Subject: In times of the Covid-19 pandemic, populism and nationalism seem to be on the rise in Germany, Europe and even worldwide. Closed borders inside the EU, nationalism and populist rhetoric, scapegoating, conspiracy theories, antisemitism, debates on undemocratic, authoritarian or even dictatorial strategies, structures and concepts are among the political topics. There seems to be a thin line between rational criticism and protest driven by resentment. But populism and nationalism are not new, we had (and have) Trump in the US, Brexit in the UK, Rassemblement national in France, PiS in Poland, the AfD (Alternative for Germany) in Germany and others. Far right populist parties in Europe have a long tradition and had even been part of European Parliament for decades, with ups and downs in elections. Their politics and rhetoric have changed Germany and the EU. But considering the cultural, social, and structural differences between the different countries, what is the current state regarding the debates on populism, democracy, and anti-Corona protests in Europe right now? Is there a rise of populist and undemocratic politics? Why has it come to be appealing today? What are the differences and commonalities between the movements, agendas, and populist parties in Europe? Is populism a sign of a political, social and/or cultural change? Program: In this course, we will read texts about the phenomenon, the different reactions, debates and social backgrounds in Europe and worldwide. The commonalities and differences will be analyzed by comparing and discussing some case studies in different European countries. We also want to look at the international collaboration of populist groups and their networks. Also, we want to take into account different theoretical approaches and methods to analyze current populism and anti-Corona protests. The course aims to develop students’ understanding of commonalities, similarities and differences of populism and protest as well as the reactions and debates to the phenomenon as such. We will use PPT presentations, texts and films with questions for studying at home and online discussions. If we are able to return from virtual space into the real world, the seminar will include field-visits, to a NGO, a foundation, an archive or exhibition in Berlin. Students will participate in study groups on a chosen topic and present their findings in class/online respectively. Is this course suitable for you? This course is open to undergraduate students from the Arts & Humanities and Social and Political Sciences. You should be prepared to study a number of academic texts in English from political, social and cultural sciences and should be interested in analyzing and interpreting cultural and social phenomena. You should be prepared to participate in a study group which presents its findings briefly in class/online. Workload and Assessment: In order to obtain 5 ECTS credits, students will have to attend the course regularly (80% of the sessions); have studied the weekly course materials (an average of 15 pages of English texts for one week) and prepare questions from these readings for class discussion; participate in a study group with a presentation in class/online and pass the final (written) examination. close