Populism on the Loose in Europe and Beyond
| Study location | Finland, Helsinki |
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| Type | Short duration course, short course |
| Nominal duration | 4–20 Aug 2020 (5 ECTS) |
| Study language | English |
| Tuition fee |
EARLY BIRD prices valid until 28 February 2020 |
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| Entry qualification | A minimum of 2 years of university-level studies is required for all courses. See course-specific requirements below >> target students. The entry qualification documents are accepted in any language |
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| Language requirements | English All courses are taught in English. Although applicants are not required to present an official certificate of language proficiency, all students must be fluent in English. A good command of English is necessary for completing the course (following teaching, participating in classroom discussions, writing essays) as well as managing day-to-day matters in Finland. An applicant can be rejected if his/her level of English is not deemed equivalent to the standards. |
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| Other requirements | A motivation letter must be added to your application. Please tell us about your academic goals and why you would like to attend Helsinki Summer School and the course you have applied for. For example: Why is this course important to your studies or to your future career? How do you satisfy the course requirements? Please note that plagiarism is strictly forbidden at the University of Helsinki. Any applicant caught of plagiarism will be automatically rejected. |
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| More information |
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Overview
Synopsis
While much of the study of present-day populism has focused on identifying features shared by populist movements or on populism as a social logic, this course looks at the variability and intersectionality of populism in a perspective inspired by the political philosopher Ernesto Laclau.
First, populist phenomena vary according to cultural context. Second, populism gets entangled with such dimensions as gender, class, religion and space. And third, the very concept of populism tends to get loose to the extent of justifying the term of a ‘floating signifier’, familiar from Laclau’s approach to populism.
The course offers lectures, workshops and excursions to examine such phenomena as the role of affect or women in populist movements, the emergence of Donald Trump in the US, the rising tide of radical parties in Europe, Islamic populism in Turkey, and the rise and fall of Chavismo in Venezuela.
Target students
This course examines populism from both theoretical and empirical perspectives, critically engaging with the most prevalent understandings of the term and encouraging students to think of its representations in a new light. Advanced Bachelor’s level, Master’s level or early-career PhD students of social sciences are warmly invited to take this course.
Coordinator
Virpi Salojärvi virpi.salojarvi@helsinki.fi
You may contact the course coordinator with questions concerning the course content.
With any other questions concerning Helsinki Summer School or the application process, please contact summerschool@helsinki.fi.