International developments involving the spread and success of populism urgently request academic analysis from a multidisciplinary perspective. We invite paper proposals for an edited volume studying populist discourse from the following perspectives: Argumentation theory, linguistics, literature studies, rhetoric, legal, political and social theory.
The edited volume aims at understanding populist discourse as it manifests itself in various countries in Western Europe and the United States. What are its central claims and how are they presented, by means of which rhetorical means? Why and in which respects does it constitute a challenge to current notions of liberal democracy? And how can populist discourse be countered? The volume consists of three parts which address three questions regarding (i) the content and form of populist discourse, (ii) the critique it engenders within legal, political and social theory, and (iii) the construction of a successful counter-discourse. There will be approx. 15 chapters in the volume – part I: 7, part II: 4 and part III: 4 chapters.
A paper proposal consists of approx. 450 words and can be sent to the editors before the 1st of September. Please send a proposal for the first part to Ingeborg van der Geest: i.m.vandergeest@uu.nl; for the second part to Bart van Klink: b.van.klink@vu.nl; and for the third part to Henrike Jansen: h.jansen@hum.leidenuniv.nl.