss on that basis the main economic, cultural, and political causes of populism. Special attention is given to the role of international institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) or the European Union (EU) as both potential sources of and possible counterweights to populist mobilization. The seminar is intended to familiarize students with key academic debates about the populist challenge and to encourage critical reflection on the functioning of liberal democracy in a globalized world. close

13 Class schedule

Regular appointments

Fri, 10:00 - 12:00 WZB, Reichpietschufer 50 13 Class schedule

Fri, 2019-04-12 10:00 - 12:00

WZB, Reichpietschufer 50