Jun 17, 2022How the anti-trans discourse unites populist forces in EuropeDefining gender as biologically determined as a way to construct the “common” people across national borders. — While trans rights are coming to the forefront of LGBT+ human rights campaigns, opponents are gaining momentum spreading anti-trans discourses. Right-wing populist anti-gender movements have already been campaigning against LGBT+ rights in Europe for the past decade. But gender-critical feminist initiatives also strongly criticize reforms to gender recognition procedures. Trans…Populism7 min readPopulism7 min read
Apr 9, 2022Emmanuel Macron and the neoliberal populism: post-democratic society and liberal logicIn this contribution, Marine Fourty question Emmanuel Macron’s stated position of being the barrier against extreme populism in the French political landscape. In fact, while Macron takes up populist elements in his rhetoric and the construction of his public persona, he displays a less striking, but equally recognisable form of…Emmanuel Macron8 min readEmmanuel Macron8 min read
Apr 9, 2022Constitutional and Ecological Populism : the case of Jean-Luc MélenchonAfter renewing left-green populism in 2017 under the political advice of Chantal Mouffe, his left populist strategy continues. Melenchon’s social-green politics and populist strategy takes core in two books he published on these subjects : “The Green Rule: For Eco-Socialism” in 2012 and “The People’s Era” in 2014. …Jean Luc Mélenchon8 min readJean Luc Mélenchon8 min read
Apr 6, 2022Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his “creole” populismMélenchon’s references to “creolisation” mark a turn in his populist discourse. He challenges the hegemonic interpretations of what it means to be “republican” in France in favor of a more inclusive universalism. by Thomás Zicman de Barros, Sciences Po, Center for Political Research (CEVIPOF) — for OPUS Initiative for Young…Jean Luc Mélenchon6 min readJean Luc Mélenchon6 min read
Apr 5, 2022Populism, Transgression, and Mainstreaming: The State of the French Far Right in the 2022 Presidential ElectionThis short article provides an assessment of the unprecedented strength of the French far right on the eve of the presidential election. In a campaign where the combined electoral score of far-right politicians has consistently reached a third of the voting intentions and where the mainstream right and liberal candidates…Marine Le Pen8 min readMarine Le Pen8 min read
Mar 19, 2022The “Great Replacement” Narrative in the 2022 French Presidential ElectionsOnce a fringe far-right conspiracy theory that was too toxic for even Marine Le Pen, the “Great Replacement” narrative has emerged as a prominent issue in the 2022 French presidential election. The “Great Replacement” is a conspiracy theory belief alleging the secret, intentional replacement of the French population by French…Populism8 min readPopulism8 min read
Mar 17, 2022Putin’s Cheerleaders: How the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Undercuts Populist Candidates for the French Presidential Electionsby Therese Mager, Leipzig University, Research Centre Global Dynamics — for OPUS Initiative for Young Scholars on Populism As is the case throughout Europe, French politics have been turned upside-down by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Unlike most nations, however, France is mere weeks away from a general election. The…Populism8 min readPopulism8 min read
Mar 6, 2022OPUS Newsletter #1 — Populist studies in 2022The Steering Committee’s editorial — Last decade has seen the resurgence of Populist politics across all parts of the world–Trump in the United States, Victor Orban in Hungary, Boris Johnson in the UK, Narendra Modi in India, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil etc. Consequently, the academic interest and research in the phenomenon have gained traction. It…Opus Initiative7 min readOpus Initiative7 min read
Jan 23, 2022Book Review : The Palgrave Handbook of PopulismChetan Rana — PhD Student at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi One of the latest volumes on Populism, The Palgrave Handbook of Populism (2022) edited by Michael Oswald, is a comprehensive work that compiles 40 chapters integrating several themes related to the phenomenon. Michael Oswald is an assistant professor of…Populism2 min readPopulism2 min read
Jan 21, 2022EU, NATO, and Russia — partners or adversaries for the Nordic right-wing populists?Aleksa Filipović — PhD Candidate — Saint-Petersburg State University It was my great pleasure to present my research titled “The position of the main Nordic right-wing populist parties towards the EU, NATO and Russia” at the OPUS Graduate Seminar on 15th November. …Populism7 min readPopulism7 min read
