Listed in: Anthropology and Sociology, as SOCI-229
The early twenty-first century has been marked by the convergence of populism, ethno-nationalism, and authoritarianism in all corners of the world. Exclusionary movements have emerged to challenge cultural and intellectual currents in world society that were, at one point, viewed as inevitable agents of progress that would usher in a world liberated from the divisive and demagogic forces that produced immense human suffering and countless theaters of war in the twentieth century. Today, the pendulum appears to be swinging back in the other direction. The far right represents the fastest growing party family in Europe and is translating mass disaffection and cultural anxieties around immigration into electoral victories and political power. Narratives of national decline and revival are giving new life to restrictive strains of nationalism in India and the United States, the two largest democracies in the world. Elsewhere, exclusionary political movements in Latin America, the Middle East and beyond are threatening the democratic norms and institutions that sustained the world system in the postwar period. To make sense of these developments, this course will critically examine the rise of Trumpism, anti-“wokeness,” the European far right, and other exclusionary movements around the world by marshaling theoretical insights and empirical evidence from political sociology, cultural sociology, and the broader study of comparative politics.
Limited to 25 students. Fall semester. Assistant Professor Karim.
How to handle overenrollment: Preference will be given to Sociology and Anthropology majors, then juniors and seniors.
Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: An emphasis on written work, readings, independent research, oral presentations, and group work.
Course Materials